Nervous Breakdown Signs, Treatment, And Support
The term “nervous breakdown” is commonly used to refer to a large-scale mental event, although it’s not generally considered to be a clinical diagnosis. Nervous breakdowns often happen in response to long-term stress or a specific traumatic event. They may involve symptoms related to depression or anxiety, as well as physical symptoms like headaches, gastrointestinal issues, dizziness, and fatigue. Sometimes, a person experiencing a nervous breakdown may also experience a break from reality, potentially involving feelings of detachment, delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia.
What is a nervous breakdown?
While the term “nervous breakdown” isn’t a clinical diagnosis in the DSM-5, it can be a common term used to describe the intensity of a large-scale emotional and mental event, often involving overwhelming and even debilitating feelings of stress and anxiety.
A nervous breakdown is usually a reaction to a stressful or traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job, but it can also be triggered by constant, overwhelming long-term stress.
A nervous breakdown may be viewed as a mental health condition that seems to begin suddenly, although the challenges that contribute to it could be ongoing for years. It can be a mental health crisis that usually comes with extreme feelings of distress and a sense of being overwhelmed by normal daily functions and important relationships.
Common symptoms to look for
Because a nervous breakdown may be related to many different mental conditions, there can be a long list of potential symptoms associated with it:
- Depressed mood
- Anxiety
- Feelings of overwhelm
- Trouble carrying on with daily activities
- Missed appointments and work
- Trouble concentrating, making decisions, and completing routine tasks
- Isolation from others
- Financial problems
- Extreme mood swings
- Poor personal hygiene
- Sleep problems
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Fatigue or lethargy
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Unexplained pain
- A tendency to get sick frequently
- Racing thoughts
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Rapid heart rate
- Dizziness
- Excessive crying
Psychological break from reality
Sometimes, people who have a nervous breakdown may experience a break from reality. They may have psychotic symptoms, which generally means that their perceptions, thought processes, and reactions are out of touch with what is real. Having these symptoms may mean that you are living with a severe mental illness that is suddenly emerging through urgent symptoms.
However, many people have these mental breakdown symptoms only for a brief time, and the psychosis often fades after the breakdown is over. There are some relatively common signs that can indicate when someone has lost touch with reality, potentially including but not limited to the following:
Feelings of detachment
If you have feelings of detachment, you might imagine that you aren’t really yourself or aren’t involved with what’s going on around you. The connections you usually have with other people can seem distant during a breakdown.
Hallucinations
Hallucinating usually means seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. Sometimes, people having a breakdown may experience sights and sounds that are common in the real world but are out of place or different in some way. Other times, people may see or hear things that are bizarre to them.
Delusions
Delusions are typically defined as false beliefs that you hold firmly despite evidence to the contrary. People with mental illnesses can have any of a variety of types of delusions, potentially including the belief that someone famous is in love with them, having an overinflated self-image, and believing that they have superhuman powers, knowledge, or talents.
Paranoia
Paranoia is usually a type of delusion in which you have false beliefs that someone is trying to hurt you in some way. You might think your romantic partner is cheating on you, for instance, or you might believe the people at your job are plotting against you in evil ways.
What causes nervous breakdowns?
Because a nervous breakdown is normally an acute mental illness that needs prompt attention, the clinical professionals who provide treatment for you might need to take care of your immediate needs for safety right away. The two leading causes of a nervous breakdown are typically related to coping with extreme stress and having an underlying mental disorder.
Stress and inability to cope
Too much stress can profoundly affect your body and mind. Sometimes, breakdowns can happen after years of living in an extremely stressful situation. Other times, you might be facing an overwhelming crisis that occurs suddenly. In either case, your body’s normal stress reaction may give way to a more intense reaction that could result in a breakdown of clear thinking, emotional control, and, at times, a physical health problem and medical diagnosis.
Nervous breakdowns and anxiety disorders
Often, breakdowns are related to anxiety disorders. If this is the case, you might have noticed anxious feelings and physical anxiety symptoms for some time before the breakdown happens. Even though you might not have previously considered treatment, the breakdown likely signals that you shouldn’t delay psychological treatment anymore.
Sometimes, the major stressor might be a traumatic event, and the underlying disorder might be post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Acute PTSD symptoms can happen after major life events, such as experiencing a sudden tragedy, being in military combat, being assaulted, or living through a natural disaster.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is usually caused by ongoing interpersonal abuse, such as domestic violence* and captivity during war. Another anxiety disorder that might be at the root of a breakdown is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). If you have GAD, it might be hard for you to immediately find the source of your anxiety because the symptoms can often seem to come out of nowhere.
*If you or a loved one is witnessing or experiencing any form of abuse, please know that help is available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline anytime at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Treatment options for this and other mental health conditions
Getting immediate help can be essential if you think you’re having a nervous breakdown. Whether you need intense treatment or weekly one-on-one therapy, it can be vital to seek professional help from a qualified healthcare provider and get started with treatment as soon as possible. There may be several different types of treatment available.
Inpatient treatment
If you’re having psychotic symptoms, or if your mental illness symptoms involve self-harm, endanger your life*, or endanger the lives of others, it is usually recommended to go to an ER or inpatient mental care unit immediately. In an inpatient psychiatric hospital, a licensed healthcare provider is typically always there, day and night, to ensure you’re safe.
After diagnosis, you may need to consider medications, at least for a while. You may also participate in counseling, group therapy, support groups, or stress management classes during the day. This may continue if you are in inpatient care and possibly if you are in outpatient care as well.
Medication
The types of medication your psychiatrist might prescribe usually depend on the breakdown symptoms you’re having. If your doctor diagnoses you with an underlying mental illness, they might prescribe you medications designed to help with that disorder.
Sometimes, you might need to take anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, or sleep medications. In addition, healthcare professionals treating these mental health issues often use deep breathing and other breathing exercises, mindfulness and meditation practices, and other holistic treatment options with their patients. Never start or stop any form of medication unless under the guidance of a licensed medical professional.
Individual therapy for a mental health crisis
You can start by talking to a therapist, who can refer you elsewhere if you need more intensive mental health interventions. Therapy can take place in a clinic or therapist’s office, or you can receive professional treatment virtually via an online platform.
As a strong body of research has demonstrated, there is generally no difference between the efficacy of traditional in-office therapy and online therapy. Whether you choose to see a therapist in person or via video call, you can rest assured you’ll receive quality treatment.
Therapy for the traumatic stress associated with mental health crises can involve many different approaches and techniques, usually including talk therapy. Some of the main goals of therapy may be to:
- Express feelings
- Understand yourself better
- Learn to deal with stress more effectively
- Change thought patterns that increase stress
- Choose new behaviors that are conducive to better mental health
- Make practical plans for getting back to your usual life
Group therapy
Many people who have breakdowns go to group therapy or support groups, sometimes in the hospital and sometimes in an outpatient setting. Group therapy might give you opportunities to:
- Practice communication skills
- Express your feelings
- Talk about and get insight into the breakdown and what preceded it
- Learn to cope with criticism from others
Stress management classes
Because breakdowns are often related to stress, stress management classes can be beneficial for many people. They can prepare you to get back to your everyday life with the tools to effectively cope with any stress that may emerge later. These classes can help you learn how to reduce demands on your time, find resources for managing stressors, and develop coping skills that can reduce overwhelming stress to manageable levels.
Takeaway
One of the most effective ways to self-soothe quickly is through relaxation strategies. One of the best-known, and one of the most strongly supported by evidence, is diaphragmatic breathing. Also called “belly breathing,” diaphragmatic breathing uses slow, deep breathing to signal the body that a threat is not present, significantly reducing physical and mental agitation. To use the technique, inhale deeply for four to six seconds. Focus on the sensation of your diaphragm moving and your lungs filling with air. When your lungs are full, hold your breath for a moment before exhaling slowly, taking another four to six seconds. Repeat until calm.
What is an example of a mental health crisis?
The term “mental breakdown” is not defined clinically, which means that it may mean different things to different people. Often, the signs vary drastically between individuals, but there are some common themes. One of the more common representations of a mental health crisis might be burnout. Burnout typically occurs following a period of long-term emotional stress combined with poor coping skills that do not allow a person to manage the stress appropriately.
Burnout often presents as a slow decline. For example, a person who is burnt out may begin working more slowly, be absent more often, experience financial difficulties, or become withdrawn or irritable around others. In contrast, burnout may also result in a “snap”; a person may be able to continue meeting life’s demands until a critical breaking point. At that breaking point, a person may experience emotional outbursts, severe difficulty concentrating, a lack of motivation, or disregard for work-related topics they previously engaged in fully.
“Nervous breakdown” is not a medical term, and determining which treatment is most appropriate can only be accomplished following a thorough evaluation by a mental health or medical professional. Signs of a mental health crisis like this often have an underlying cause, such as anxiety or mood disorders like depression. Many mental health conditions can potentially lead to a crisis, and the treatment for the factors that ultimately cause it can vary widely. Whether medicine, psychotherapy, or another form of treatment is warranted will depend on the results of a professional evaluation.
You should always go to the hospital if you believe your health or well-being is at immediate risk. While this term has no standard definition, it is sometimes used to refer to signs that may be scary or extremely unpleasant, such as those experienced during a panic attack. Some of the symptoms of a panic attack can feel similar to a heart attack, including symptoms such as chest pain, a racing heartbeat, and an intense sense of discomfort. While panic attacks are not typically fatal, it is not worthwhile to differentiate between a panic attack and a heart attack before seeking medical attention. Medical professionals will always support your decision to seek medical care if you believe a risk to your health is imminent.
Are panic attacks a mental disorder?
Panic attacks are a symptom of a diagnosable mental health condition, panic disorder. Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, overwhelming episodes of anxiety and fear. Many people experience intense worry about when their next attack will happen and may avoid places where attacks have happened in the past. It can sometimes feel as though body function is not normal during a panic attack due to physical signs like a racing heartbeat, shaking, weakness, difficulty breathing, and nausea. Despite this, panic disorder is a mental health concern and is commonly treated through psychotherapy.
What causes panic attacks?
Recurring panic attacks are commonly a symptom of an anxiety disorder called panic disorder. Panic disorder has a genetic component, meaning it often runs in families, but researchers are still uncertain why some family members develop the condition, and others do not. Emerging evidence suggests that certain biological and psychological processes linked to survival instincts are overactive in people with panic disorder, which may cause a cyclical process wherein the experience of a panic attack reinforces the possibility that another will occur in the future. For more information on anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and mental health conditions, visit the website of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
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