b'Symptom ManaDementWWhheenniissiittTTiimmeettooSSeeeekkOOuuttaaMMeennttaallHHeeaalltthhPPrrooffeessssiioonnaall??By Carol Lewis How do you know when its time to look ourselves oversleeping or undersleeping, andfor professional mental health services? This overeating or undereating. When we becomequestion can be dicult to answer. The lack aware of these warning signs, it is an oppor-of clear guidelines can discourage people from tunity to add structure to lifestyle habits, suchgetting the professional mental health help they as sleep, eating, and physical activity. need in a timely fashion, leading to mental We have habits in each of the four areas ofhealth crises and suering that might have awareness, so, when we are distressed, it isbeen avoided.not surprising to find ourselves thinkingSeeking mental health care can seem like familiar negative or anxious thoughts, feelinga big step to take, or to some, maybe even a familiar tension in our bodies, experiencingsign of weakness. This is further complicated familiar negative mood states, or engaging inby barriers to easily accessing adequate mental old patterns of unhealthy behavior. Unlesshealth treatmentincluding high costs and there is intentional eort to create change,the limited availability of mental health our old habits of thought, body sensation andprofessionals. Despite all of this, it is always a reactivity, mood, and behavior are likely togood time to check on your emotional health emerge. And because these patterns areand well-being. The result can be fewer familiar, we might not notice the early signs ofproblems, and improved emotional health depression, anxiety, or some other developingand resilience. mental health problem. Current or pastHow do You Know How Youre Feeling? traumatic experiences, whether in childhoodAcommonmistakenbeliefisthatour or adulthood, can further complicate ouremotionalwell-beingisexclusivelyabout reactivity and cloud our awareness.mood. However, mood, or state of mind, can Awareness Check-Upbe a fuzzy concept. To determine how you are Take a few moments to notice and reectfeeling, check into the four areas of awareness on each of your four areas: thoughts, body sensations, mood, and Thoughts: How are things in the mind?behavior.What thoughts are you noticing? Make noteEach of these four areas can provide ofonesthatarerepeatedlygoingthroughimportant information about the status of your mind, especially the ones that seemyour emotional health, including early warning justied and/or understandable. Perhaps writesigns of potential problems. Each of these those thoughts down, without being sweptareas can also be a place to begin to make away by them. Try to notice thoughts withoutchanges in unhealthy patterns. For example, attempting to control them or push them away.with depression and anxiety, we may nd When we ght or struggle with our thoughtsmsfocusmagazine.org 14'