Knowing You're Having A Nervous Breakdown

Knowing when you’re having a nervous breakdown doesn’t mean you’re going crazy (even though it feels like it). A nervous breakdown (also called a mental breakdown) is a term that describes a period of extreme mental or emotional stress. Consequently, the stress is so great that the person is unable to perform normal day-to-day activities.

The term “nervous breakdown” isn’t a clinical one. Nor is it a mental health disorder. In the past, it was used to describe many different mental health conditions, but it’s no longer used by professionals today. Even so, this doesn’t mean that a nervous breakdown is a healthy response to stress. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, and it can sometimes indicate an underlying problem such as depression or anxiety.

If you think “I need a mental break,” by all means, take one. You deserve it! Then again, if you’re dealing with anxiety (more people than you think), it can be quite mentally challenging. So, if you need to “check-out” for a little bit, do so. What’s wrong with that? It will help you to rebuild yourself against the war with anxiety (or any mental health issue for that matter).

“Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.”― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

Nervous Breakdown Symptoms

Knowing you’re having a nervous breakdown is the key to getting through it. There are many different signs that indicate a person may be experiencing a one.

Some signs relate to a person’s mental state and how they are feeling, or changes in personality. However, physical symptoms are also common. Signs vary from person to person, and can depend upon the underlying cause.

People who feel they are having a nervous breakdown can:

firstly, have anxiety that they can’t manage
feel isolated — disinterested in the company of family and friends, or withdrawing from usual daily activities
feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions
be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying
consequently, feel depersonalised — not feeling like themselves or feeling detached from situations
be delusional – not be able to distinguish what’s real from what’s imagined
have hallucinations — vivid flashbacks of a stressful or traumatic event can be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder — you should discuss any hallucinations or flashbacks with a doctor or counsellor
feel paranoid — believing someone is watching or stalking you
lastly, have thoughts of self-harm — if you have thoughts of self-harm, get professional help immediately

Physical symptoms can include:

firstly, insomnia — when you have a lot on your mind it can be difficult to sleep, or sleep can be disrupted
exhaustion — difficulty sleeping or anxiety can make you feel exhausted and lacking the energy to face routine tasks
frequent illnesses — exhaustion can leave you susceptible to infections
muscle pain — sore and stiff muscles, particularly in the jaw, neck or back from muscle tension
bowel problems— stomach cramps and irregular bowel movements
racing heart— feeling like your heart is beating faster than normal, tightness across the chest or a lump in your throat, which can make it seem difficult to breathe (a panic attack)
lastly, sweats — hot or cold flushes and clammy hands

Mental Breakdown Causes

Knowing you’re having a nervous breakdown may be caused by several factors. There is no one cause of a nervous breakdown. Basically, anything that leads to excessive stress can trigger it. In general, feeling stress and being unable to cope with it may lead to feeling so overwhelmed that you can’t perform your normal daily functions. Some things that might trigger a nervous breakdown include:

Firstly, a sudden tragedy
A major life change
Constant stress at work (sometimes referred to as “burnout”)
Anxiety
Depression
Poor sleep
Abuse
Lastly, financial problems

As a matter of fact, experiencing some stress is a normal part of life. When the feelings become too overwhelming, they can contribute to a mental breakdown.

Treatment for Nervous Breakdown

Hence, knowing you’re having a nervous breakdown can greatly improve the treatment. Following a nervous breakdown treatment may include medicines and therapy, depending on the situation, the diagnosis, and the person’s wishes.

 Mental Breakdown Therapy

Therapy may include counselling or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of talking therapy that aims to break the habit of negative thinking. Also, simple lifestyle changes can help deal with stress and anxiety. Working on your diet, exercise and sleep habits can help. Subsequently, mental fatigue is a common feature of a mental breakdown. For some, getting rest and de-stressing can be an effective home remedy.

 Medication

Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication to help with the symptoms of a nervous breakdown. Altogether,iIf your stress is causing insomnia, you may be prescribed a sleep aid. Disruptions in sleep can worsen stress and anxiety, which only worsen your insomnia. Therefore, sleep aids can help to break the sleeplessness cycle and reduce your stress.

Mental Breakdown at Work

Mental burnout, coined in the 1970s to describe the psychological effects of relentless work stress, happens so subtly that you can easily confuse the symptoms for other negative forces, like a bad cold or a bad boss. Therefore, you’d think you’d know—or at least feel—the signs of burnout pretty quickly, right? Not always.

Here are seven red flags that you’re under serious mental stress—and how to fix them.

First of all, You’re Overly Cynical- Check yourself to see if you’re going through tough stuff that’s making you more cynical.
You Want to Run Away- Avoidance is another coping mechanism where you try to distance yourself from your job or avoid it because you’re putting in too much effort to begin with in the misguided hope that it will accelerate your success.
You’re Messing Up Normally Easy Tasks
You’re Always Tired
Consequectly, You’re Always Disgruntled
You’re Doubting Yourself
Lastly, you’re Sick All the Time- “Higher levels of burnout,” say one study’s authors, “led to a faster rate of deterioration in physical health,” from the common cold to heart problems.

Conclusion

So, knowing you’re having a nervous breakdown is key to recovering from it. If you feel you might be having an emotional breakdown (nervous breakdown), you’re allowed to take a mental break. Although, sometimes you need a permanent break from your job if the anxiety is that bad. If you find the work environment is toxic anymore, it may be time to seek a different path of employment. Also, you know what would be sweet, if you could find something that you love to do anyways and could make a living off of it. That’s what I’m trying to do with this blog.

Basically, my last job I had, I was frantically anxious. So I made a blundering idiot out of myself as my anxiety kept increasing. At the end of the week, I’d had enough of other employees talking behind my back and not teaching me properly, so I quit. In general, I was afraid to make any mistakes because of the backlash. I also had some physical impairments going on (the Parkinson’s) which made the anxiety even worse.

Well, that’s going to do it for me. All things considered, remember to take those mental breaks if you need it so the situation you’re in doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass (and have a nervous breakdown). I hope you have a good rest of the day and I will join you in the next post. Until next time…

Articles

-Nervous Breakdown: What Does It Mean?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/nervous-breakdown/faq-20057830

-How to Recognize and Treat the Symptoms of a Nervous Breakdown

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/nervous-breakdown

-What Happens When Someone Has a Nervous Breakdown?

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-nervous-breakdown-4172381

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy, One Voice – Unstoppable

“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.”― F. Scott Fitzgerald

Triggers And The Best Treatments For Generalized Anxiety Disorder(Opens in a new browser tab)

Anxiety At Work(Opens in a new browser tab)

Taking A Mental Health Day(Opens in a new browser tab)

Different Types Of Anxiety(Opens in a new browser tab)