How mental health affects risk taking
Studies show that 50% of Americans will have a mental health condition during their lifetime, yet some people are unaware of just how far reaching these common issues are. These issues may cause a loss of interest in activities that we used to find pleasurable, impact our sleep, appetite, self-care, or other physical conditions, and be noticed by friends, family, coworkers, or other people we spend time with.
Additionally, when mental health is not being addressed, high risk behaviors can come into play. Examples of high-risk behaviors include:
- Unsafe driving
- Disregard for personal safety
- Unsafe sexual practices
- Excessive substance use
These behaviors can be products of untreated mental illness. It may lead to increased substance use, which can make the mental illness more severe, and can have a negative impact on the individual.
Mild mental health concerns might be issues someone can handle on our own, but there are times when a person really does need help. In those situations, reaching out to someone in their social support network is an important step. They may be able to re-engage in activities that they previously enjoyed, such as a hobby, exercise routine, or even something as simple as getting regular sleep. The ability to re-engage with normal parts of life can be helpful.
Other times, a person might need to seek additional help beyond social support. When re-engaging in normal and enjoyable parts of a person’s life doesn’t seem possible, even with help from friends and family, it is time to seek help from a mental health professional. Seeking help is also recommended if someone is seeing a significant impact in their ability to perform normal daily functions. This means, maybe they’re not able to go to work, or not able to complete things around the home that are important to them.
There are several different ways to access care:
- Referral from primary care physician or insurance provider
- Support group
- Resources at work, such as employee assistance program or behavioral health concierge
Care to improve mental health is out there and it’s an important part of taking care of yourself. What’s most important to remember is that you aren’t alone.