Medical Update September 2023

Medical Guide, September 2023— 5 P reventive care is often looked at through the needs people need to do to protect their physical well-being. For example, a healthy diet and routine exercise, while bene fi cial to mental health, are often viewed as lifestyle choices that can make people feel better physically. But taking steps to protect one’s mental health also is vital to a long, productive life. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that positive mental health and mental wellness can have a profoundly positive impact on a person’s life. Positive mental health can help people realize their full potential, cope with the stresses of life and make meaningful contributions to their communities. What can I do to protect my mental health? Learning to recognize the early warning signs of mental health problems can help prevent such problems from escalating and compel people to seek help. The DHHS advises anyone feeling these signs or recognizing these signs in others to seek help for themselves or their loved ones: • Eating or sleeping too much or too little • Pulling away from people and usual activities • Having low or no energy • Feeling numb or as if nothing matters • Unexplained aches and pains • Feeling helpless or hopeless • Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual • Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared • Yelling or fi ghting with family and friends • Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships • Persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head • Hearing voices or believing things that are not true • Thinking of harming yourself or others • An inability to perform daily tasks, such as taking care of your children or getting to work or school Taking steps to protect one’s mental wellness is a vital component of preventive care. More information about mental health is available at www. mentalhealth.gov. Preventive care involves safeguarding mental health as well R ecognition of the vital role mental health plays in overall health has been on the rise in recent years. The pandemic undoubtedly contributed to that growing awareness, as individuals from all walks of life were forced to confront mental health issues stemming from the COVID-19 virus, fears about getting it and the measures implemented to prevent its spread. In late April 2022, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases throughout the pandemic, indicated in an interview with PBS NewsHour that the United States was out of the pandemic phase of COVID-19, even though the virus would not be eradicated. Though the world might be gradually emerging from the pandemic, mental health issues related to it could linger far longer. Mental health disorders like depression a ff ect hundreds of millions of people across the globe. A 2021 report from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation indicated that approximately 280 million people in the world have depression, making it the most common mental health disorder across the globe. Tens of millions more have been diagnosed with other mental health disorders, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other psychoses. Mental health statistics are estimates and don’t necessarily re fl ect the real scope of mental health disorders, many of which go unreported or undiagnosed due to various factors, including lack of access to health care. That underscores the importance individuals from all walks of life must place on learning to recognize the common signs of mental illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness notes that each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs may include the following: • Excessive worrying or fear • Feeling excessively sad or low • Confused thinking or di ffi culty concentrating and learning • Extreme mood changes • Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger • Avoiding friends or social activities • Di ffi culties understanding or relating to other people • Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired or low energy • Changes in eating habits, such as increased hunger or lack of appetite • Changes in sex drive • Overuse of substances, including alcohol or drugs • Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes, such as headaches, stomach aches or vague and ongoing “aches and pains” • Suicidal thoughts Though the world is emerging from the pandemic, many mental health-related issues that have arisen since 2020 may linger in the months and years to come. More information, including how to fi nd support for mental health issues, can be found at www.nami.org. Warning signs of mental illness