Mental-Health-for-Teens-Top-Signs-Your-Teen-Needs-Help

Mental Health for Teens: Top Signs Your Teen Needs Help

Mental Health for Teens: Top Signs Your Teen Needs Help

Mental health for teens is a topic that needs to be dealt with sensitivity and care. Teenagers, nowadays, are under a lot of stress and pressure. Whether it from their friends who want them to be “cool” or from parents and educators who want them to be “mature and responsible”, the demands on a young mind are many and can lead to mental health issues, like anxiety, eating disorders, depression and others.

Here are the top signs your teen may need mental health help:

Physical Symptoms of a Mental Health Condition

Most mental health conditions manifest in both psychological and physiological symptoms. If you notice your teenager frequently complaining of headaches, bodily aches and pains, or stomachaches that can’t really be explained away by tests, it can be a sign of depression or another mental illness.

Other physical symptoms could include a decrease in energy levels and a lack of interest in personal grooming, something which most teens generally lay a lot of emphasis on.

Moodiness and Behavioral Changes

Teenagers with mental health concerns may also, exhibit symptoms like mood swings, withdrawing from social interactions, losing interest in activities that usually engaged them or have difficulty concentrating.

Please note that sometimes, normal teen behavior also displays this as a natural part of teenage “angst”. It is only when it goes on for too long or seems too severe to you, that you should be concerned.

Violent, Negative or Destructive Behavior

Teens with mental health concerns may display aggressive, self-destructive or violent behavior or have suicidal thoughts and may voice them. They may be exceedingly negative towards others and may express a lack of confidence in their own selves.

Reports from School or Community About Changes in Behavior

If you start getting reports from school or community members about your teenager failing or missing classes, not showing up, misbehaving or acting “odd” on a regular basis, it can be a sign that something is amiss. Again, this can be part of normal teenage rebellion but if it goes on for too long or is too serious, it’s time to take action.

The teen years can be tumultuous, to say the least. Vigilant, involved parents and educators can identify signs of stress, anxiety and depression. Learn more about different types of mental health problems by trying out some mental health disorders symptoms quiz or any other mental health assessment.

Disclaimer: This article is strictly for informational purposes and not intended for medical advice. Consult with a professional at a mental health facility for medical advice and any possible need of mental health services.

Mental-Health-How-Can-Affirmations-Help-and-10-Affirmations-to-Help-Feel-Better

Mental Health: How Can Affirmations Help and 10 Affirmations to Help Feel Better

Mental Health: How Can Affirmations Help and 10 Affirmations to Help Feel Better

Mental health or the state of our internal well being is greatly impacted by our internal dialogue, or the thoughts that we entertain about our selves.

Training your mind to think positive is an effective way to change that self dialogue and use it to promote your mental health as well.

“You are worth it.”
“You can do it.”
“I am capable”

These are all simple yet powerful examples of affirmations which can be great mental health resources.

To affirm something is to validate it, to establish it’s importance and to make it “real” in one’s life.

Scientists and researchers have in several studies documented the impact of positive self-talk on the performance and health of individuals. Here’s Dr. Mona Lisa Schulz talking about why affirmations work from a science perspective.

So, now that you know how and why affirmations work, let’s get started.

Here are 10 powerful affirmations designed to help you not just think positive and feel better, but also, make a difference to your mental health.

Affirmations to Improve Mental Health

1. I embrace joy and happiness, today.

2. I choose to forgive. I choose to move. I am moving on.

3. I am happy. I am joyous. I am filled with pure happiness.

4. I am confident and stress-free.

5. I can deal with this with strength and clarity.

6. I am strong. I am capable. I am healthy.

7. I enjoy excellent health, physically and mentally.

8. I feel brave. I feel strong. I feel ready to take on anything.

9. I embrace wholesome living.

10. I am happy, healthy and healed.

Using These Mental Health Affirmations:

While repeating them and of course, placing them in different places where you can see them and be reminded of them is definitely the place to start, you would also, benefit hugely by actually believing in them, first.

Believe and you will see the difference.

Have you tried a mental health disorders symptoms quiz or any other form of mental health assessment?

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to substitute, offer or replace medical advice. If you’re consistently experiencing different types of mental health problems, please consult a professional.

Mental-Health-How-Spiritual-Health-Can-Help-Mental-Health

Mental Health: How Spiritual Health Can Help Mental Health

Mental Health: How Spiritual Health Can Help Mental Health

Mental health is all about being healthy and at peace inside. Spiritual health also, refers to your inner well-being and nurturing your spirit, which is the essence of who you are and your life purpose.

Naturally, the two are closely interlinked.

Being mentally healthy and spiritually strong means that you work on the wellness of your mind, soul and spirit. And both of them, impact your physical well-being and help you stay away from various types of mental health problems.

How to Experience Mental Health and Spiritual Well-Being

Being spiritually strong doesn’t mean that you spend your entire day in prayer or meditation, though the two can be part of your spiritual well-being routine.

Spiritual wellness can mean different things to different people, with some considering it to be more religion centered while others focusing on the qualities of finding meaning, defining purpose and infusing calmness into one’s life.

Being spiritually strong is more about strengthening your inner self and feeding your mind and soul with wholesome food- positive thoughts, quiet time, connection with others.

Spiritual wellness can lead to good mental health, by helping you reduce stress, experience greater calm and lesser anxiety, and by giving you the confidence you need to handle everyday interactions with ease.

Simple Spiritual Wellness Steps to Improve Mental Health

1. Spend some quiet time everyday. This can either be through meditation, breathing exercises, walks or runs, or just sitting and sipping your first cup of coffee in complete silence and contemplation.

2. Feed your mind and soul with positive thoughts. Affirmations, positive books and reading material, spiritually centered podcasts, take your pick!

3. Go with the flow. Our hyper-productive modern society believes in packing every minute of the day with activity. Learn to go with the flow and not get stressed out when things don’t go according to plan. Being spontaneous can be joyfully freeing and liberating.

4. Practice spiritually strengthening behaviors, like forgiveness, non-judgmental thinking and receptiveness. This is more long term and can take practice but, like nearly everything else, can be done!

5. Spend some time in caring for others. You can simply reach out to a friend who may be feeling a little lonely or help an elderly neighbor with grocery shopping or volunteer at the hospital. Doing things for others has great feel-good value and can help you experience a sense of purpose and peace as you perform them.

Improving your mental health can go hand-in-hand with working on spiritual wellness, so spend some time today looking within and reaching out. Connect with the mindsetmax community on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Pinterest to find more actionable ideas on being mentally healthy and strong and share some mental health resources or a mental health assessment that you found useful.

Mental Health-Apps-to-Help-Feel-Better-Stay-Calm-and-Curb-Anxiety

Mental Health: Top 5 Apps to Help Feel Better, Stay Calm and Curb Anxiety

Mental Health: Top 5 Apps to Help Feel Better, Stay Calm and Curb Anxiety

Mental health is a growing concern for a large section of the population. Increasing stress and mounting pressures at work and in personal life can make things difficult for a regular person.

Since modern life is connected and driven by technology, it is only natural to look for mental health apps that support a mentally healthy lifestyle.

Here are our top 5 picks for mental health apps for a positive mental health that are easily accessible and will give you the tools you need to reduce stress, gain more clarity and feel better, with the click of a button.

Mental Health App#1. BellyBio

An interactive breathing app that helps with deep breathing, relaxation and biofeedback by turning your iPhone or iPod Touch into “a highly-sensitive deep breathing sensor providing a real-time, objective stress-level index based on your breathing pattern.”

Mental Health App#2. Optimism 

A mood charting app, Optimism helps you to “develop and monitor health strategies, learn the “triggers” of a decline in your mental health, recognize the early warning signs of a decline.”

It provides detailed charts and reports within the app or via email.

Mental Health App#3. iSleepEasy 

This guided meditations app helps you to relax and fall asleep easily and deeply. Recommended by USA Today, this mental health app lets you choose from several music and Nature sounds tracks or create your own sleep program by creating playlists.

Mental Health App#4. PTSD Coach 

This app, developed by VA’s National Center for PTSD in partnership with the Department of Defense’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology, helps veterans and others learn about PTSD and manage symptoms. It provides easy-to-use tools to handle stress symptoms and for screening and tracking them.

Mental Health App#5. iMindsetmax Lite 

This is one of our favorite mental health apps. ☺ It helps you learn about mindset theory and gives you a key technique to overcome fear so that you’re more confident and can live a more successful life. Download it for FREE here.

Mental health apps can be a handy tool to gain greater confidence, experience less stress and manage anxiety better. They also serve as great mental health resources and can help with a mental health assessment.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended for medical advice and none of the apps should substitute for a medical health professional.