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Are you stressed out? It’s perfectly normal to occasionally feel sad, anxious or overwhelmed. But it’s important not to dismiss all your negative feelings. Sometimes they develop into a larger problem – and that can affect your mental health. Watch this video to learn about the importance of your emotional wellbeing.
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Are you stressed out. We are living in complicatedand worrisome times, that was the case even
before a global pandemic entered our lives.It's been especially tough since then.
You might be feeling more anxious or stress than usual, and that's because your body has been
working overtime to combat the very real threat of the virus. And sure, it's perfectly normal
to occasionally feel sad, anxious, or justoverwhelmed with life, but be careful not
to dismiss those negative feelings. Sometimes they develop into a larger problem and that
can affect your mental health. We'll talk about navigating the healthcare system and
getting treatment in a minute. But first,what do we mean when we say mental health?
Well, according to experts, mental healthincludes our emotional, psychological and
social wellbeing. It affects how we thinkfeel and act mental illnesses cover a pretty
broad scope. It could include anything fromdepression and anxiety disorders to something
more serious like schizophrenia, dependingon the illness. It could affect how you relate
to others and how you're able to functioneach day. It's important to know that each
person will have a different experience. Even some people who have the same diagnosis,
a lot of factors play a role in mental health problems, including your family history.
It could also be impacted by your genetic makeup and brain chemistry and any traumatic things
that you've experienced like abuse. Now, before I go any further, we want to make one thing
very clear. These types of conditions arevery common. One in five adults in the U S
experienced mental illness each year. And people might not talk about it, but if you're
struggling with something like this, please remember you are not alone. So how do you
know if you're experiencing a mental health issue? Well, here are some warning signs that
can be early indicators of a problem. You might be eating too much or sleeping too much
or withdrawing from friends and family. You may notice, you just don't enjoy the things
that you used to. You might also notice thatyour energy levels are down, especially with
the COVID-19 pandemic, your anxiety or worrylevel may be much higher. And as you can see,
those are just a few of the possible indicators.Keep in mind, these illnesses can show up
in different ways. It all depends on the person,you know yourself and your loved one's best.
So if you think something's off check in witha healthcare provider, here's another big
warning sign, the excessive use of alcoholor drugs. In fact, substance abuse and mental
illness often go hand in hand, nearly 20%of us adults experiencing a mental illness.
Also have a substance use disorder. Sadly,somethings get really bad. Mental illness
can progress to the point where a person contemplates ending his or her own life. In fact,
in the U.S. people are more likely to take their own life than to have it taken by someone else.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of Americandeaths, accounting for the loss of more than
41,000 lives each year, that's more than doublethe lives lost homicide. If you're struggling
with these feelings, remember help is available.People with mental health issues are also
more likely to develop chronic health conditionsand be more likely to be unemployed. And that
has a ripple effect on a person's family andcommunity, society. More than 8 million Americans
provide care to someone with a mental healthissue spending an average of 32 hours per week,
providing unpaid care. That's essentiallylike adding an additional full-time job.
On top of someone's already full plate. This is a problem that's felt nationwide.
One out of five homeless Americans have a seriousmental health condition. And more than a third
of all incarcerated adults have a diagnosedmental illness. This puts a huge strain on
our healthcare system. For adults, one outof eight emergency room visits is related
to mental illness or substance abuse. And maybe you feel like it's time for you or a
loved one to get help from a professional.Your primary care doctor is a really good
place to start. He or she can help you withinitial screenings and referrals to mental
health specialist. If you don't have a primarycare doctor, there are lots of ways to find one.
If you have insurance, you can call thenumber on the back of your ID card and they'll
help you find an in network provider. There are also special resources for veterans in
need of mental health services. And for peoplewho don't have insurance or can't afford treatment,
many state and local health departments canhelp point you in the right direction to once
you're in contact with a mental health careprovider, there are tools that can help you
on your journey. This might include thingslike medication, therapy, social support,
and education. Remember everyone has differentsymptoms and experiences. So each treatment
plan will look a little different expertssuggest that you work with your treatment
team to create a recovery plan that works for you and your individual situation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have been and might still be isolated from friends
and family, which makes those feelings even stronger. But believe it or not, you can combat your
negative feelings, stick to a healthy diet,get in some exercise and avoid using alcohol
drugs or smoking. They can become a copingmechanism. Social connection is even more
important than ever make sure to call andvideo chat with friends and family on a regular basis.
We need to keep a close pulse on howwe're feeling and reach out for help if we
need it. Luckily, many mental health careservices are available via tele-health. Again,
start by calling your primary care doctor.They may be able to see you over the phone
or by video chat. Many health plans also include24 seven phone access to a mental health care
specialist. As part of the coverage, callthe number on the back of your insurance ID card,
for more information. To learn more,visit the sources listed here. And most importantly,
if you're experiencing a mental health crisisor suicidal thoughts, call the number you
see here on your screen. Don't feel like talking?
Text, text NAMI two seven four one seven four one. Above all, remember you are not alone.