what is mental health?
Mental health is the emotional, psychological, and well-being that makes us human. It affects how we think, feel, and act toward ourselves and others and directly impacts our positive and negative choices.
Mental health issues can affect thinking, mood, behavior, self-esteem, and even our physical health.
factors that often contribute to mental health issues include:
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
- Life experiences, like trauma from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse
- Family history of mental health problems
common mental health symptoms
No two people are the same, and how you may experience depression, for example, may be different than another. The following are common symptoms patients experience for different mental illnesses. Some may experience more than one of these symptoms.
Note that this list is not comprehensive, nor should it be used to diagnose yourself or a loved one. Details on specific conditions can be seen in the mental health conditions section below.
- Persistent sadness or feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, or low self-esteem
- Increased or persistent irritability or nervousness (anxiety)
- Feelings of impending doom or disaster
- Racing heartbeat, hyperventilating, sweating, or trembling
- Social withdrawal
- Thoughts of self-harm, death, or suicide
- Misuse of alcohol and/or drugs
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
- Moving or talking more slowly
- Loss of impulse control
- Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
- Excessive fear or worry
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there
- Extremely high and low moods
- Aches, headaches, or digestive problems without a clear cause
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Indulging in overly risky behaviors
putting a name to what you may be feeling
There are numerous mental health disorders and several that women experience more often than men, and there can be many contributing factors as to what you may be feeling the way you do.
We have developed a website – a focus on women – as an online resource designed to inform women about different health disorders and common symptoms. The rest of the site is intended to help women learn why they may be experiencing a mental health issue and offer some solutions to consider.
If you are experiencing a mental health issue, contact our office (833.701.3111), and schedule an appointment with me or one of our amazing care providers. If you are in crisis, call 9-1-1.
