When attempting to objectively assess your mental state, it is useful to pay attention to the following signs:

1.

Recognizing Warning Signs of Mental Health Issues

When attempting to objectively assess your mental state, it is useful to pay attention to the following signs:

1. Changes in thinking and speech. Notice any disruptions in the logical flow of your speech, the appearance of disjointed statements, or excessive detailing that makes it difficult to extract the main point. For example, one description of symptoms states:
"Disorders of thought: fragmentation – a disruption in the logical connection of speech; incoherence – the patient’s speech is a collection of words lacking logical and grammatical ties; circumstantiality – 'heavy' thinking characterized by excessive details, a fixation on insignificant points, and an inability to highlight the main idea; rambling – 'fruitless philosophizing,' usually accompanied by verbosity that substitutes for concrete reflection and direct answers; slowed thinking – subjectively experienced as difficulty in grasping a situation, along with impoverished and monotonous ideas, marked by a reduced number of associations; accelerated thinking – the opposite of slowed thinking, peaking in a ‘leap of ideas’; mentation – a pathological “flood” of thoughts, where the mind experiences a stream of diverse associations while the pace of speech remains unchanged; schperrung – a sudden stoppage or “lockup” of thought; delusional ideas – false conclusions without a real foundation that resist logical refutation..."
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2. Changes in perception and sensations. Some individuals may experience cenesthopathy – a range of distressing, painful sensations in different parts of the body or internal organs, even when instrumental examinations reveal no visible defects. Equally important are signs such as depersonalization (a subjective feeling of altered mental and physical attributes) and derealization (a painful, inadequate perception of the surrounding reality). These symptoms indicate a disruption in self-awareness and in the perception of the world.
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3. Emotional disturbances. Deep and persistent depressive states, accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, melancholy, despondency, and even suicidal thoughts, may signal a problem. Conversely, unwarranted cheerfulness combined with increased activity, as well as abrupt emotional shifts, can indicate disturbances in the emotional realm. It is important to note that such states, if lasting more than 2–3 weeks or if accompanied by impaired emotional regulation, warrant professional attention.
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Thus, to objectively evaluate your mental health, consider the following signals:
– Disruptions in the logic of thought and speech (fragmentation, incoherence, excessive detailing, rambling, slowed or accelerated thinking).
– Shifts in the perception of oneself and the surrounding reality (depersonalization, derealization, cenesthopathy).
– Emotional fluctuations (persistent depression with feelings of hopelessness or episodes of unwarranted high energy and emotional intensity).

These signs, especially when they occur simultaneously or persist over an extended period, may indicate the presence of mental disorders and should prompt consideration of a consultation with a specialist.

Supporting citation(s):
"Disorders of thought: fragmentation – a disruption in the logical connection of speech; incoherence – the patient’s speech is a collection of words lacking logical and grammatical ties; circumstantiality – 'heavy' thinking characterized by excessive details, a fixation on insignificant points, and an inability to highlight the main idea; rambling – 'fruitless philosophizing,' usually accompanied by verbosity that substitutes for concrete reflection and direct answers; slowed thinking – subjectively experienced as difficulty in grasping a situation, along with impoverished and monotonous ideas, marked by a reduced number of associations; accelerated thinking – the opposite of slowed thinking, peaking in a ‘leap of ideas’; mentation – a pathological “flood” of thoughts, where the mind experiences a stream of diverse associations while the pace of speech remains unchanged; schperrung – a sudden stoppage or “lockup” of thought; delusional ideas – false conclusions without a real foundation that resist logical refutation..." (source: link txt)

"Cenesthopathy – a range of distressing, painful sensations in different parts of the body or internal organs; these painful sensations do not manifest as visible somatic-neurological defects, and instrumental examinations do not reveal focal damage; depersonalization – a disturbance of self-awareness, a subjective feeling that one’s mental and physical attributes have changed; derealization – a painful, inadequate perception of the surrounding reality, objects, and phenomena..." (source: link txt)

"Deep and persistent depressions, a pervasive melancholy accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, despondency, especially when combined with suicidal thoughts, as well as states of unwarranted cheerfulness with increased activity, may be signs of mental disorders..." (source: link txt)