Oregon Trail Recovery, in association with The Campaign to Change Direction, is proud to be one of the many dedicated organizations to “Take the Pledge” this month to know the Five Signs indicative of someone struggling with emotional pain.
Change Direction is dedicated to their noble cause which aims “…to change the culture of mental health in America so that all of those in need receive the care and support they deserve. The Campaign encourages all Americans to pay attention to their emotional well-being – and it reminds us that our emotional well-being is just as important as our physical well-being.”
We at Oregon Trail Recovery put our client’s well-being as propriety number one, typically by encouraging our clients to check in about their feelings and engaging in healthy activities and environments. It is also crucial for them to know the 5 Signs, just as it is for us.
The 5 signs that someone might need help are as follows:
- Personality Change: You may begin to notice a change in someone’s behavior. This change may be gradual or, it may be glaringly different from the way they normally act. They may begin to behave in ways that do not necessarily reflect their values and may be totally different from how they normally are.
- Agitated: The person may appear to be having issues controlling their anger. They may seem more easily agitated or “set off.” It also may be harder to calm them down. They may experience trouble sleeping or may explode into anger over a minor problem.
- Withdrawal: A person who used to be socially engaged my start to become more and more isolated. They may start avoiding seeing family or friends or even stop showing at work and school more frequently. This is especially prevalent if that person was always sociable and suddenly is not.
- Poor Self-Care: When someone stops taking care of themselves or purposely puts themselves in harm’s way, they have begun to exercise poor self-care. The person may begin abusing drugs or alcohol or may start to let their personal hygiene slip. Furthermore, they may begin to start alienating themselves from their loved ones.
- Hopelessness: Someone who may have been optimistic and now appears to be suffering from prolonged grief, guilt or worry. It is in this stage in which you may start to hear them express desires of self-harm or suicide, usually with statements such as “What’s the point?’ Or, “The word would be better without me.”
We hope this informative article has been helpful to you. Together, we can help break the stigma of those who struggle and feel lost. We can assure them that they are never alone.
Check out Change Direction and Take The Pledge!