Putting yourself on your to-do list
TIME TO
check-in ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH
A few honest answers about yourself can help you find out what’s going on inside – and provide an early warning of problems in the future
T
Writing | Fiona Thomas
he symptoms of mental illness are no joke. If you’ve never experienced them before, the effects can feel earthshattering. After a bout of anxiety, I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. I’ve also dealt with dissociation, panic attacks, palpitations, and complete exhaustion, to name a few. But I always ask myself the same thing when I’m at my absolute lowest: how didn’t I see this coming?
88 • happiful • December 2019
Spotting the precursors to mental illness may not stop the inevitable, but it can encourage you to ask for help sooner, and implement some damage control. Being aware of the red flags takes practice, but self-reflective questions can help you unearth what’s really going on. Catherine Asta Labbett, award-winning female-focused psychotherapist at bringingsparkleback.co.uk, helped me pull this list together, and has shared her expert insights, with us.
