Receiving a mental health diagnosis can have a huge impact on your life. Of course, it’s not exactly the diagnosis, but the condition itself that can disrupt your life. It may have been having an impact for a while already. Sometimes receiving a diagnosis can be a relief. It doesn’t fix everything, but it helps you to know what’s happening and how you might be able to deal with it. Treating a mental illness is never straightforward. But at least a diagnosis can give you a starting point.
However, just because you can begin to treat your illness, it doesn’t mean you can fix everything. Having mental health problems can affect different areas of your life. There are some things you can control, but you can’t always decide how mental illness will affect you. Here are some of the areas where your mental health could have an impact on your life, and how you can cope with it.
Looking After Your Physical Well-being
Having a mental health problem can often mean that your physical health is affected. Depending on your diagnosis, this could be more or less likely. For example, if you have an eating disorder, it is very likely to have an impact on your physical health. There are other illnesses that you might not think could cause you physical issues. For example, people with depression often find they have insomnia or sleep too much. They might find it difficult to eat or to care for themselves in other ways. Focusing on self-care and a healthy lifestyle can help you to manage your illness. Along with the right treatment, things like a healthy diet and regular exercise contribute to your overall health.
Mental Illness and Addiction
Addiction is another thing that can affect your physical health. Mental health issues and addiction are often co-morbid. In fact, many experts view addiction as a mental health problem in itself. People with mental illnesses can fall into an addiction for a number of reasons. Some people self-medicate when they experience the symptoms of their mental illness. Often addiction and another mental health condition can have the same cause. For example, both might result from childhood trauma. Identifying that people are suffering from dual diagnosis is a relatively new thing. People who have both a substance abuse problem and a mental illness have been recognized for a long time. However, the term “dual diagnosis” is more modern. If you have a mental illness and an addiction, you need to get the right help. Working with healthcare professionals who can help you deal with both is essential.
Family and Mental Health
Dealing with mental health issues can have an impact on your family life. Your health doesn’t just affect you. It can also affect your loved ones and how you relate to them. It can be difficult for you to maintain your relationships. Mental health problems can make it harder to parent or to find a partner. It’s not possible to have control over how your family reacts to your illness. However, you can work with them to make it easier for all of you to cope. For example, you might discuss with your partner how you can both deal with a bad day. You can help your family to be educated about your illness and how they can help you. It’s also important to recognize the impact that your mental health issues can have on them.
Mental Health’s Effect on Employment
Unfortunately, mental health problems can often make it harder for people to find or stay in work. Some people may feel that they don’t have their condition under control enough to be able to work. Others may need to take a lot of time off, which many employers may not be understanding about. It may not be allowed to discriminate against someone with an illness. But there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health. It’s very easy for an employer to let someone go or pass on hiring them due to their illness. As long as they don’t give the real reason, no one can know their thoughts for sure. People with mental health issues who are struggling to stay in work could consider seeking help from a number of organizations. You can look for mental health advocates who can help you get back to work or navigate issues in your current job.
Completing Your Education When You Have a Mental Illness
Getting your education can also be harder when you have a mental health problem. Attending college or other educational institutions can be very stressful. There is often a lot of pressure to perform well or to maintain an amazing social life. It can be hard to study and finding the right support isn’t always easy. Fortunately, many schools do have support for students who need it. There are sometimes counseling centers you can visit. There might be student support offices or services your college can refer you to. However, if there aren’t any services available, it’s important to seek support from elsewhere.
Your Social Life
A mental illness can have an impact on your social life and relationships too. The symptoms of your condition can cause problems. They could range from having no desire to socialize to snapping at the people you love. Even when you are handling your illness well, you can find that it causes issues within your friends. For example, if you make the decision not to go out for a while to protect your health, you might have friends who feel slighted. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to take the opportunity to find out who your real friends are. At the same time, you have to remember that your friends still need love and support from you.
Dealing with Stigma
There is still a lot of stigma in society surrounding the topic of mental health. It is present at different levels and in different institutions. Everyone with a mental health problem is likely to come up against it at some point. It’s difficult to avoid the stigma and misconceptions about mental health. They come from the media and the general public. It isn’t your job to educate everyone. But many people feel empowered if they can spread a message and take up a cause. You can help friends, family and colleagues understand your illness and other conditions. You might even get involved with some public campaigning by charities or other organizations.
Travel
Sometimes mental illness can affect you in unexpected ways. Having a mental health diagnosis can make it harder to travel to some countries. If you need to apply for a visa, you may be asked questions about your mental health. You might have to declare your diagnosis and medication. You might be asked if have ever been a danger to yourself or others. Traveling with your medication can sometimes complicate things too. It can also be more difficult or more expensive to take out travel insurance. The best way to prepare for these issues is to start planning trips far in advance. Make sure you check the rules concerning mental health conditions and traveling with medication. Try to avoid booking trips abroad until you’re confident you’ll be able to get into the country.
Living with a mental illness can mean making many adjustments to your life. You will often come up against obstacles due to the stigma surrounding mental health. But you can always look for tools and coping methods that can help you to manage. Having the support of other people is essential. However, you also have to take responsibility for yourself.