Is Your Loved One Struggling with a Mental Disorder?

It’s difficult to know what to do when you start to notice potential mental health issues in a loved one. Maybe your loved one no longer engages with hobbies, has changed how they eat or sleep in disturbing ways, or lashes out with anger or despair in ways that seem disruptive to relationships.

Mental health disorders strongly impact the people who have them. Mental health problems can also have a ripple effect, as an imbalance in one person’s mental health puts unusual burdens or pressures on others. Handling all of that can be a real challenge.

At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, Dr. Ronald P. Winfield and his team specialize in supporting individuals with mental health disorders. With our assistance, your loved one can better understand their mental health care needs and take steps to manage their condition, improving their quality of life and relationships with others.

We provide mental health counseling and psychotherapy treatment from our North Chelmsford, Massachusetts offices. Get in touch with Dr. Winfield and the Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates staff if your loved one shows signs of a mental health disorder that threatens their quality of life.

Signs and symptoms of mental health disorders

Mental health symptoms vary from person to person. It can take a little while to figure out if your loved one is just atypically stressed or if there’s a pattern that keeps showing up in their emotions or behaviors that indicates an underlying mental health concern.

Symptoms to watch out for include:

• Frequent or unexplained emotions of aloneness, worthlessness, sadness, shame, or guilt
• Avoidance of trigger activities, places, or emotions
• Sudden mood swings
• Swings in self-value from high to low
• Loss of interest in hobbies and social activities
• Poor performance at work or school
• Changes in eating, including over- and under-eating
• Sleep disturbances or insomnia
• Auditory or visual hallucinations
• Suicidal behavior

Your loved one might have been previously diagnosed with a mental health disorder that’s showing signs of flaring up again. Or, maybe your loved one has never previously been diagnosed, but changes in their thoughts, emotions, demeanor, self-expression, and life choices might have you concerned.

Either way, reaching out for professional help is a good way to figure out the best way to move forward. Emergency care can be reached through 911, and you can also access crisis support by dialing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Caring for loved ones and yourself, during a mental health crisis

At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, our providers use a range of therapeutic techniques and interventions to identify mental health disorders and relieve mental health symptoms for our patients. In addition to counseling and medication management, your loved one may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or neurofeedback approaches.

Signs and symptoms of mental health disorders, especially disorders that aren’t currently being treated, can be difficult to handle and are often hard to understand. Keep your ears, mind, and heart open as you navigate helping your loved one get the care they need.

Caring for a loved one with a mental health disorder can be stressful to experience. Make sure that you have the support you need, as well, as you assist your loved one in recovering their balance and mental health.

For comprehensive and compassionate mental health counseling and care, contact Dr. Winfield and the team at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates today. Schedule an initial consultation appointment with our online booking tool, or call now to book your session.