8 Warning Signs of a Nervous Breakdown
Is A Nervous Breakdown On The Horizon?
We all go through some rough patches in life and can sometimes experience a nervous breakdown. These episodes are often triggered by severe stress and can cause both physical AND psychological symptoms.
Your doctor might recommend a variety of treatment options, which could include medications, talk therapy, and even some lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, though, few of us actually recognize it to deal with it effectively.
And If these symptoms are left unidentified, the chances of a nervous breakdown taking the form of a mental health issue grows.
So, in order to take care of your physical health, it’s important to be mindful of these 8 signs and deal with an oncoming nervous breakdown in a healthy way. Continue reading to see if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms.
What IS A Nervous Breakdown?
The term isn’t a clinical one. And it isn’t a mental health disorder, either. But that doesn’t imply that a nervous breakdown is a healthy way to relieve stress. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Sometimes, it can indicate an underlying issue like anxiety or depression.
There isn’t just one particular cause of a nervous breakdown. Anything leading to excessive pressure put on you can trigger it.
Generally speaking, feeling stressed out and not being able to cope with it might lead to you feeling so overwhelmed that you can’t perform your daily duties. Some factors that could trigger a nervous breakdown are:
- A sudden tragedy
- Anxiety
- A major life change
- Financial problems
- Lack Of Sleep
- Burnout
- Depression
- Abuse
While they can be scary and debilitating, there are ways to cope with them. Identifying the signs, taking action, and getting the right treatment can help.
Irritability And Restlessness
When you’re nearing a nervous breakdown, you’ll start noticing that everyone and everything gets on your nerves pretty fast. On top of that, you’re in a constant state of mental or physical restlessness, like something awful is about to happen.
Sadly, if you continue to ignore the signs, something awful WILL eventually happen. And we’re not talking about the worry-filled scenarios that go through our minds, but the nervous breakdown that happens if we continue to run on an empty tank.
A Constant State Of Physical Exhaustion
Fatigue is probably the most common factor in a looming breakdown. When your brain rejects the seriousness of a stressful circumstance, your body will try to send you messages.
This could be through pains, aches, exhaustion, or restlessness, and they’re all impossible to ignore. If you’ve been feeling physically tired for the past couple of weeks, maybe it’s time to go see your doctor.
You’re either dealing with an illness, or you’re under too much pressure and in critical need of some stress relievers.
Social Isolation
When you’re under severe stress, your first instinct would probably be to self-isolate with the justification of “figuring it all out on your own.”
But what you’re really doing is cutting yourself off from the people who might be able to assist you in working through whatever is causing your anxiety and stress.
Even though you may feel like you don’t have the time and energy to fraternize with others, bear in mind that connecting with people enables you to manage complex emotions and refills your inner resources.
Mood Swings
When you’re going through a lot of stress and your mental fuel is running on low, one of the first things to “crack” is your ability to control your emotions. Even the tiniest discomfort will be enough to make you moody and irritated.
In other words, you magnify the gravity of a situation and find it almost unthinkable to keep undesirable emotions like anger or frustration under control.
So that’s how you end up yelling because the driver in front of you is moving at a snail’s pace or making a scene because the bartender forgot to put whipped cream on your hot chocolate.
Lack of Motivation
The lack of incentive you feel when you’re on the verge of a breakdown goes hand in hand with the lack of inner resources you possess. Sometimes, motivation demands more than just one’s sheer willpower.
The absence of inspiration you experience when you feel like you’re on the brink of a nervous breakdown goes hand in hand with the deficiency of inner resources.
When you deal with a crisis that drains you physically and mentally, even the smallest effort feels like a burdensome task. You scarcely have enough energy to “survive” the situation that’s causing you to stress out, let alone focus on any other responsibilities.
Muscle Pains
Similar to physical exhaustion, muscle pains are a clear indicator that you’re going through a brutal situation that demands your full attention.
Whether these aches and pains are caused by a lack of self-care, excessive work, a chaotic lifestyle, or an emotional shock, it’s crucial to take some time off and concentrate on reloading your inner resources.
Panic Attacks
Unless you’re going through a panic disorder, PTSD, or other anxiety-related disorders, panic attacks are your system’s way of saying, “I give up! This is too much!”
It’s what happens when you ignore the other signs like headaches or physical exhaustion, and you push on despite having the physical or mental resources to keep pushing through.
So the panic attacks you might be experiencing when going through a tough time are like a forced shutdown to prevent you from reaching complete burnout.
When you’re on the verge of having a nervous breakdown, you’ll start noticing that unpleasant emotions become increasingly challenging to manage.
All those doubts, fears, and worries that were hiding somewhere in the back of your mind begin to surface, changing your perspective and clouding your judgment.
Maybe you don’t detect them throughout the day because you’re too occupied concentrating on the situation that’s causing you distress.
But when it’s time to go to bed and your mind isn’t distracted by anything anymore, you may feel overwhelmed by all those disastrous scenarios, irrational thoughts, and an inner voice that cuts out the little hope you have for a more promising future.
Available Treatments
If you think that you or someone you care about might be about to have a nervous breakdown, you should make an appointment with a doctor. Seeing a professional is especially important if you’ve been having thoughts of hurting yourself or other people around you.
A specialist will conduct a complete physical exam and speak with you about any medications you’re currently taking to make sure that other factors aren’t contributing to your symptoms.
They might even refer you to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist if they feel it’s necessary for further evaluation and treatments. Those treatments could include:
- Talk Therapy
Your doctor might recommend talk therapy to aid you in your process. The most common type of psychotherapy commonly used is cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT has been proven effective at treating depression, anxiety, and a few other serious mental health disorders. It’s used to identify difficult thought patterns and to learn coping mechanisms to better navigate difficult situations. - Medications
Besides talk therapy, your doctor might suggest prescription medication to treat your symptoms. This can include anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication. - Lifestyle Modifications
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed and you think you might be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, take these strategies into consideration to manage your symptoms:
- Stay away from caffeine and alcohol. They worsen mental health symptoms and interfere with your sleep schedule.
- Regular exercise has been known to improve symptoms of many mental health conditions.
- Do Some breathing exercises.
- Develop a bedtime routine that will help you sleep better. For instance, read a book, take a warm bath, or switch off electronic devices an hour before bedtime.
- Try massage therapy.
- Acupuncture has also been known to help.
- Try out yoga.
- Eat a well-balanced diet with lots of fresh veggies and fruit, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article.
- By Scott
- November 23, 2022
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