Signs that your mental health is getting worse
5 min readSep 17, 2024
you been wondering if your mental health is possibly getting worse mental health just like physical health affects everyone whether you’re suffering from a mental illness or not. your mental and emotional health can fluctuate from time to time depending on the stress is going on in your life so it’s always a good idea to check in with yourself and try to gauge the direction your mental health is going in with that said here are 10 signs that your mental health is getting worse.
- number one you’re losing interest in the little things do your favourite activities suddenly seem meh to you if you’ve started to lose excitement for life’s little things then this is a sign that your mental health might not be at its best you might be feeling this way because of an overload of stress in your life or you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of your responsibilities and your to-do lists when you lose interest and don’t enjoy the hobbies and activities that you once did this could also be a warning sign of depression if you think this could be what’s happening to you know that you aren’t alone and that help is just around the corner talk with a trusted friend or family member or a mental health professional to get the help you need to navigate these troubling times.
- number two you get overwhelmed easier do you find that you’ve been getting overwhelmed more often than normal when you have a to-do list for two or three tasks does it feel more like you have 10 things to do when you start to get overwhelmed easily with everyday things this could be a sign of worsening mental health according to psychotherapist sherry Jacobson feeling mentally overwhelmed could be an internal reaction to excessive outside stress to help cope with this overwhelming feeling you can journal meditate or practice mindfulness.
- number three you don’t feel like socializing that much anymore does it feel more exhausting to interact with people nowadays regardless of whether you’re an introvert extrovert or somewhere in between we all have a standard comfort level when it comes to social interaction if you feel yourself slipping below your comfort level pay attention to this remember that even if it doesn’t feel that way at the moment interacting with people can help boost your mood.
number four you don’t have a consistent sleep schedule have you developed a seemingly random sleep schedule despite wanting to get up at a certain time in the morning do you wind up sleeping all day when you have an irregular sleep schedule this could signify increased stress in your life and a decline in your mental health if you’re struggling to regulate your sleep you can try setting up a routine to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day this will get your body back into its regular rhythm of sleep and wake cycles therefore no longer causing sleep disturbance. - number five you always feel drained despite getting enough sleep and eating well do you constantly feel exhausted or drained according to health line mental exhaustion can set in when you’re under long-term stress and this type of exhaustion can make it feel like you’re trying to move up a mountain more than just feeling tired when you’re in this drained and constantly exhausted state you might struggle to get anything done health line suggests practicing gratitude relaxation and yoga as well as talking to a mental health professional to provide medication for you if it’s needed treatment plans will look different for everyone but regardless there is a way that will work best for you to help pull yourself out of the state of exhaustion .
- number six your anxiety seems to be increasing do you wake up in the morning with a crushing sense of anxiety that stays with you all day does this anxiety cast a cloud over your daily activities worsening anxiety can often coincide with worsening mental health anxiety affects us all whether or not you happen to suffer from a particular anxiety disorder it’s important to monitor your anxiety levels because a noticeable change can tell you a lot about your mental health anxiety is a response to stress and it can cause a variety of psychological and physical symptoms when you feel overly anxious you might notice that your heart rate speeds up and your breathing rate increases and you might experience a bout of nausea
- number seven you feel mentally and emotionally scattered do you feel like there are so many things happening around you but you can’t focus on any of them if so you’re not alone from time to time it’s normal to feel this way especially when you’re going through higher amounts of stress however if you’re feeling scattered and like things are spinning out of control this could be a sign that your mental health is under strain. According to psychologist rick Hansen from psychology today you probably feel scattered because you’re struggling to find your centre this means that in order for your brain to feel more organized you need to feel at peace within yourself practicing mindfulness such as yoga and meditation are great places to start on the road to inner peace.
- number eight you can’t seem to pay attention do you have a harder time focusing and staying on task when you’re reading is it hard to comprehend do you have to reread the same passage over and over again though it could relate to potential psychological disorders such as add depression or anxiety it’s also likely that a lack of focus can be due to stress or poor self-care it can be frustrating to start losing focus so frequently and those feelings are valid and normal remember to take care of yourself and as you recover know that help is available.
- number nine you might be struggling with your impulse control are you acting more on impulse are you possibly indulging in things you shouldn’t whether it’s retail therapy or binging all of your shows or playing video games for hours when you act more on impulses like this it can signify worsening mental health you might pick up some unhealthy habits as a way to cope with life stress or to fulfil yourself or distract yourself from a major issue going on in your life journaling mindfulness and therapy are great ways to start uncovering some of these issues.
- number ten you’re struggling to feel grounded similar to feeling centred when you are grounded you are feeling confident and balanced within yourself according to Irene langeveld an energy worker and meditation coach grounding starts with the root chakra at the base of the spine known to help you feel secure activities that connect your body with the world around you such as hiking meditating or walking outside are great ways to help you