How do I know when I need to search for help?
A common question running through our minds is…
At what point do I need to seek mental health help? When do I know I need to go to therapy?
The short answer: when your mental health is negatively impacting your day-to-day life.
Everyone goes through times of worry or sadness depending on life circumstances. It is normal to feel worried after losing a job or sadness after the death of a loved one.
The difference between the ups and downs of life and the need to seek mental health help is how you are functioning.
When your mental health negatively impacts your daily functioning, that is when you need to seek help.
Here is a table of how mental health can negatively impact different parts of our daily functioning.
| Daily Functioning | Symptoms | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep | You aren’t sleeping, having difficulty falling or staying asleep | You’re sleeping too much (i.e., don’t want to get out of bed) |
| Eating | You aren’t hungry—barely eating (which may lead to quick and unhealthy weight loss) | You’re overeating (which may lead to rapid weight gain) |
| Work/School | Calling out of work/not attending school, not completing your work tasks/schoolwork on time | Overworking to avoid thoughts or feelings (which results in neglecting other areas of your life, such as family, friends, and your health) |
| Relationships | You become socially withdrawn—don’t want to talk or hang out with family or friends | Become dependent on others—feel like you can never be alone, which results in unhealthy codependent relationships |
| Hygiene | You don’t want to shower, brush your teeth, do laundry, clean your home (i.e., you don’t want to take care of yourself) | Become obsessed with your body or perfection |
| Emotions | You are numb; you don’t feel excited, happy, or sad about anything | Feel emotionally out of control, having anger outbursts or crying spells that feel like they come out of nowhere |
| Thinking | You have difficulty concentrating or focusing | Become obsessive and hyper-focused on something or someone, neglecting other areas of life |
| Alcohol or Substances | Increase use of alcohol and/or substances, usually used to cope, to just get through the day |
Your mental health may be impacting some but not all of these areas, and that’s okay.
You don’t need to have all of these concerns or symptoms to benefit from mental health therapy.
Remember, if your mental health is negatively impacting your daily functioning in any of these areas, mental health therapy can help.
If your mental health is making it harder for you to work/complete your schooling, take care of yourself, is harming your relationships with family, friends, or your romantic partner, is interfering with your sleep, eating, or thinking, OR makes you want to drink alcohol or use recreational substances to just get through the day—it's time to go to treatment. Mental health therapy can help!
Dr. Anna Cariello is a compassionate psychologist dedicated to helping individuals navigate their mental health challenges. Her empathetic approach ensures that clients feel understood and supported as they work through mental health concerns that are negatively impacting daily functioning. If you believe she can assist you with your mental health concerns (* and you live in the state of Utah), click the button below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation.