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My Mental Health: Do I Need Help?

First, determine how much your symptoms interfere with your daily life.

Do I have mild symptoms that have lasted for less than two weeks?

  • Feeling a little down
  • Feeling down, but still able to do your job, schoolwork, or housework
  • Some trouble sleeping
  • Feeling down, but still able to take care of yourself or take care of others

If so, here are some self-care activities that can help:

  • Exercising (e.g. aerobics, yoga)
  • Engaging in social contact (virtual or in person)
  • Getting adequate sleep on a regular schedule
  • Eating healthy
  • Talking to a trusted friend or family member
  • Practicing meditation, relaxation, and mindfulness

If the symptoms above do not improve or seem to be worsening despite self-care efforts, talk to your health care provider.

Do I have severe symptoms that have lasted two weeks or more?

  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes
  • Struggling to get out of bed in the morning because of mood
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable
  • Unable to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities
  • Thoughts of death or self-harm

Seek professional help:

  • Psychotherapy (talk therapy)—virtual or in person; individual, group, or family
  • Medications
  • Brain stimulation therapies

If you are in crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) at 988 (Link opens in a new windowhttps://988lifeline.org) or 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.crisistextline.org) by texting HELLO to 741741.

U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (n.d.). My mental health: Do I need help? Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov

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