0 Concluding the Mental Health Checkup: Personal Statement

By Gina Duncan, M.D.





Over the last several days, I provided a list of nine topics to reflect upon as you consider how you’re taking care of your mental health. Finally, to complete our mental health checkup, does the following statement apply to you:



“I am pleased with myself and where I am in my life. I acknowledge my past mistakes, but do not feel overburdened by them or unable to move forward. I am self-aware. I cannot always control my external circumstances, but I feel good about the way in which I am meeting the challenges I face, and I feel confident in my ability to succeed. I don’t expect myself to be perfect, but I do know that I am a person of worth who has something to offer this world. I have relationships that are meaningful, I contribute to others in ways that are fulfilling, and I feel in tune with myself and in sync with my surroundings.”



I want to encourage all of us to not just strive to “cope” with the stresses of everyday life, but to thrive.



What does mental health mean to you?

Detail: Concluding the Mental Health Checkup: Personal Statement

0 Mental Health Checkup: Mood, Concentration, Balance, Energy

By Gina Duncan, M.D.

I’m rounding out my list of topics to consider in a personal mental health checkup. Keep in mind, this list is not exhaustive. It’s meant to provide a starting point to help you examine how you’re doing emotionally and mentally.



Mood — Do your moods feel pretty stable, or are you experiencing significant mood swings (either highs or lows)? Are you crying more than usual? Feeling persistently depressed for two weeks or more and any thoughts of suicide could indicate clinical depression.



Concentration — Are you able to focus on the task at hand, whether at work or at home, and get it done in a timely manner? Or, do you find yourself overrun with missed deadlines and undone chores? Often the first sign that our concentration is waning is when our productivity goes down. Poor concentration is a hallmark of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but it can also be a symptom of depression and anxiety and should not be overlooked.

Balance — Is there an appropriate balance between your home life and your work life? Between family time with your kids and “date nights” for you and your spouse? Are you getting in some “me-time”, including physical exercise and spiritual pursuits? Achieving perfect balance in your life is probably not possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth striving for! Juggling too many responsibilities is a prime way to end up stressed out and unhealthy.



Energy — Do you feel that you have the energy to do the things you need and want to do? Fatigue can be a sign of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses, but it can also be a symptom of many physical illnesses including cancer, diabetes and sleep apnea. If you find that you are feeling unusually fatigued or have other concerning symptoms, it is important that you contact your doctor right away.



In my next blog entry, the last in this series, I’ll provide a statement to help you consider whether you are thriving or just coping.

Detail: Mental Health Checkup: Mood, Concentration, Balance, Energy

0 Mental Health Checkup: Avoidance, Eating Habits

By Gina Duncan, M.D.

I am continuing my list of topics to consider in a mental health checkup. Remember, if any of these issues raise red flags for you, your family doctor, family member or clergy may be a good place to get advice about next steps.

Avoidance — Do you feel like you’re avoiding yourself? It may seem like a funny question, but if you find yourself going out of your way to keep from being by yourself, then that could indicate that there is something you are trying to avoid emotionally. Many people find that their feelings of anxiety or worry are intensified when they are alone, and so they find ways to distract themselves by staying busy. We can often be unaware of this subconscious strategy to protect ourselves from painful feelings. If you think that this describes you, when you have a moment, go to a quiet place where you will be uninterrupted and sit quietly for a few minutes. How do you feel? Take a moment to write it down. If you find that even the thought of spending quiet time by yourself makes you tense, write that down as well. The goal is not to avoid your problems, but to find effective ways to deal with them.

Eating Habits — Has your appetite changed? Are you eating too much or too little? And what are you eating? If you find that you’re craving foods that are high in carbohydrates (sugar) and fat, or that you’re eating larger quantities than usual, it could be a sign of emotional eating as a response to stress. While temporarily satisfying, high sugar and fatty foods ultimately zap your energy and leave you feeling lower. Not to mention that the added pounds can become an additional source of stress.

Tomorrow I’ll round out my topics for a mental health checkup by discussing mood, concentration, balance and energy.

Detail: Mental Health Checkup: Avoidance, Eating Habits

0 Mental Health Checkup: Tension, Anxiety and Tuning In

By Gina Duncan, M.D.



Continuing my Mental Health Checkup series, here are some additional factors to consider as you evaluate your mental health:

Tension and Anxiety — Are you feeling tense and wound up all the time? How about nervous and anxious? Is it hard for you to unwind at the end of the day? We live in a fast-paced society and stress has become a common part of our everyday lives. If, however, you are finding that you’re unable to take mental breaks during the day where you can feel totally relaxed and worry-free even for a few moments, then that could indicate that your stress is approaching dangerous levels. Relaxation is a skill that many of us have to learn and practice. There have been some great previous posts with relaxation tips as well as ways to cope with anxiety and stress.

Writing in ajournal is one way

to stay "in touch" with yourself.

Tuned In — In general, how “in touch” do you feel with yourself? Do you feel like you’re experiencing emotions and you don’t know why, like being angry or crying “for no reason”? It’s not uncommon to get so busy that you don’t have time to process everything that is happening on an emotional level in real time. However, taking some time to write in a journal or talk to a friend can be critically important to good mental and emotional health, particularly when you find yourself in periods of great transition or change. The danger of being out of touch with yourself emotionally is that you may respond to difficult situations in ways that you later regret (such as impulsively sending off an angry email to your boss, or taking out your frustration on your kids). It is also difficult to advocate for yourself and your needs when you don’t know what those needs are. Being able to take a moment and identify that “I feel angry because _____.” or “I am hurt because _____.” can take you a long way in staying in touch with yourself.



Tomorrow I will write about avoidance and eating habits.

Detail: Mental Health Checkup: Tension, Anxiety and Tuning In

0 Nine Topics to Consider in a Mental Health Checkup

By Gina Duncan, M.D.

Yesterday, I wrote about the concept of a mental health checkup. Over the next few days I’ll provide a list of nine topics to consider when thinking about the state of your own mental health. While not exhaustive, the topics on this list are meant to provide a starting point to help you examine how you’re doing emotionally and mentally. If any of these items raise a red flag for you, be sure to talk with your doctor. If you are concerned that you may have anxiety, depression, or another mental illness, or if you need help finding a professional to talk to, see my previous post on finding a therapist for tips.

Sleep — How are you sleeping at night? Is it restful, or does it leave something to be desired? Poor sleep can often be the first sign that there is something troubling you emotionally. When under stress or dealing with a more serious mental illness, many people find that they cannot fall asleep as quickly as they used to because of excessive worry or a feeling of not being able to “turn off” their mind, and others find themselves waking up frequently throughout the night. For some, insomnia can be put to rest with simple sleep hygiene measures such as limiting caffeine in the evening and creating a bedtime ritual. For others, common over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids such as Tylenol PM, Benadryl, and herbal medicines like melatonin can be helpful if used in limited quantities and for a limited amount of time. [Note: although they are advertised under many different brands, most OTC sleep medicines have diphenhydramine (generic Benadryl) as their active ingredient. Make sure to read the labels so you don’t take medicines you don’t need and to decrease your risk of unsafe combinations.] It’s always a good idea to first check with your doctor before beginning any OTC sleep regimen to make sure there are no harmful interactions with other medicines you’re taking.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue the checkup with information about evaluating tension and anxiety and being tuned in to your emotions.

Detail: Nine Topics to Consider in a Mental Health Checkup

0 Time for a Checkup: Lack of Illness vs. Health

By Gina Duncan, M.D.

I recently spoke with a reporter from a Boston community newspaper who is planning an article spotlighting the concept of a “mental health checkup.” I think that this is a great idea, and something that is very much needed. Given that September is a time for new beginnings with many people going back to school and work, what better time than now to do a mental health checkup.

 

Many people go through their entire lives never encountering a mental health professional. That doesn’t mean, however, that they are mentally healthy, for the absence of illness does not necessarily equal health. Unfortunately, in our society we place a lot of emphasis on treating illness and much less on what it takes to stay healthy.



What is mental health? You can probably find many different definitions, but I would like to suggest one characteristic which I think is critical to the foundation of good mental health: knowing yourself, ie. being self-aware. I often tell my patients with depression and anxiety that they are in a position to be some of the most mentally healthy people around, because their illness has forced them to grapple with unhealthy patterns and learn new skills to cope with the stresses of everyday life. And in the process, they have come to know themselves much better. One of my professional goals is to bring the same skills that we as psychiatrists use in the office to people who would never come through our doors because they are not identified as being "mentally ill." They may be functioning and getting by, however, they are missing out on living life at the level of their "best self."



Over the next several days, I will post about important topics to consider as you do your own mental health checkup.

Detail: Time for a Checkup: Lack of Illness vs. Health