If you have a mental health disorder, you know that every day can be a challenge. You often never know if you are going to have a good day or a bad day. Symptoms can be quite unpredictable and you might not know how to tell when things are bad enough to ask for help from others. When you are struggling with your mental health issues, it is important to know some of the times when you absolutely should get to a hospital or community health center right away. That way, you can be sure you are getting the care you need as soon as possible when things take a turn for the worse.
You Start Seeing or Hearing Things
Visual and auditory hallucinations are common with numerous mental health disorders. While most people assume that hallucinations are primarily an issue for people with schizophrenia, the reality is that PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and more can cause hallucinations of some kind.
When you start to see or hear things that are not there, you need to seek out medical help right away. Hallucinations can be relatively harmless at first but will disrupt your life and can even become dangerous if they are allowed to continue. Hallucinations can often be a precursor to full psychosis which is a situation in which a person completely loses their grip on reality and cannot discern something real from something in their mind.
Go to the doctor or hospital as soon as you start having auditory or visual hallucinations and you may be able to get medications and other treatments to prevent you from reaching psychosis. You will regain control over your mind more quickly and more effectively by seeking out treatment quickly.
You Start to Have Any Type of Suicidal Thoughts
When you have struggled with mental health issues for a while, you may find yourself beginning to discern between types of suicidal thoughts and ideations. For example, many people assume that generalized suicidal thinking such as wishing oneself dead are not anything to be too concerned about. The reality, though, is that all suicidal thoughts are a problem, especially if you have struggled with such thoughts or attempts in the past.
If you start to have suicidal thoughts, whether your mood is up or down, you need to seek out help from a medical professional. And if your thoughts are in any way specific or you have a plan, it is even more of an emergency that you get help right away. These intrusive thoughts can begin to consume you and you need to be in a safe place where you can get the care and supervision you need to overcome them.
Now that you know a few of the situations in which you should go to the hospital for your mental health, you can be sure you are doing everything in your power to take care of yourself when you struggle with mental health issues. Contact a service, like Peninsula Community Health Services- Medical (Cottonwood), for more help.