1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness.¹

Mental health is an essential component of health and includes our total well-being. According to MentalHealth.gov², mental health: affects how we think, feel and act; helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices; and is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Learn how to take care of your mental health, early warning signs of behavioral health challenges, ways to cope with stress and how to get help.

Early Warning Signs of Behavioral Health Challenges

Life experiences and biological factors can affect our behavioral health. Changes in feelings or behaviors could be an early detection of a problem.

Early warning signs of behavioral health challenges can include:

• Inconsistent sleeping or eating patterns
• Avoiding people and everyday activities
• Little to no energy
• Having confrontations with loved ones
• Experiencing confusion, forgetfulness, anxiety, anger and/or severe mood swings
• Thoughts of harming yourself or others

Ways to Cope with Stress

Follow these mental health tips from the CDC for ways to cope with stress³:

• Take care of your body, ensuring you are eating healthy, balanced meals, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, and avoiding excessive alcohol and drug use.
• Continue with routine preventive care, such as vaccines and screenings.
• Talk to people you trust about how you are feeling and your concerns.

Getting Help for Mental Health

Taking care of our mental health is an important part of our overall health. Getting help for mental health can be easy. Through mental healthcare services provided by Teladoc™ Health, covered members and dependents 18 and older can conveniently access confidential counseling, seven days a week.⁴

Members can make an appointment with a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or therapist and establish an ongoing relationship to get care for stress, anxiety, addiction, depression and more.

For more information about Teladoc’s mental healthcare services, click here.

This article is part of our Healthy Foundations^® Wellness Newsletter.

Teladoc services are included with employer-sponsored self-funded health benefit plan designs administered by Star Marketing and Administration, Inc. Teladoc services may vary by plan, and a consult fee may apply. Teladoc Health, Inc. is not an affiliate of Star Marketing and Administration, Inc.

Sources: ¹National Alliance on Mental Illness: Mental Health by the Numbers - You Are Not Alone. March 2021.  ²MentalHealth.gov. What is Mental Health?. May 2020. ³Centers for Disease Control. Coping with Stress. Pandemics Can Be Stressful. Jan. 2021. ⁴A consult fee may apply.