Moms know that if they catch a cold or feel exhausted, kids still have to be cared for, so unless you end up in hospital, you probably just carry on as best you can when you feel unwell. Not being able to rest does mean it takes longer to recover from illnesses, and some moms live in a state of what feels like perpetual exhaustion, but generally, you muddle through somehow.
There are times when soldiering on isn’t such a good idea, and you could be risking your health and future wellbeing. It’s important to recognize if you have symptoms that need further investigation, and get to your doctor for a check-up before you get any worse; but how do you know what to look out for?
Mental health
Although the stigma around mental health issues is diminishing, people are still reluctant to admit, or in some cases even consider, that they have a mental health problem. Unfortunately, ignoring the warning signs of stress and depression can make the condition much worse, and mean they take far longer to recover from. If you feel low, your outlook is negative, you feel irritable, and get wound up very quickly, these are all signs that you’re under mental stress.
Any changes in your behavior, whether noticed by you or someone close to you, could be indications that all is not well. If you are increasingly dependant on alcohol or prescription meds to get you through the day or to relax at night, not only is that a sign you need to address your stress levels, but you could be putting your health at even further risk by adopting an unhealthy lifestyle. There are many sources of support available if you find yourself in this situation, including your doctor, support groups, and residential rehab facilities such as Inspire Malibu.
Physical health
The last thing you want to do is to become so worried about every minor twinge you get that you start obsessing about all the diseases you imagine you might have. The vast quantity of health information available online fuels these kinds of feelings, because it’s tempting to try and self-diagnose and think you’ve got some serious illness.
There are, however, a few symptoms that you should always get checked out by a doctor. They may not be life-threatening, but there’s a possibility the cause could be something serious like cancer, so don’t ignore these symptoms:
- Shortness of breath, i.e., wheezing after climbing a flight of stairs
- Chest pains
- A persistent cough
- Blood in your stool
- Pain when passing urine
- Changes to existing moles, or new skin discolorations
- Lumps or swellings
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Losing consciousness when you’re not trying to sleep
These are all examples of symptoms that could have perfectly benign causes, but as there’s a chance it could be a more severe condition, it makes sense to get yourself checked out in good time.
Your health is so important and valuable; you shouldn’t be taking any chances with it, so don’t ignore the early warning signs that could be signaling all is not well.