Everyone goes through it. We have weird parts of our personalities which feel abnormal. There are ways we behave, thoughts we think, feelings we feel, which we wonder could be the sign of a problem. We wonder if we have a mental illness or some kind of condition which makes thinking, behaving, and feeling this way something more serious than what it is. Most often, it really is all in our heads- there isn’t anything wrong. Other times, however, it really can be all in our heads and we are noticing the hidden signs of a mental illness.
- You are restless: High amounts of energy is normal for some people who have a type A personality or are just hyper. Sometimes hyper is too hyper when you feel like you cannot be still for long periods of time at all. You just can’t relax and do nothing, you have to be actively participating in something or focused on something. You could have anxiety, depression, or even ADHD.
- You are disruptively shy: Shyness and introversion are normal. It’s okay to prefer to be by yourself and enjoy your own company. If you find that you absolutely cannot be around other people at all, or for long, there could be greater underlying issues. Social anxiety disorder, avoidant personality disorder, depression, and other mental illnesses make it difficult to be around others.
- You are chronically fatigued: Chronic fatigue can be caused by many physical conditions like hormonal imbalance, adrenal fatigue, thyroid imbalance, or many other conditions. Mental health and physical health are deeply intertwined. Mental health conditions like depression or even anxiety can cause exhaustion leading to chronic fatigue.
- You can’t tell if you’re worried or paranoid: Anxiety comes in many forms. Few people are good at being “cool as a cucumber” at all times. Worry and anxiety is normal to a certain extent. If you feel like your worry causes other problems, or that your worrying is so persistent it borders paranoia, there could be something else at play. Paranoia disorder is a form of anxiety disorder and can lead to delusional hallucinations. Persistent worrying and stress are signs of milder anxiety disorders which can be problematic over time.
- You don’t think clearly all the time: People experience phases where it feels like they just can’t think clearly. There is nothing out of the normal which happens other than the fact that you feel difficulty making decisions, thinking clearly, answering questions, or even doing simple things like your daily routine. “Cognitive Fog” as it is called is common in depression and can be part of bipolar along with other mental health conditions.
- You have some compulsions you feel you should control: Surely everyone has a little something they call a guilty pleasure of sorts, is what you tell yourself when you go on a spending spree, act out sexually, drink without control, obsess about your exercise, or some other issues. You get a desire and it overwhelms you until you have to act on it. Many different mental health conditions include obsession and compulsion, including bipolar disorder, OCD, and other behavioral or process addictions.
- You feel like you could explode with feelings sometime: Your feelings have a way of overwhelming you. You don’t feel like you just feel your feelings but you are consumed by them. You fill up with joy, you’re weighed down by sadness, you experience creativity like an ever growing balloon. Mood disorders like bipolar, depression, and anxiety are known for creating extreme emotions that extend beyond their more natural form of feeling.
A leading sign of a mental health condition is substance abuse. If you turn to drugs and alcohol to escape any “weird” feelings that you feel, thoughts you think, or behaviors you act on, there is an underlying reason why. Avalon By The Sea is a certified mental health treatment provider providing trusted programs for primary mental health conditions and co-occurring mental health disorders. Our beautiful estate, surrounded by the lush landscape of gardens and the iconic cliffsides of the malibu coastline, is the perfect environment for confronting and healing from mental health conditions. For a confidential assessment and more information, call us today: 888-958-7511
