Los Angeles is both a beautiful and tough place to live. In today’s day and age most of us are in stress overload, particularly if we live in a busy, demanding, and traffic-taxed city like Los Angeles. With ever-increasing technology and information right at our fingertips there is more pressure than ever to be more productive, faster. And yet despite our easy access to data and communications, we have even less time to reflect on the information we find, or to relax and re-energize. It is harder than ever for people to slow down and unwind, and so they are more vulnerable than ever to develop unhealthy stress responses called psychiatric disorders. One can often find Los Angeles psychiatrists in areas such as Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles, Encino and Sherman Oaks, but how do you know when it is time to look for a psychiatrist?
Here are 6 signs that you may be experiencing more than simple everyday stress, and that it is time to consider consulting a psychiatrist:
YOUR SLEEP IS DISTURBED.
Maybe you have trouble falling sleep because you can’t shut your mind off at night. Perhaps you have difficulties staying asleep and find yourself frequently waking up nightly, or you awaken an hour before your alarm is set to go off without being able to fall back to sleep. Maybe you are suffering from all three! The opposite can also be true and you find you are too exhausted to get out of bed, sleeping over 10 hours a day.
EVERY LITTLE THING MAKES YOU IRRITATED.
Minor things that used to be just a passing nuisance now overwhelm you. The tension becomes unbearable, you lash out at others, and feel the urge to rip out your hair and clench your teeth. You find you are more prone to road rage, more oppressed by the simple background noises of your children at play, and more tempted than ever to leave your partner when s/he forgets to take out the trash.
YOU CAN’T SEEM TO FOCUS ON ANYTHING.
It becomes almost impossible to watch your favorite TV show without having to rewind it multiple times, or it’s really difficult to read a book or even a newspaper article. When you are able to focus it seems to only be on constant worries without being able to solve them.
YOU ALWAYS FEEL SICK AND RUN DOWN.
You get frequent headaches, stomach pain and bloating, neck or back pains, or always seem to have a cold. You feel absolutely sapped of energy and find tasks that were once easy to accomplish, now next to impossible.
YOU WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING – OR NOTHING — IN SIGHT.
Your appetite has increased dramatically, especially for junk food, like sweets and carbs. You’re also gaining weight. Or the opposite could be true and you lose all interest in food, and even the sight of food is nauseating. You might be actually losing weight without trying.
YOU START HAVING THOUGHTS OR FANTASIES OF NOT LIVING ANYMORE. This is the most serious sign you need to seek professional help and it should not be ignored.
If you are seriously contemplating harming yourself, however, for immediate help you should tell a friend/family member, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or call 911 and go to the nearest emergency room to get immediate help.
If any of these signs seem familiar to you or someone you know, and if you live in the Los Angeles area, it may be time to start looking for Los Angeles psychiatrists.
Article content, © Kira Stein, MD, APC. | West Coast Life Center