Signs You Need Mental Health Help

Signs and symptoms of mental illness can vary depending on the particular disorder the individual has. Mental illness symptoms can affect a person’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, making typical, everyday things difficult.

Common examples of mental health symptoms include:

• Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
• Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia, or hallucinations
• Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
• Excessive fears or worries
• Extreme feelings of guilt
• Extreme mood swings of highs and lows
• Feeling sad or down
• Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
• Major changes in eating habits (i.e., eating too much or eating too little)
• Major changes in sleep habits (i.e., sleeping too much or too little)
• Problems with alcohol or drug use
• Sex drive changes
• Significant tiredness or low energy
• Suicidal thinking
• Trouble understanding and relating to situations and people
• Withdrawal from friends and activities

Symptoms of mental health disorders can also appear as physical problems, such as stomach pain, diarrhea, headaches, back pain, and unexplained body aches. Most mental health problems don’t improve on their own, and if untreated, a mental illness is likely to get worse over time.

If you’re showing any of the signs listed above, especially suicidal thoughts and behavior, get help right away. Suicidal thinking is a major symptom of mental illness that rarely goes away on its own, so immediately reaching out for professional care is crucial.

Our PHP Mental Health Programs for Adults

Our Pompano Beach treatment center offers a partial hospitalization program, mental health care focus, for various types of disorders. A partial hospitalization program (PHP) can be used as a step down from inpatient care, or it can be used as the first level of care patients receive. PHP mental health treatment is best suited for individuals who have difficulty functioning at work and/or school, are not at risk of harming themselves, and are medically stable.

To ensure that this is the best step for new patients, our team first evaluates their health via a thorough clinical assessment. This allows us to create an effective mental health treatment plan for patients and offer them the best care possible. Otherwise referred to as day programs for adults with mental illness, below is more on our various PHP mental health programs for adults.

Anxiety Disorders

People with anxiety disorders experience symptoms like severe worry and fear, to the point where their ability to accomplish daily activities like working, going to school, and socializing are affected. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and different phobias. While individuals with GAD may experience persistent feelings of anxiety and dread, individuals with more specific types of anxiety are usually triggered by a specific stimulus.

Anxiety can take over a person’s life, making simple tasks like grocery shopping or going to the mall impossible. Our anxiety treatment center in Pompano offers PHP treatment that offers individual and group therapy, among other services, to help individuals with anxiety learn how to properly cope with their symptoms and regain control of their lives.

Bipolar Disorder

Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings, including extreme highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). When people with bipolar disorder experience depressive episodes, they may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When their mood shifts to mania or hypomania, they may feel euphoric, full of energy, or unusually irritable.

Bipolar disorder mood swings can either occur rarely or multiple times a year, and they range in severity from person to person. Because this disorder is a life-long condition, it’s important to seek out professional care to learn how to properly manage your symptoms. Our facility also offers bipolar disorder treatment to support those with BPD.

Co-Occurring Disorders

Also referred to as a dual diagnosis, a co-occurring disorder is a combination of any two or more substance use disorders and mental health disorders. No specific combinations of mental illness and addiction are defined uniquely as co-occurring disorders.

Mental illnesses that commonly co-occur with addiction include:

• Anxiety and mood disorders
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Conduct disorders
• Major depressive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Schizophrenia

On the other hand, patients being treated for mental illness often misuse the following substances:

• Alcohol
• Hallucinogens
• Marijuana
• Opioids
• Prescription drugs
• Stimulants
• Tobacco

Banyan Pompano also offers co-occurring disorder treatment that breaks down all of the individual’s diagnoses to ensure that their physical and psychological needs are being met. Receiving professional care for a co-occurring disorder is an effective way to address the connections between different conditions and how best to cope with symptoms.

Depression

Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, depression is a common and serious mood disorder that severely affects how a person feels, thinks, and manages daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. There are various kinds of depression, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, perinatal depression, and seasonal affective disorder.

Common symptoms of depression include persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness, as well as hopelessness, pessimism, irritability, frustration, and more. A person’s entire demeanor can change from one year to the next when depression occurs, with the disorder increasing the individual's risk of suicide significantly. To prevent any heartbreaking consequences and help people with depression get back on their feet, our facility also provides depression treatment that incorporates individual therapy, group counseling, family therapy, recreational activities, and more.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and/or behaviors (compulsions) that they feel the urge to repeat over and over. As is the case with other mental health disorders, OCD symptoms can greatly interfere with all aspects of life, such as work, school, and relationships.

You may have heard of OCD obsessions, which refer to repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety. Common ones include:

• Fear of germs or contamination
• Unwanted, forbidden, or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm
• Aggressive thoughts toward others or self
• Constantly having things symmetrical or in perfect order

Similar are OCD compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors that people with OCD feel the need to perform in response to an obsessive thought. Common compulsions include:

• Excessive cleaning/handwashing
• Ordering and arranging things in a particular way
• Repeatedly checking things, such as repeatedly checking if the door is locked or that the over is off
• Compulsive counting

People with OCD generally struggle to control their thoughts and behaviors, even when they're recognized as excessive. These individuals may also spend at least an hour a day on these thoughts or behaviors and may feel relief from anxiety rather than pleasure when performing these behaviors or rituals. In addition, these individuals with OCD often experience significant problems in their daily life due to these thoughts or behaviors, but our OCD treatment at Banyan Pompano can contribute to an effective recovery.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that’s triggered by either experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. Many people who go through traumatic events may have temporary struggles adjusting and coping but most usually recover with time and self-care.

However, some individuals who have experienced trauma don’t always recover or get better on their own. When symptoms get worse, last for months or years, and interfere with a person’s daily functioning, they likely have PTSD. Our PTSD treatment offers support to help clients overcome symptoms like intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health disorder in which people abnormally interpret reality. This disorder may result in any combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning. As with other disorders, schizophrenia can severely impact a person’s ability to carry out a normal daily routine.

Although schizophrenia is a life-long disorder, early treatment and consistent care can help get symptoms under control before serious complications develop. Long-term care is also beneficial for the maintenance of symptoms and for helping individuals carry out their lives as they wish. If you or a loved one is interested in schizophrenia treatment, our Pompano facility offers a program that can help.

Finding a Rehab for Mental Health Near Me

Finding a rehab facility that offers the mental care needed for long-term recovery can be stressful and challenging. However, our Pompano facility is one of several mental health treatment centers in the Banyan family that can support you or someone you care about in recovery from addiction and/or mental illness.

For more information about our Broward County substance abuse programs or mental health services, contact Banyan Treatment Centers today.

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