First, determine how much your symptoms interfere with your daily life. This fact sheet from the National Institute of Mental Health offers some guidance and next steps.
My Mental Health: Do I Need Help?
Do I have mild symptoms that have lasted for less than 2 weeks?
- Feeling a little down
- Feeling down, but still able to do job, schoolwork, or housework
- Some trouble sleeping
- Feeling down, but still able to take care of yourself or take care of others
If so, here are some self-care activities that can help:
- Exercising (e.g., aerobics, yoga)
- Engaging in social contact (virtual or in person)
- Getting adequate sleep on a regular schedule
- Eating healthy
- Talking to a trusted friend or family member
- Practicing meditation, relaxation, and mindfulness
If the symptoms above do not improve or seem to be worsening despite self-care efforts, talk to your health care provider.
Do I have severe symptoms that have lasted 2 weeks or more?
- Difficulty sleeping
- Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes
- Struggling to get out of bed in the morning because of mood
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable
- Unable to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities
- Thoughts of death or self-harm
Seek professional help:
- Psychotherapy (talk therapy)—virtual or in person; individual, group, or family
- Medications
- Brain stimulation therapies
Download a copy of the PDF.
Source: National Institute for Mental Health | My Mental Health: Do I Need Help?, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/my-mental-health-do-i-need-help/index.shtml | public domain. Retrieved April 5, 2021. Last reviewed October 2024.
