 Too often, many people let their mental health issues go unheard and untreated, waiting until they're drowning in it before seeking help. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, around 10 million people in America suffer from a mental illness that severely interferes with major life activities. Sadly, more than half of these mental illnesses go untreated. Sometimes you might feel like it's easier to sweep your issues under the rug because you don't have enough time to deal with them. I mean, we are humans and lead lives that can be scattered and consuming at times. But not dealing with your mental health only works to prevent you from living your life. Even though it might seem like the best route is to just ignore it, this is oftentimes a recipe for a world of emotional distress later on. By dealing with your mental health issues sooner than later, you can ensure that you are on the path to recovery. You might be showing signs that your mental health has been left untreated and you don't even realize it. So keep watching to find out some signs that you are not taking care of your mental health. Number one, you feel like taking risks. Have you been feeling extra rebellious lately? You might be feeling more impulsive and spontaneous and find yourself doing things you would never normally do. Many who are stuck in their lives and are dealing with mental health issues will often seek ways to numb their pain or take their minds off of it. This leads them to take these sorts of risks, which will grant them a momentary reprieve. Licensed psychotherapist Jonathan Schnapp states, Sometimes people find themselves contemplating taking risks or doing things impulsively that put whatever stability they've built at risk. They know it's self-destructive, but find themselves throwing caution to the wind, doing something they rationally know will not bring them any lasting joy. This risk-taking can slowly escalate until it reaches a point where your actions affect your career and relationships and your mental health will worsen. Number two, you're spending more time on social media. The online world has become a prominent part of today's society. It seems like everything revolves around Instagram and TikTok and other social media platforms. These apps have become a kind of escape for people, a place where we can pay attention to the lives of others rather than our own. According to Carolyn Robestow, a licensed professional counselor, an increase in numbing activities, anything from scrolling through Instagram to increased exercise can indicate an increase in stress. We tend to disguise these as healthy or self-care, but ignore the fact that we're using them to ignore uncomfortable feelings. In reality, you're just avoiding your true feelings with notions of self-care. And this can be harmful because instead of facing your situation and dealing with your problems, you're running away from it and seeking the comfort of other people through a screen. Number three, you're losing your passions. Have you found that you don't really get excited to do the things you love anymore? You might love reading, painting, or gardening, but now those tasks that used to bring you so much joy do not. Of course, everyone has bad days and it's normal to feel down and unmotivated sometimes. Despite this, if you find that you feel unmotivated and lost regularly, this might be a sign of a decline in your mental health. You might feel out of touch with the things that used to calm you down, and this can potentially put you into a cycle that can be hard to get out of. Since you've lost interest in the things you love, you might also put your relationships in career at risk because you're not putting as much effort into it. The fact that you're apathetic to what you love might be a sign that you're losing touch with yourself and that your mental health issues are surfacing. Four, your sleep schedule has become out of balance. Have you felt like your sleep has become choppy and unpredictable? Maybe you have trouble falling asleep or you can't stay asleep all night. Dr. Jillian Louise Adams, a medical physician with a focus on mental health, says that frequent oversleeping could be a sign as well, demonstrating that your body is fatigued to the point of burnout. Your mind might be constantly turning, thinking of the next thing you have to do or other worries, making it hard for your mind to rest and relax. Along with this, a lack of sleep can have negative effects on your waking life too, leading to mood swings and lethargy, which can cause strains in other parts of your life. Although everyone has times when sleep just doesn't come easily, if it happens routinely for you, this is a sign that you might be struggling and that your mental health issues are going unnoticed. And five, you're experiencing unpredictable mood swings regularly. If you feel like your emotions are all over the place recently, like one minute you're feeling anger, then happiness and sadness, this is a sign that you're not taking care of your mental health. It's normal to have days when you feel off balance with your emotions, though it can be signifying when it's a daily occurrence. You might feel scattered, like you don't know how to feel or react to certain things. Depression and anxiety can make it tough to regulate and control your thoughts and feelings, which is why you might be feeling a lot more and all at once. Your mental health issues might be slowly taking over your life and you're projecting that change through your unpredictable mood swings. If you are noticing these signs in yourself or appear, it is likely that there might be mental issues that have been untreated. Make sure you reach out and get some help so you can properly take care of yourself and your mental health to live your best life.