Mental health and wellness are things that often fall to the wayside in busy lives. But leaving your mental health as an afterthought can actually have a significant and even dangerous impact on your life. If you are looking to feel better, live safely, and find happiness in 2021, improving your mental health and wellness through professional guidance may be essential.
Why Is Mental Health Important?
Simply put, your mental health is in charge of the way that you think, behave, and feel. When your mental health and wellness aren’t being cared for, you might not feel like yourself—acting in ways you wouldn’t normally, isolating yourself from your support system, or struggling with mental stability, for instance. The pain of untreated mental health conditions also often causes people to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to “numb” the discomfort.
Improving your mental health and wellness is more important than ever before. In fact, research from 2020 shows that more people throughout the country are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions compared to previous years. Studies reveal that there has been a 62 percent increase in symptoms of depression as well as a 93 percent rise in anxiety disorders in just the first nine months of 2020.
Many experts believe that the stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is contributing greatly to this jump in mental health complications. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted that people who have struggled with mental health conditions in the past are more likely to struggle with mental illness symptoms under the pressure of this pandemic.
While you cannot always see the symptoms of mental health conditions the way that you would a physical ailment, like a fractured bone, untreated mental illness can make it extremely challenging for you to get through your daily routines. This is why it is so important to be aware of your mental health and wellness. Without any intervention, you might end up putting yourself at risk for developing even more emotional, mental, and physical pain.
Common Mental Health Conditions
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 50 million people in the United States experience symptoms of a mental health condition annually. Some examples of common mental health conditions are:
- Anxiety disorder
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Suicidal ideation
This list is not extensive, however, and it does not shine a light on some of the more serious but rare mental health conditions. For example, dissociative disorders can drastically disrupt your life if you don’t have the right treatment to manage the symptoms. Along the same lines, symptoms of mental illness vary across the board. Anxiety disorder symptoms might feel very different than the type of crisis care needed for suicidal ideation symptoms. Symptoms can also look like:
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Mood swings
- Using drugs or alcohol
- Feelings of hopelessness
This goes to show that your experiences with your own mental health and wellness are unique. From your symptoms to the types of treatment you should receive, your mental health and wellness journey is meant to help you discover your personal recovery goals.
How to Improve Emotional Health
If you are wondering how to improve your emotional well-being in 2021 and all of the new years to come, the first step is finding a mental health and wellness treatment center. There, you will have the ability to work through various programs and services led by mental health professionals. Treatment for mental health includes:
- Individualized therapy
- Group therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Medication management
- Recreational therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Drug and alcohol detox
- Post-care resources
With staff members and fellow patients by your side, you will be able to get a better understanding of the importance of mental health and wellness as well as picking up the skills you need to maintain recovery after you leave the program.
Furthermore, while some people around the country have found it challenging to access recovery centers during the COVID-19 pandemic, rest assured that there are safe treatment options still available. Your 2021 mental health and wellness goals don’t have to wait—instead, there are recovery services that could truly change your life for the better.
Mental Health Treatment at Baton Rouge Behavioral Hospital
The Baton Rouge Behavioral Hospital is a safe, Joint Commission-accredited recovery center that specializes in treatments to help you improve your mental health and wellness. We’ve seen firsthand the toll that mental health issues can put on you emotionally and physically. Thus, we offer mental health treatment programs for adults with a variety of mental illnesses in addition to patients who struggle with substance use disorders.
We will walk with you through each step of the recovery process, from the initial intake evaluation through your specific mental health treatment plan. To begin, please reach out to us by phone at 225-300-8470 or contact us online through our confidential form. Your mental health and wellness are our top priorities.
