Mental Health - Why is it important?

Unlike physical health, where one body system presents with specific symptoms, mental health is more difficult to pinpoint. The symptoms could range from eating disorders to binge drinking to substance abuse to withdrawal to anxiety to bipolar disorder. Any deviation from normal behavior should be looked into deeply. The earlier a mental disorder is identified, the easier it is to rectify it.

Mental health issues can be seen in any age, though different ages present with different mental health issues. Binge eating, for instance, may be more common in the younger age groups, and schizophrenia may be seen in more elderly, though not always. Never ignore a deviant behavior of your child or adolescent kid, as they are also equally prone to mental health issues and could show poor academic performance.

There is no correlation between male/female and mental health issues. Both are equally prone to mental health issues, though the female hormones put women at a slightly greater risk. It finally depends on a person s perception of happiness and sadness. Changing lifestyles, health issues, work anxiety, relationships, etc., are contributing to poor mental health in both. Acknowledging a mental health problem is the first step in treating, though it could be a taboo topic.

Mental health issues are very much like physical symptoms only - leaving them unattended to will make them worse. Acknowledging them and working towards resolution is the only way to get rid of the problem. The severity, impact, and complications will grow with time. In some people, the effect could be cumulative when left for a while. Self-evaluate once in a while if you see yourself changing. Talking to a close friend or a family member might be helpful.