SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – Mental health professionals say it’s normal to feel down or stressed during difficult times, but knowing when to seek help can make a critical difference.
Phylicia Anderson, Chief Operating Officer for Gateway Behavioral Services and a licensed clinical social worker, said people should understand the difference between mental health and a mental health diagnosis.
“If you are in a slump, start feeling down, or not feeling yourself for like a day or so, that’s okay,” Anderson said. “Because we’re human. If we’re getting all of this information and all these scary things happening to us, it would not be normal if you were just peachy all the time.”
Anderson said people should pay closer attention if symptoms last more than two to three weeks. Warning signs include losing interest in activities once enjoyed, withdrawing from family and friends, persistent crying or anxious feelings.
Understanding anxiety and depression
Anderson described anxiety as feeling like the moment before a chair falls — stomach clenching, heart dropping, sweating — but experiencing that sensation constantly without relief.
Depression can feel similar to heartbreak, she said, with symptoms including tearfulness, changes in appetite, excessive sleeping and persistent sadness lasting weeks.
“If our mind and emotions are not stabilized or functioning properly, it’s hard for us to show up in any other space in our life,” Anderson said.
Resources available
People experiencing mental health concerns can call 988, the mental health crisis hotline, for immediate assistance.
Many employers offer Employee Assistance Programs through human resources departments that provide counseling services.
Gateway Community Service Board, the safety net behavioral health provider in coastal Georgia, offers same-day access hours at its clinics.
Anderson said one out of five individuals in the country experience a mental health condition.
“Just because it’s happening at one time doesn’t mean it has to last forever,” Anderson said.