We don’t live in a perfect world. In life, we can experience many ups and downs, which affect our mood and energy levels. It’s important to recognize when challenges begin to interfere with your daily life and prevent you from enjoying it.
Recognize the symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mental health concerns vary depending on the affliction, circumstances and other factors. According to the Mayo Clinic, some indicators to look out for include:
- Feelings of sadness
- Mental confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
- Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
- Withdrawal from relationships and activities
- Unusual tiredness, low energy or difficulty sleeping
- Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
- Inability to cope with daily issues or stress
- Difficulty understanding and relating to situations and to people
- Abuse of drugs or alcohol
- Significant changes in eating habits, such as eating much more or less than usual
- Changes in sex drive
- Excessive anger, hostility or violent behavior
- Thoughts of suicide
Symptoms of a mental health disorder can sometimes manifest themselves physically, such through stomach or back pain, headaches or other unexpected aches and pains.
When to see a professional
Most mental health disorders do not improve on their own. Left untreated, mental illness can progressively worsen over time. If the symptoms listed above sound familiar, you should consider seeing your primary care provider or a mental health specialist.
Did You Know? Telemental Health is available through your UHC Medical Benefit
Telemental Health offers private appointments from the comfort of home, and features a network of over 3,000 Telemental Health providers in all 50 states. The service uses secure, video-calling technology to provide real-time access to a behavioral health professional, with no travel and less wait time for appointments.
To learn more or to schedule a Telemental Health visit, log in to your myuhc.com account. From the home page, click on “Find a Doctor,” then select “Behavioral Health Directory.” Select “People” and then “Provider Type.” Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select “Telemental Health Providers.”
Tip: Reduce your wait time for mental health appointments (in-person or virtual) with Express Access. When selecting a provider from UHC’s online directory, choose a provider with a stopwatch icon next to his/her name if you need an appointment quickly; the stopwatch icon indicates to members and care advocates that the provider has agreed to offer an appointment within five business days of the request.
