What Steps Can You Take If You Are Struggling?

Mental health is a leading conversation for our time, as more people become comfortable with opening up about their own mental health experiences. According to recent statistics, one in five of us have sought help with their mental health from the NHS over the last few years. Common as mental health struggles may be, though, they are no easier for any individual for manage. If you are struggling with your own mental health, what steps might you take to help yourself?

Mental Health and Stigma

Thankfully, mental health is a subject which is being taken much more seriously nowadays. Previously, conversation around the impacts of mental health on the self, whether with regards to professional performance or household dynamics, had been heavily stigmatised. 

Today, though, routes to care have been dramatically improved, and – while misogyny remains an endemic problem in today’s society – discriminatory diagnosis and treatments (such as ‘hysteria’) are things of the past. Still, though, there is a tendency for individuals to downplay their ill mental health – and to struggle as a result.

When Might You Be Struggling?

As a result, it can be hard to know if or when you are truly struggling with an illness. There are some tell-tale signs, though, which run common through a number of key conditions including depression and anxiety:

• Excess worrying, accompanied by heightened physical sensation
• Little interest in eating or sleep
• Difficulty focusing on a given task
• Experiencing difficult and painful thoughts, including intrusive thoughts about yourself
• Noticing any real-world impact of negative sensations or thinking

Steps to Take for Your Own Mental Health

Speak to a GP

If you are noticing a pattern of poor mental health, whatever the symptoms, your first port of call should be your local GP. As mentioned above, though, a fifth of us in the UK have sought help from the NHS regarding mental health issues. If you are one of those people, you may also know how difficult it is at the moment to secure help and treatment through the NHS; waiting lists for therapeutic services are longer than ever, while certain issues are increasingly misdiagnosed at first contact with a GP.

Naturally, this process and the various hurdles it can bring up can exacerbate symptoms or retraumatise patients; misdiagnosis in particular is grounds for medical negligence, which can see patients eligible for compensation for their ordeal. This should not dissuade you from seeking primary care for illness, but should indicate that other options may also be wise.

Seek a Therapist

If you decide you need mental health treatment, and if you have the budget to do so, you might seek out a trained therapist with whom to talk through your recent struggles. Medication is but one part of a much larger treatment ecosystem, and the ‘talking cure’ absolutely a viable route to giving you new resources with which to tackle your own thinking.

Reach Out to Charities

In the event of a serious mental health episode, during which you are worried for your own safety or state of mind, there are charities available for you to speak to immediately. Samaritans is one of the more well-known charities for this, with a 24/7 phone line and a large team of volunteers on hand to talk you through your episode or situation.

Institutional Support

Lastly, your mental health struggles need not continue to impact other areas of your life even as you seek solutions. There is often pastoral support available via the institutions with which you are affiliated – whether your workplace or place of learning. A HR or student services department will be well-equipped to provide you with fresh resources and even dispensations for your work or study load.