7 Keys for Assessing Your Mental Health
When we talk about mental health, people almost always think about clinical disorders that can completely alter a person’s quality of life and their surroundings.
In reality, however, there are many people who face their daily lives with emotional problems that may be representative of underlying illnesses.
This is the case when it comes to hidden depression or anxiety attacks that directly affect their peace of mind and psychological balance.
No one is immune to disorders in which your own thoughts and attitudes can become the true enemies.
That’s why it’s important to take them into account. You should identify them, break them down, and come to a deeper understanding of your inner world.
This way, you can face your life with more strength, better self-esteem, and the clear will to take control of your own well-being.
Today, we want to recommend that you start practicing a form of mental health “self examination.”
It’s all about evaluating certain dimensions to find out whether you’re in good mental shape or if something needs a little work.
1. You’re obsessed with things that haven’t happened yet
Anticipating negative events will directly affect your mental health. Many people are always “fearing the worst” or imagining that, no matter what you do, everything will fall apart.
In addition, some other aspects may include:
- Overthinking things to the point that you become exhausted and aren’t able to act.
- Obsessing over certain details, words, or facts. You make mountains out of molehills with certain aspects of life that may not actually be so important.
Discover: 10 habits to live happier
2. Dependence on the past affects mental health
A person who focuses all their attention, thoughts, and dreams on things that have already happened is missing today’s opportunities.
Living in the past is neither good nor healthy. You fall into a state of absolute defenselessness to the point of losing hope in your present day life.
Understand that yesterday is a box that contains the things you’ve already learned and that you can apply in the present day.
Now is where your real opportunity to be happy comes to the fore.
3. Focusing too much on what other people say and do
You know that you don’t live on an isolated island. People must relate to one another and share experiences with friends, neighbors, and family members.
Of course, living together is not the same as being dependent on someone else’s opinions and judgments.
What others say and do shouldn’t affect you to the point of changing how you see life or the way you are.
Learn to lower the “intensity” of the discomfort that comes from the criticism you receive. In doing so, you’ll automatically improve your quality of life.
4. You’re always in a bad mood and everything bothers you
Keep in mind that if this describes your emotional state for longer than two consecutive months, you may be experiencing depression.
However, don’t let this worry you. With the right attitude, a healthy lifestyle and support, you can overcome any slump.
5. Not paying attention to important things
Going through a long period of stress has a very negative consequence: you stop valuing your priorities and might even forget what they are.
If you forget what makes you happy, then your inner compass isn’t working the way it should.
Stress and anxiety can cause you to focus on aspects like problems at work, a troublesome boss, overwhelming coworkers…
Your mind may feel completely saturated and unable to relax or focus on what’s essential: yourself and who you care about most.
Bring yourself back to your core values, and you’ll definitely feel better for it.
See also: How to Manage Stress Properly
6. When you have a problem, you avoid it
When something bothers you, worries you, or upsets your internal balance, you choose avoidance. You may also pretend that nothing has happened.
For example:
- If you’re unhappy at home, you try to spend most of your time away from it
- If you have a problem with someone, you avoid running into them
This behavior won’t solve anything. The only thing it will do is intensify the problem or postpone the moment when you have no choice but to respond to it.
7. You’re unable to say “no”
Practicing being assertive on a daily basis helps care for your mental health.
If you’re not able to say “yes” without feeling guilty and “no” without fear, you’ll only find yourself navigating a sea of frustration and unhappiness.
A person who doesn’t know how, or is afraid, to set limits will allow others to easily control and manipulate them.
Don’t let this happen to you. Learn now to set your limits with assertiveness and take care of your mental health.
Finally, don’t forget to think about these seven dimensions. Pay attention to what you should change and what you can improve upon to find that inner balance that will help you find true happiness.
