If you recognize yourself in 3 of these situations, you need to take care of your mental health

Fatigue, irritability, self-sabotage… So many signals that should alert us to a critical state of our mental health. How can we identify them so we don’t reach the point of no return? In a March 21 Instagram post, Nawal Mustafa (“brain coach,” on Instagram), a neuropsychologist and content creator on the social network, lists 8 signs that should get our attention. She strongly encourages her 1.4 million subscribers to “intervene before it gets worse” if someone recognizes them in at least three of the eight signals.

You don’t feel like yourself anymore

According to Naval Mustafa, not feeling like your perfect self anymore is one of the first warning signs. Specifically. if we look in the mirror and don’t recognize ourselves, or if we’re no longer excited to engage in projects that once fueled us, it’s time to make our mental health a top priority.

This loss of alignment with our essence can even lead to depersonalization disorder, which is characterized by a sense of detachment from one’s body, mind, feelings, and emotions.

Increased irritability and mood swings

Being more irritable than usual can tell us that it’s time to stop neglecting our mental health. If “you have less patience for the things you used to be able to tolerate” then that should ring a bell. The list gets longer when the neuropsychologist lists the negative emotions that can occur as a result of deteriorating mental health;

Your attention and concentration skills decrease

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions can also be a sign of poor mental health. The expert draws the same conclusion if the concept of time becomes only a vague concept, or if our memory is more incomplete than before. Finally, dreaming often is also a signal that our ability to focus is waning.

Your perception of yourself and others seems negative or even cynical

Being overly critical of yourself, no longer trusting others, or even seeing the world with a dark eye are all signs of our psychological vulnerability, explains Nawal Mustafa. The latter completes the list of concrete signals: “you find it difficult to be grateful, you often overanalyze” or “you feel stuck in any circumstances”.

Do you often feel tired?

The causes of significant and almost constant fatigue can sometimes be found in our mental health. So, feeling exhausted or experiencing pain or tension throughout the body are signs that should not be taken lightly. It may even be “difficult for you to do basic things like shower, tidy up, exercise,” notes Nawal Mustafa. In general, “you have the impression that you are dragging all day,” he sums up.

You begin to distance yourself from those around you

Distance from the environment and detachment from others can say a lot about our work, claims the neuropsychologist. More precisely, socialization that has become insignificant interest and indifference are unmistakable signs.

Your general functioning is deteriorating

The neurologist points out several indicators of mental health decline. If tasks that once required little effort have become difficult, or if you “find it difficult to meet your deadlines,” “it has become difficult to achieve your personal goals,” or “you are motivated at work,” the neurologist emphasizes the importance of taking a step back. and take measures to prevent things from getting worse.

Are you self-sabotaging?

The tendency to self-sabotage is a very serious indicator of the decline of our mental health, the neuropsychologist believes. Do you find excuses to justify unhealthy lifestyle habits? Do you regularly break the promises you make to yourself? Are you not respecting your boundaries and communicating your needs clearly? Do you engage in more uninteresting activities? Be careful.

Your appetite and/or sleep have changed

Our psychological state directly affects the quality of our nights and our appetite. Indeed, if you “eat too much or too little”, “have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep”, “sleep too much or not enough” or finally, if you “wake up tired”, it’s time to take care of yourself. .