10 Tips to Help You Realize If Your Loved Ones Are Having a Difficult Time

If your friend or significant other is struggling through a tough time, it’s only natural that you get an urge to help, but sometimes we just don’t know where to start. There are certain signs that indicate your friend or loved one is not just dealing with the everyday challenges of life but is struggling with bigger, more serious issues.

Here at Bright Side, we’ve identified 10 signs that indicate your partner or friend is asking for help without actually saying anything. We’d love for you to read on to find out more about these signals.

They have emotional outbursts.

We all have times when we need to let our emotions out. But the difference between healthy and unhealthy expression is how precisely that emotion matches a certain situation. If your friend or partner begins to react to small happenings with immense anger, sadness, or joy that doesn’t match the situation, it can be a signal that they need help. The way people express their emotions differs, but you should watch out for major and/or quick changes in their emotions.

They either sleep too much or barely sleep at all.

Constant yawning, heavy eyelids, and a strong desire to doze off throughout the day are signs of excessive sleepiness. This state happens when your beloved or friend either burns the midnight oil and finds it hard to fall asleep or, vice versa, sleeps too much, especially during the daytime. Excessive sleeping during the day may be a sign of depression or an anxiety disorder, psychologists claim.

They display impulsive or risk-taking behavior.

They may want to try some extreme activities, like bungee jumping, or they may go about life with a lack of proper care and attention while dealing with fire, gas, or electricity. Such risky behavior and minimal coping skills may signal that your loved one is emotionally struggling. If the times of “extreme highs” and energy come following a state of total apathy, this mental carousel may lead your friend or partner to emotional burnout. It may be a sign that you need to step in.

There’s a rapid change in their appearance.

One of the easiest changes that can be noticed is your partner’s weight. Both major weight gain and weight loss can be signs of an emotional disorder. Changes in their appearance aren’t always necessarily weight-related though. Pay attention if your beloved doesn’t care about their hygiene or how they look, as they did before.

They feel restless and agitated.

Too much enthusiasm is a sign of emotional tension and restlessness. When it occurs, your friend or partner might get irritated easily or feel like they need to constantly move around. It’s a natural emotion. But it may also occur when they’re under a lot of stress. So, if instead of relaxing and enjoying their spare time they start finding more and more activities and hobbies for themselves, this may be a sign that, at this moment, they’re not mentally stable.

They find it difficult to socialize.

We all need our alone time occasionally, but if your loved one wants to be alone permanently, this may be a sign that they’re struggling a lot with their emotional issues and mental wellbeing. If your significant other or a friend starts shifting and canceling their plans, shows anti-social behavior, and even closes themselves off from other people, these are often signs that they’re struggling.

They experience “brain fog” and look absent-minded.

With brain fog, a person may feel less focused than usual. They may feel numbness in their thoughts and emotions, and you can see that everyday activities demand more effort from your loved one. They may find it harder to put their thoughts together, and it can become difficult for them to make plans. It’s normal to feel like this occasionally while being stressed, but if it happens to your friend too often, this may be an SOS signal.

They criticize too much.

If a person is critical toward themselves, it’s healthy. It helps us overcome obstacles and polish our achievements. But if your significant other is way too critical toward themselves, or if they start blaming themselves for the tiniest failures, this may be a sign that they’re depressed.

They become irritated by the smallest criticisms.

Being criticized too much can annoy anyone, but if your beloved one or friend starts overreacting, even to the smallest remarks that may be constructive, this could be a sign that something is wrong. If they used to communicate and adequately react to their tiny failures and now everyday issues are like salt to a wound, it may be a good idea to pay closer attention to their overall state. They may be struggling with depression, and overreacting to criticism can be the signal.

They start overthinking.

They may start speaking about all the things they could have done wrong. They start second-guessing every decision they ever make and even have all the worst-case scenarios of life in mind. This overthinking may be a sign that they’re approaching a state of depression, or it may signal that your friend is ill at ease because they’re stressed too often.

What’s a thing that your loved one does that instantly tells you that they’re not okay?