What It Means to Suffer from Mental Health Issues
2024.11.14
Hello, this is Tatsuya Arakawa, a licensed mental health therapist (LMFT).
As AI therapy and so many other platforms to see a therapist have become more prevalent, it seems clear to me that so many people are misunderstanding what it means to suffer from mental health and what it means to receive treatment for mental health.
In this blog, I would like to discuss typical symptoms of mental health issues.
Depression
Here is the list of the typical symptoms of depression I often see. Some can be obvious for many people, but you might find it interesting to see other symptoms in this list.
Lack of motivation
People often lose motivation to do pretty much anything including work and your favorite activities. Even if you engage with your favorite activities, it does not seem as fun as you might normally fee.
Sleep
Sleep is affected as well. You either cannot sleep well, cannot fall asleep, or sleep too much; you might suffer from one or more of them.
Feeling sad all the time
You just cannot explain why but you feel sad all the time. You do not have to be able to explain why because that is what depression does to you.
Tends to blame self for anything or something that you do not usually blame yourself for.
If you are the person who tends to blame yourself often, this might not be considered as a depression symptom. However, if you are not, yet you have been blaming yourself too much, this can be a sign of depression.
Thinking about worst case scenario all the time and feeling like you are already living in a world where the worst anxiety becomes real.
Sometimes, depression stems from anxiety. Because you are so anxious about certain things and you cannot stop thinking about worst case scenario, brain misunderstands believing that worst case scenario already exists (even though in actuality, it has not happened). This can make you feel depressed as well.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, you might be experiencing depression.
Anxiety
First, please know that it is natural for human beings (unless you have brain damage or some sort) to be anxious. In fact, without anxiety, we would be walking on freeway because we would not be able to “think” that we would be hit by a car.
When anxiety becomes an issue, we usually have difficulty controlling our anxieties.
Here is the list:
Irritability
If you find yourself you feel irritable more than usual, this could be a sign that you are having issues with anxiety.
Worst case scenario
Thinking about the worst situation is normal; thinking about it too much and/or thinking about it to the point where you cannot think about anything else can be a sign of anxiety disorder.
“What if”
If you tend to think “what if” often and cannot stop thinking about it, this is usually a sign you are having difficulty controlling your anxiety.
Stomachache
If you are experiencing stomachache, and you see a doctor who told you that you do not have any physical issues, it could be a sign that you are suffering from anxiety disorder. This often occurs to those who have difficulty expressing their feelings and/or those who have difficulty detecting other symptoms stemming from anxiety disorder. Reason is that when you are anxious, your body is supposed to produce acid in your stomach. However, if anxiety is too much, acid can be produced too much.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, you might be experiencing depression.
Adolescents
The symptoms aforementioned are also applicable to adolescents. Yet, adolescents’ mental health symptoms can be different to the ones for adults. Here, I would like to explain some symptoms that I see often in adolescents.
Irritability
Yes, adolescents tend to feel irritable more than adults do. However, if it seems like they are having difficulty controlling their irritability and have been ongoing for a long time, it might be time to take them to a mental health therapist because it could be a sign of depression and/or anxiety disorder.
Getting angry too often
Just like irritability, adolescents in nature tend to be angry more than adults. However, if they are getting angry too often and/or they get angry to the point where they break something, throw something, or scream, it can be a sign of depression.
Thinking too much about how others think of them.
Again, yes, this can be another sign that adolescents being themselves; meanwhile, if they are thinking too much about it, it can be a sign that they are suffering from anxiety disorder and parents should not dismiss.
Please be aware that those symptoms above are just examples. There are many other symptoms that could be a sign of mental health issues. If you have any concerns, please talk to your primary care doctor or contact me.
In the next blog, I would like to discuss what it means to receive treatment for mental health issues.
Tatsuya Arakawa
Licensed Marriage and Family therapist (#82425)