Have You Recently Audited Your Mental Health?

We often do checkups on our bodies systems. We notice if our digestive tract is off if we start having gas and bloating after eating. We notice skin changes, we check our fingernails, we even look at our poop without thinking about. However, one major system of our body which we don’t often check in on enough is our central nervous system, or in other words, our own mental health.

So how do you do an Audit on your own mental health? You need to sit down and ask yourself the following questions. The answers should come easily to you, you shouldn’t need to think about them for long and you can always add more details later. Ideally, with this audit, you are looking for an objective, top-down, zoomed out view of your mental health so that you can see which way it is heading.

How are you sleeping?

Are you having problems falling asleep and/or staying asleep? Are you often waking up throughout the night with your brain racing? If so then you could be starting to verge on a bit of anxiety. Disrupted sleep, not due to your bladder or small children, is very often a sign that you have a lot of things on your mind, and if not dealt with appropriately can lead to burnout, anxiety and down the road, even depression.

What is your motivation like to do fun things, not things you have to do?

When was the last time you went out with your friends? Better yet, when was the last time you called your friends to go out? Are you finding that you would much rather stay home on the couch watching Netflix instead of socializing with your friends and family? If so, it’s a sign that your mental health is taking a hit, you may be starting to burn out and this can lead to other health conditions as well. Check out your stress response by reading this as well. 

Do you wake up rested and can you get out of bed right away?

If you’re not waking up rested and all you want to do is stay in bed than take note. Something has to change if lack of quality sleep continues then it is only a matter of time before your mental health takes a hit.

Are you feeling happy or unhappy?

This is a very important one and if you can’t answer it right away then take note. This question means happy overall, encompassing your professional and personal life. No one has a perfect life, everything cannot be perfect all the time, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy.

Is it worth it?

Again, this should be a blink reaction, answer it out loud and see if you’re surprised by your answer. This is a great one I often ask myself, as well as ask patients. It immediately provides that zoomed out view on our entire life which was mentioned earlier.

You should be checking in on your mental health regularly. Check in as often as you can. Identify what areas are in need of help. Set goals and create habits which will help you achieve these goals. And if you find yourself needing some help along the way then call us and we’ll make sure we provide the support you’re looking for.