There are some early warning signs that may indicate mental ill-health or a mental health problem:
- mood swings or a consistently lower mood;
- lack of care for personal appearance or personal responsibilities;
- increased use of alcohol or other drugs;
- talking about not wanting to live;
- a loss of interest in doing things you previously enjoyed;
- withdrawing from social activities or spending less time with family and friends;
- disturbed sleep, perhaps not getting enough sleep or sleeping too much;
- eating less than normal or overeating, perhaps losing or gaining weight;
- being more irritable, over-sensitive or aggressive;
- having difficulty following a conversation, remembering things or concentrating;
- experiencing recurrent physical symptoms such as aches and pains or unexplained illnesses;
- a drop in work performance;
- doing things that don’t make sense to others;
- hearing or seeing things that no-one else can hear or see.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these then help is available.