It’s a strange feeling when someone asks “what’s wrong?” and our honest response is “I just don’t feel right.” Sometimes we can easily articulate our emotional state — sad, mad, stressed or ticked off. Other times, we just feel weird.

In the same way physical symptoms like fatigue or joint pain let us know something’s wrong (even if we don’t know exactly what it is), there are signs that let us know when something is “off” with our emotional health. Maybe we just feel different or have emotional reactions that seem amplified or out of character for us. Maybe it’s changes in our sleep patterns or our eating routine. Maybe it’s just an overall feeling of “blah” that we can’t quite define.

Sometimes these weird feelings pass quickly or are related to specific situations we are going through. Other times, that odd feeling just hangs around. When that happens, it’s smart to be proactive and talk to someone about how we’re feeling. If it’s a condition like depression or an anxiety disorder, getting help sooner will make us feel better faster.

Check out some tips for improving (and protecting) your emotional health by clicking on “Feel Better.”