Womens Mental Health Issues - Recognize Them In Time
Let's talk about womens mental health. Depression, stress, anxiety... they don't miss their effects on women over 40. I'll tell you more about it in the (true) story below and in future articles.Muffy suffered a period of debilitating depression, followed by a nervous breakdown (also known as a psychotic break) at age 47. Depression can range from “the blues”, which go away on their own, to the normal grief following a loss, to a more serious disorder called major depression. The latter was Muffy’s plight. She was also a woman over 40, entering midlife. She not only suffered from a depressed mood, but there were changes in her appearance, behavior, speech, perception, and thoughts. Her insight and judgment were affected; to the extent that there were times she couldn’t work and took many sick days off.Finally she was forced to take a leave of absence. Once, a sympathetic co-worker told her that she looked so melancholy. This gave her a slight hint of her condition. Muffy became inattentive to her personal grooming; she developed poor posture, an expressionless face, and always appeared to be sad. She lost interest in activities she previously enjoyed, her house was unclean, she lost her appetite and consequently a great deal of weight.
She was all alone. Her husband was gone and the children were attending college out of state. Muffy was able to put on a pretty good act when speaking on the phone with family or friends. If they questioned her about her well-being , she would reassure them everything was fine. People had doubts but were limited in helping her if she refused. Muffy’s mind was spinning out of control actually. She began to hear voices and responded to those voices, in her mind. We all have an inner critic in our minds, who is much like a parent to keep us in line. Psychologically healthy people are mentally strong enough to deal with it. But for people like Muffy who was mentally incapacitated, she believed everything the negative voices said. These were thoughts such as guilt, self-blame, hopelessness, self-hatred, helplessness and worthlessness. Muffy was in a very dangerous situation. Her depression deepened and she began to hear the voices telling her she should kill herself. If anyone who is reading this article recognizes themselves, I strongly urge you to consult a physician or a licensed mental health practitioner – a psychiatrist or psychologist or seek help at a mental health clinic immediately. There are psychiatrists specializing in womens mental health. You need to be evaluated for possible major depression disorder and possible treatment with medications, plus professional assistance in working through your mental and emotional issues. More on womens mental health in these articles: Holistic MindBody Healing
Leading Edge holistic natural health information and techniques that help you move forward with your wellness and life goals.
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Holistic MindBody Healing
Leading Edge holistic natural health information and techniques that help you move forward with your wellness and life goals. Back to top of Womens Mental Health Issues - Recognize Them In Time
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