How To Manage A Mild Mental Illness

Mental illness can be a devastating situation that affects all parts of your life, including your relationships, your work performance, and your day-to-day experience. However, if your symptoms are mild enough, there are some things that you can do to make your life more comfortable without the need for a drastic lifestyle change. Here are some steps to taking care of a mental illness with the help of some medical professionals.

Get a Mental Health Evaluation

Even if you are fairly certain about your diagnosis, it's always a good idea to get a diagnosis from an experienced psychiatrist. This person can confirm your mental illness and monitor its progression. For some illnesses, symptoms can start out mild and grow if they remain unchecked; your psychiatrist will help you monitor the signs that your mental illness is progressing. And, if medication can make your symptoms less intense, the psychiatrist might recommend some supplements or medicines for your condition.

Seek Counseling

Aside from visiting a psychiatrist for medication and health advice, it can be helpful to do some talk therapy or counseling to cope with your illness. Dealing with unusual mental symptoms can be quite scary and draining, so some people find it comforting to discuss their challenges with a confidant. The therapist or counselor might also be able to help you make a plan to avoid situations that bring out the worst of your symptoms.

Treat Your Symptoms

You can help to improve your daily functionality by monitoring your individual symptoms, finding out what triggers them, and committing to different strategies for avoiding them. While there are a few ways to do this, a journal exercise is one option. If you write down the challenges you faced each day, along with the intensity of your symptoms, you can review these with your mental health specialist to explore the connections between your choices and your experience. You may need to make some accommodations to avoid certain places and people altogether, or to recognize when you're becoming overstimulated and remove yourself from a challenging situation.

Many adults will deal with mild mental illness in their lifetime, either because of temporary periods of stress or because of a lifelong condition. Having a mental condition doesn't need to exclude you from enjoying all aspects of your life; speak with a mental health specialist in order to get control of your symptoms and learn how to manage them more effectively. Contact a local professional, like Kay M. Shilling MD PC, for more information.

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