Today, more and more people are developing an awareness of how important mental health is, especially with the uncertainty of the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are becoming concerned about their susceptibility to various mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia, among a list of several other disorders.
Olympian Simone Biles recently opted to prioritize her mental well-being over competing in the top international sporting event. This shows that people should not take mental health problems such as difficulty sleeping, emotional eating, and coping with anxiety lightly. It’s high time for everyone to understand that mental health is an imperative item on your self-care checklist.
In response to the unpredictable transmission of COVID-19, lockdown measures were implemented. The isolating effects of quarantine compromised the mental state of many people. People must take care of themselves physically and mentally to stay healthy, especially during these trying times.
Read on to learn about various screening self-tests that can help you assess your mental health.
What is a Mental Health Screening Self-test?
Mental health screening self-tests are tools that offer help in assessing your mental health or wellness. These tests check for signs and symptoms that may be present in certain mental health conditions. They can also guide you in examining emotional imbalances or substance abuse problems.
Even though these self-tests can’t always account for every scenario or event that affects your mental health, they can provide you a glimpse of how you’re feeling at the time they’re conducted. If you take a few minutes to confront your feelings and emotions, you’ll be able to pinpoint the areas where you need to pay more attention to yourself, regardless of your self-test results.
Even if you’re feeling well at the moment, taking a screening self-test is an excellent approach to learn about warning signals and symptoms.
5 Ways to Check Your Mental Health on Your Own
1. Mental well-being screening test
Instead of looking at symptoms, this screening self-test examines various positive dimensions of your mental well-being, from social support to self-confidence. It will encourage you to assess your feelings, attitudes, and behaviors—things most people don’t think about enough but are crucial aspects of wellness nonetheless.
2. Depression screening test
Using this self-screening tool will allow you to check yourself for symptoms of depression. For some individuals, depression is a feeling of gloominess or hopelessness. For the most part, depression makes it harder to appreciate one’s own company and have fun.
It’s not uncommon for some people who are depressed to be irritable or to blame themselves for difficulties. In addition, depression can also impact your energy levels, eating habits, and sleep patterns.
3. Anxiety disorders screening test
This self-screening test checks for signs of extreme anxiety. It explores the range of symptoms related to the eight types of anxiety disorders, namely generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, specific phobias, illness anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Although each disorder is unique, you’ll recognize that they all influence how you experience anxiety.
4. Body image screening test
To genuinely feel good about yourself, you need to build a healthy body image. This screening self-test will help you develop an awareness of your body type and eating habits. If you have a poor impression of yourself but don’t have an eating disorder, you may want to recalibrate your mindset and determine if you need additional support.
5. Risky drinking screening test
This self-screening self-test focuses on your alcohol consumption and your likelihood of drinking in a harmful manner. Risky drinking is defined as excessive drinking of alcohol to the point that you risk hurting yourself. Although these risks are most probably linked to your alcohol consumption, they can also be connected to the situations or reasons that led you to drink alcohol.
This self-test requires looking at how much alcohol you drink, how often you consume alcohol, how you view drinking, and factors that might elevate the risk of harm to yourself or other people.
Wrapping It Up
Keep in mind that the results of your self-tests are not a replacement for a medical diagnosis. It’s still recommended to speak with your doctor or other healthcare providers if you’re concerned about any aspect of your mental well-being.
These self-tests, nonetheless, are an efficient and handy approach to start a conversation with your doctor or certified therapist about how you feel and what you can do to address them. You can also print your results and bring them with you to your scheduled consultation for reference.
If you’re uncomfortable about opening up to your doctor or having trouble describing how you’re feeling, these findings can help you better understand your mental state. It’s up to you whether to skip such screening self-test or not.
If you or someone you know experiences mental health issues, it is important to seek help from a qualified professional. Our Resource Specialist can help you find expert mental health resources to recover in your community. Contact us now for more information on this free service to our users.
About the Author: Rick is a registered nurse with a background in occupational health, neonatal intensive care, and school nursing. He’s also worked as a professional editor for a research firm and an English teacher for Asian students. He considers himself a lifelong student of both the healing arts and the craft of writing.
October 7, 2021, is National Depression Screening Day
Major depressive disorder affects more than 16 million adults in the United States in a given year. It is a serious illness that can lead to suicide. If you think you may be depressed, take a free online depression screening.
Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash
The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of www.rtor.org or its sponsor, Laurel House, Inc. The author and www.rtor.org have no affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios.
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It seems that many people are challenged with mental health care at this point. I understand your observation about how more and more people are finding an awareness of how important mental health is. I believe it when you say that depression, anxiety, and insomnia are really out there. Seeking a professional in mental health is vital.