In these troubled times, many are turning to professional help for mental health issues. Residents of Western Australia, for instance, are increasingly looking to find a clinical psychologist in Perth who can understand their situation and offer constructive advice and real help. A lot of people, however, remain unsure about whether or not to go and see a psychologist or counselor. Some are afraid of the attached stigmas, others aren’t convinced or are unaware that it’s something from which they could benefit.
Below are some key signs that you might benefit from a consultation with a clinical psychologist.
1. You Continuously Feel “Not Yourself”
Most people have a day where they feel totally off-kilter and out of sync. It’s very normal and we can normally get over it by simply dropping our stresses for the day, taking a nice long bath, watching a movie, eating a nice dinner and getting a good night’s sleep. But what about those times when all these remedies seem to fail and that “off” feeling just goes on and on?
You might be feeling anxious or upset, you might be finding it impossible to concentrate on any of your work tasks, or even to motivate yourself to start any work or household tasks. And all the while you just can’t quite put your finger on what’s wrong. That might be a good time to see a psychologist.
2. Your “Off” Feelings Affect Your Job
If the same feelings and issues that we’ve described in the previous point start to impact your performance at work and you get into issues with your supervisors, then it might also be time to seek help. Losing your job or even just getting seriously chastised for your performance can work as a vicious cycle for whatever negative emotions you’re experiencing.
If you’ve suffered a drop in performance at work, or if you’ve started being habitually late, or skipping work days altogether, it might be best to try and find out why.
3. You Have No Regular Sleep Schedule Anymore
When you’re going through a tough time, one of the first things to noticeably change is your sleeping schedule. You might go to bed at a reasonable time but then lie awake until 3:00am, finally nodding off before the alarm goes off at 6:30. One night out of many wouldn’t be a problem, but when every night your sleep patterns are erratic and different, there’s something bigger underwriting the issue that a psychologist could help you identify and resolve.
4. You’re Losing/Gaining Weight Unintentionally
People respond to stressful situations differently, but another very common manifestation of the problem is sudden and significant changes in eating habits. Either a person eats vastly less and thus starts to lose weight, or they eat a lot more and start to gain it. Both results are unintentional, and both are generally very unhealthy. If you’ve noticed yourself eating a lot more or less than usual, and you don’t fully understand the reasons why, then you should perhaps ask a professional for help to gain some critical insight.
5. Your Problems Start to Impact Your Personal Relationships
Finally, if your romantic relationships are suffering as a result of your problems, or family ties are breaking down, it’s time to try and get some help before it gets worse. When you’re struggling with mental health issues, just as with money problems or physical health problems, you should be able to turn to family, friends and other loved ones for help and support. If you allow certain problems to persist without getting help, then that network of support might start to evaporate.