Nervous Breakdown Signs, Treatment, & Support
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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. In some cases, a person experiencing a nervous breakdown may also experience a break from reality, potentially involving detachment, delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia.
Defining nervous breakdowns
While the term “nervous breakdown” isn’t a clinical diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (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 anxiety, depression, and stress. 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 incited by constant, overwhelming, long-term mental and physical symptoms of stress.
A nervous breakdown may be viewed as a mental health condition that seems to begin suddenly, without any signs and symptoms. The challenges that contribute to a nervous breakdown could be ongoing for years. This type of mental health crisis often comes with extreme feelings of distress and a sense of being overwhelmed by normal daily functions and important relationships.
Common signs and symptoms of a nervous breakdown
Understanding the signs of a nervous breakdown can help you stay safe. Because a nervous breakdown may be related to many different mental conditions, there can be a long list of potential symptoms associated with it, including but not limited to the following:
- Anxiety and depression
- A sense 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
People who have a nervous breakdown may experience a break from reality. They may have psychotic symptoms, which generally means that their day to day perceptions, thought processes, and reactions are out of touch with what is real. Having these emerging symptoms of mental distress may mean that you are living with a severe mental illness.
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:
A sense of detachment
Hallucinations
Delusions
Paranoia
Because a nervous breakdown is normally an acute mental illness that can benefit from prompt attention, the clinical professionals who provide treatment for you might take steps to care for 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 difficulty coping
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 may be a signal to reach out for help soon.
Getting immediate medical advice from a mental health professional can be essential if you think you’re having a nervous breakdown. Whether you are recommended 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, including the following forms.
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, 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, your doctor may 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 process may continue if you are in inpatient care and possibly if you are in outpatient care as well. By maintaining regular appointments with a health professional, you can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health conditions.
Medication
The types of medication your psychiatrist might prescribe can 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. For example, health professionals may recommend mood-stabilizing medication for individuals with bipolar disorder.
You might also be prescribed anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, or sleep medications. In addition, healthcare professionals treating these mental health conditions 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 your doctor.
The BetterHelp platform is not intended to provide any information regarding which medication or medical treatment may be appropriate for you. The content provides generalized information that is not specific to one individual. Do not take any action (including starting, stopping, or changing medications) without consulting a qualified medical professional.
If you have experienced a nervous breakdown, you may 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 like BetterHelp.
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. Online, mental health professionals can help you manage mental health symptoms in your daily life. Talk therapy and cogntive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are a couple of effective methods of care, with research showing that online CBT can address depression treatment gaps.
- 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
- Understand each medical term, sign, and symptom associated with your condition
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 to 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, so it may have different meanings for 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 burned 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 through a thorough mental or medical professional evaluation. Signs of a mental health crisis often have an underlying cause, such as anxiety or mood disorders like depression. Many mental health conditions can potentially lead to a crisis, and methods of treating the causative factors can vary widely. Whether medicine, psychotherapy, or another form of treatment is warranted will depend on the results of a professional evaluation.
If you believe your health or well-being is at immediate risk, go to the hospital. 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.
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.
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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