How Do You Know If You’re Having a Nervous Breakdown?
When you are in the middle of a mental health crisis, it can be difficult to understand exactly what’s happening. So how can you know that you’re having a nervous breakdown?
To learn more about Nervous Breakdown Treatment options at New Mind Wellness, call us today or verify your insurance online. We’re excited to help you start your personal recovery journey.
What Is a Nervous Breakdown?
To learn how to know if you’re having a nervous breakdown, it’s first important to understand what this term means.
Nervous breakdown is an informal, non-medical term for a mental health crisis, usually one involving stress, anxiety, and/or panic.
It is an outdated descriptor that isn’t used in professional settings, but we are using it here because it remains an unfortunately common way of referring to panic attacks and certain other types of extreme psychological distress.
Though the specifics of the experience can vary from one person to the next, the general characteristic of a nervous breakdown is that it involves overwhelming symptoms that prevent a person from functioning in one or more important areas of life.
Causes
There’s no single cause that is responsible for all nervous breakdowns. Even when discussing one specific person’s nervous breakdown, it’s likely that many influences contributed to their crisis.
The two most common risk factors for nervous breakdowns are:
- Having an anxiety disorder or certain other mental health concerns
- Being exposed to intense stress or trauma
The likelihood that a person will have a nervous breakdown may be increased by factors such as:
- Insufficient stress-management skills
- Lack of effective interpersonal support
- Prior nervous breakdowns
- History of abuse, neglect, or other types of trauma
Examples of the types of stressors that can precede a nervous breakdown include:
- Financial problems
- Fear of being fired or demoted
- Job loss and long-term unemployment
- Being bullied or otherwise harassed
- Serious health concerns
- The death of a loved one
- The end of a relationship
It’s important to note that nervous breakdowns are not personality flaws, nor are they signs of inherent weakness. They are simply evidence that a person is dealing with mental health concerns that have not yet been properly addressed.
Effects
The impact of a nervous breakdown can vary depending on how a person responds. With effective professional care, the risk of future crises and continued harm can be minimized. But if someone doesn’t seek help, the potential negative effects can include:
- Elevated risk of future nervous breakdowns
- Declining mental health
- Physical health problems due to poor self-care
- Substance abuse and addiction
- Substandard performance at work or in school
- Failing to pay bills and meet other responsibilities
- Social withdrawal and isolation
- Inability to maintain an independent lifestyle
How to Know if You’re Having a Nervous Breakdown
Nervous breakdown isn’t an “official” clinical term, which means that there are no universally agreed-upon criteria for the experience. Perhaps the closest entry in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is the one that describes panic attacks.
Symptoms
To know if you’re having a nervous breakdown, be aware of signs such as:
- Sudden onset of overwhelming fear
- Outbursts of anger and/or sadness
- Inability to focus or concentrate
- Lack of attention to your appearance and/or personal hygiene
- Loss of appetite
- No motivation, which can make it difficult to even get out of bed
- Persistent fatigue or exhaustion
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Anhedonia (inability to experience happiness)
- Pervasive sense of hopelessness and helplessness
- Sense that you are being smothered or choked
- Chest pain and/or racing heart rate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Misplaced guilt or shame
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Nervous breakdowns may also involve dissociative episodes, which can include:
- Depersonalization, or the feeling that you have become detached from your thoughts, emotions, and/or body
- Derealization, which is the sense that you have become separated from your surroundings, as though you are viewing your environment through a pane of glass
How to Respond to a Nervous Breakdown
It can be difficult to pull yourself out of a nervous breakdown on your own, but there are a few steps you can take to minimize the severity and duration of the experience:
- Remind yourself that what you are going through is temporary. No matter how bad you may feel in the moment, your physical and psychological symptoms are not permanent, and will eventually subside.
- Take deep, slow breaths. Focus on what you feel as the air enters and exits your body, such as the sensations in your nose or mouth, the rising and falling of your chest and abdomen. As you inhale, silently count to four or five. As you exhale, silently count to six or seven. Repeat this as necessary
- Use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. Identify five specific things you can see, four sensations that you can feel, three things you can hear, two smells, and one taste. As with deep breathing, this technique can help you focus on the present moment, return your attention to your body, re-engage your senses, and alleviate anxiety.
- If you are by yourself, call or text a close friend or trusted family member. Let them know where you are and what you’re experiencing. Describe your feelings and surroundings to them, which can have a similar effect as the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. Ask them to keep talking to you. Keep the connection open until your distress begins to subside.
Once the immediate crisis has passed, the following steps can help you avoid future attacks or breakdowns:
- Practice various self-soothing skills, coping strategies, or grounding techniques. Find ones that you feel comfortable with, so that if you have another nervous breakdown you will be better prepared to respond in the moment.
- Let a loved one know what happened and how they can help if it happens again. You may even want to establish a “code word” that you can text them to alert them to what you’re experiencing and ensure they respond quickly.
- Talk to a professional. Whether your nervous breakdowns or panic attacks are due to stress, a mental health concern, or a medical condition, speaking with a therapist or counselor can make a world of difference. In addition to help you identify and address the root causes of you psychological pain, they can also assist you in developing healthier coping strategies.
Find Mental Health Help in Philadelphia
If you have experienced a nervous breakdown or any other type of mental health crisis, please know that help is available and treatment works. When you get the care you need, you can begin to live a healthier and more hopeful life.
New Mind Wellness Center is a trusted source of customized outpatient programming for adults whose lives have been disrupted by anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and other mental health concerns. Our mental health treatment center in Philadelphia, PA, is a safe and supportive place where you can receive life-affirming care from a team of highly skilled treatment professionals.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Begin Healing at Our Mental Health Outpatient Treatment in Philadelphia
If you are ready to take the first step towards a healthier mind, contact us today. You will be connected with someone who can help guide you through our simple and straightforward admissions process. Learn more about our mental health programs in Philadelphia and begin your journey towards lasting wellness.
