Dealing with mental health issues personally or with those you love can be challenging, including the management of ups and downs, identifying triggers, trying to find solutions, and more.
In addition to the symptoms of mental illness, there are other factors involved, which may include experienced trauma, complexities of co-occurring substance abuse, and other facets affecting overall mental health.
For those dealing with mental health disorders and challenges, common support and coping skills like individual therapy, psychiatry, exercise, self-care, education, and many other clinical interventions often provide adequate and safe care. However, there are multiple signs that it may be time to seek additional support from professional healthcare providers offering inpatient and outpatient services.
5 Signs It’s Time to Seek Additional Mental Health Support
Those dealing with mental health issues may exhibit various symptoms. Consider reaching out to a professional mental health care provider if you recognize any of the following five signs.
Talk About Suicide or Self-harm
A major sign that it’s time to call in extra support is if an individual directly expresses a wish to die or verbalizes considered self-harm. Other concerning talk includes individuals saying people would be better off without them, or threats to hurt themselves or others.
Loss of Touch with Reality
One symptom of a mental health disorder is a loss of touch with reality. An individual dealing with a mental health condition may experience hallucinations, delusions, or severe paranoia that make it hard to distinguish what’s real.
Inability to Perform Basic Daily Tasks
If an individual becomes unable to perform day-to-day activities or generally common tasks, the support of a mental health professional can be key to improved wellness. Signs to notice include an individual not getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, eating, or managing work/school responsibilities.
Extreme Mood or Behavior Changes
An individual with a mental health disorder may experience rapid mood swings, intense
agitation, or rage. Also, someone with a mental health condition may begin engaging in out-of-control or risky behavior that is very different from the person’s baseline actions.
Severe Withdrawal or Isolation
Sudden avoidance of family, friends, school, work, or usual activities can also indicate that someone has a mental health disorder. An individual “shutting down” socially is a sign to seek professional mental health care.
Why Professional Support Matters
There are multiple reasons that professional mental health support can make a difference. Consider the following:
Mental health issues and dual diagnosis are treatable
Extensive evidence shows that mental health issues can be treated—and treated effectively. Evidence also establishes that dual diagnosis, which is the co-occurrence of a mental health disorder and substance addiction, can be effectively treated. A co-occurring mental health condition and substance addiction affect each other, and treating them both is important for overall improved health.
Evidence-based treatment from trained staff
Look to healthcare professionals trained in evidence-based treatments to administer care appropriately and with expertise. Professional support matters for monitoring treatments and understanding how symptoms overlap and influence an individual’s wellness and healthcare.
Structure and positive support
Structure is important for bringing stability to someone affected by a mental health disorder. Professional support can supply tailored and effective structure through a framework for navigating mental health treatment and supporting individual well-being.
Another way healthcare professionals can benefit those with mental health concerns is by providing positive support, encouraging condition management and healthier living.
Medication oversight and professional/safe detox
When medications are required for effectively treating mental health disorders, making sure those medications are administered at the right times and in the right dosages is critical. Professional medication management includes expert oversight, including personnel training that can inform on medication redundancy, interaction concerns, and safe intake.
Professional oversight is also important for detoxification (detox). A trained healthcare provider can help ensure safe detox, monitoring an individual’s health status, managing medications, and adhering to appropriate timelines for the process.
Professional Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment from API
Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) is a behavioral health system focused on providing care for mental health disorders, addiction, and dual diagnosis.
Our team of healthcare providers treats the following mental health conditions:
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Depression
- Dissociative disorders
- Psychosis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia
We also offer dual diagnosis treatment.
Through our integrated approach to healthcare, we offer inpatient psychiatric hospital services, partial hospital program (PHP) treatment, and intensive outpatient program (IOP) care. Individuals begin care at the level appropriate to their circumstances, with treatments provided at leveled-down intensity as health improves.
Inpatient hospitalization services, PHP treatment, and IOP care are available at our La Mesa location. IOP care is available at our San Diego and El Cajon locations.
Contact Us for Caring, Evidence-based Mental Health Support
API offers mental health support, bringing caring, evidence-based treatment to San Diego, La Mesa, El Cajon, and nearby communities. We invite you to contact us if you recognize in yourself or a loved one signs that it’s time to get more mental health support.
