Patriot Health Digest
With international travel opening up, and people’s stress levels being challenged by covid for over a year, we asked a group of psychologists and experts for some signs that might mean a person needs a vacation as a mental health prescription, and here are their four top warning signs.
1 — You Awake With A Bad Headache
“Having physical pain means your stress is doing damage to your body,” says Ray Sadoun, a mental health specialist. “If you wake and you have a headache, you might be grinding your teeth while sleeping because of your stress. Some dedicated relaxation will allow much needed healing.”
2 — You Are Going Toward “Explosion” or “Implosion”
“We often see clients that are overwhelmed without knowing it,” explains therapist JF Benoist. “If a person is over-burdened, they can more easily explode. With implosion, they begin isolating themselves and disengage. With explosion, they react more than normal. They might lose their grip and get angry much quicker.”
Ultimately, Benoist says, “When you begin seeing your behavior is not normal, that’s a good hint you need to do something to give yourself a break.”
3 — Feeling Disassociated At Work
“This is among the major signs you need a vacation,” says Amber O’Brien, a dietitian. “Getting angry with your coworkers, annoyed by your boss’s demands, irritated by customers all show you won’t work well unless your mind and body are refreshed.”
4 — Less Bedroom Action
“Many people going towards burnout get surprised by a loss of libido,” says Sadoun. “When you’re very stressed, your body changes into fight-or-flight mode. This causes non-essential processes, like your libido, to be neglected while the stressful problem gets solved. If this describes you, some time to relax and let go of stress might be just the thing to get your libido back and repair your mental health.”
Author: Scott Dowdy
