Bills. Deadlines. Caregiving. All these and more can create a sense of being stressed and overwhelmed. And in some cases, these feelings can continue to worsen to a point where you can no longer cope. That point is often described as a nervous (or mental) breakdown. Although ‘nervous breakdown’ is a general, lay term for describing this experience, it captures the helplessness and hopelessness you may feel.
Here’s more about what could trigger this experience, how to prevent it (or reduce your risk) and what you can do to get better.
Highlights
- A mental or nervous breakdown is not a single diagnosis. A number of mental health conditions and symptoms can be described that way.
- Mental breakdown symptoms can be emotional, physical, intellectual, and behavioral.
- Treating a mental breakdown may require coping skills, psychotherapy, medication, and even hospitalization depending on how serious your symptoms are.
What Is a Mental or Nervous Breakdown?
“Mental breakdown” and “nervous breakdown” are everyday terms used to describe
If you are experiencing a mental breakdown, you may feel totally overwhelmed, unbearably stressed, exhausted, numb, or raw. You may struggle with simple decisions and tasks. Work, studies, caregiving, or daily chores can become impossible. Also, you may fail to honor expectations from people around you, including your family, friends, or colleagues.
Such distress is more than just feeling “tired.” It can often be an expression of a mental health condition which can be diagnosed and treated by a clinician. Conditions that can show up as a nervous breakdown include:
- Bipolar episodes
- Postpartum mood disorders
- Major depressive disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Acute stress disorder (ASD)[3]
If you feel like you are losing control, it is a good idea to see a clinician who will assess your symptoms, get to the root of the problem, and create a treatment plan for you.
How to Tell If You Are Having a Nervous Breakdown
There is no stand-alone symptom defining a nervous breakdown. The main difference from, say, another stressful day, is a severe interruption of your normal life and routines.
A nervous breakdown is likely to affect various parts of your life, including your emotions, physical state, and mental function. The signs and symptoms of a mental breakdown can be grouped into the following.
Emotional Symptoms
- A nervous breakdown or a mental health crisis may feel like worry and anxiety that never go away. You can’t put your finger on it but you feel something really bad is on the way and you cannot escape from it.
- A feeling that all is not well. A hopeless, empty feeling that may leave you emotionally numb.
- Mood swings. One minute you are fine and the next you can’t even explain why you feel so emotional and teary.
- Overreacting to the smallest things. Like, smashing your phone against a wall because an app failed to open, or yelling at your loved ones uncharacteristically.
Cognitive Symptoms
These are symptoms that show a change in the way you
- A persistent feeling of being mentally clouded, like there are too many thoughts in your head and you can’t control or process them.
- Problems focusing on tasks which you can usually do with ease.
- Listlessness, a feeling of being detached from what is happening within or around you.
- Memory lapses and forgetfulness.
- Problems with making decisions.
Physical Symptoms
You may experience
- Problems with sleep. You may either have trouble sleeping or sleep more than usual.
- Persistent tiredness that sleep does not fix.
- Appetite changes, which can sometimes affect weight. You begin to eat too little or too much.
- Headaches.
- Muscle tightness.
- Digestive problems, such as constipation, bloating, or diarrhoea.
- Feeling your heart beat, feeling out of breath; or feeling your chest tighten.
If you are experiencing a lot of physical symptoms, especially chest pain or breathing difficulties, seek urgent medical attention to rule out any problems with your heart or lungs.
Behavioural Symptoms
These may be
- Feeling the need to withdraw from your friends, family, and colleagues.
- Self neglect.
- Substance use as an attempt to cope.
- Becoming more avoidant.
- Retreating into your shell.
Perceptual Changes (Important to Recognize)
In some cases, severe stress or an underlying mental health condition may affect how you perceive reality. While these experiences are less common, they are very serious and may require urgent evaluation. Look out for the following signs:
- Hearing, seeing, or sensing things that others do not (such as voices or unusual visual experiences)
- Feeling unusually suspicious or believing things that others find unlikely or difficult to understand
- A sense that your surroundings are unreal, distorted, or “not quite right”
- Increased sensitivity to sounds, lights, or other sensory input
- Difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what may not be
What Can Cause a Mental or Nervous Breakdown?
A nervous breakdown is usually caused by a gradual accumulation of stress which eventually goes beyond what a person can cope with. Some factors that can contribute to a nervous breakdown include:
- Chronic Stress and Burnout: Constant stress and pressure at work, school, or even home can eventually
lead to a breakdown[7] . This is especially true if you long for work hours on end, do more than you are paid for, or have toxic relationships at work. Research has shown that workplace stress can increase the risk of burnout significantly. Caregiving and ongoing family conflict in a background of little to no rest can also contribute to mental breakdown. - Trauma or Grief: The sudden loss of someone you love or even the effects of witnessing something very traumatic such as an accident can lead to nervous breakdown. Acute stress disorder (ASD) is known to lead to breakdown in the long run.
- Financial, Family, or Relationship Pressure: Pressure can break us down, including
family pressure[8] . Debt, domestic conflict or violence, divorce considerations, and divorce itself, can all continuously produce emotional strain. - Major Life Changes: Major changes often hold some form of uncertainty. Because we have not been in this new spot before, we ask a lot of questions and hold a lot of fear. This pressure can contribute to a nervous breakdown. Some major life changes include starting a new job, switching cities, becoming a parent, losing a job, etc.
- Sleep Deprivation: Going for long periods without sleep makes your body unable to regulate your emotions and may cause problems with making decisions. As such, long-term poor sleep
can trigger mental breakdowns[9] as well as signal that one is currently experiencing a mental breakdown. - Underlying Mental Health Conditions: Undiagnosed or unmanaged mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD can make one
more likely[10] to experience a nervous breakdown. - Substances, Medications, and Withdrawal Effects: Substances (such as alcohol or drugs) and certain medications can significantly influence mood, thinking, and behavior. Intoxication, medication side effects, or drug interactions may also contribute to anxiety, mood instability, agitation, or confusion. In addition, stopping certain substances or medications abruptly (particularly alcohol, benzodiazepines, stimulants, etc.) can lead to withdrawal symptoms that worsen distress or mimic a mental health crisis. In some cases, these factors may both contribute to symptoms and obscure underlying conditions, so careful evaluation is important.
It helps to note that suppressing emotions, refusing to accept or ask for help, and taking on excessive responsibility can overload you and increase the risk of a nervous breakdown.
What to Do If You Think You Are Having a Nervous Breakdown
- Ensure Your Safety. Make sure that you are safe. If you have been having thoughts of harming yourself or others, there is no better time than now to call emergency services or visit the nearest emergency room.
- Reach Out to a Trusted Person. You don’t have to deal with all the challenges on your own. Reach out to someone you trust and tell them what you feel. You don’t have to tell them everything. Only say what you are comfortable with and get some load off your chest.
- Step Away From Pressure at Once. Take a day off work. Don’t make a decision that’ll impact you just yet. Take a break from any stressful activity. Remove yourself from stressful situations or environments. Breathe.
- Take Care of the Basics. Basically, do what you can as long as it doesn’t add to your stress. Get something to eat. Hydrate. Sleep. You’d feel better when you ensure stability at least in your general routines.
- Contact a Doctor, Therapist, or Mental Health Professional. These are trained individuals who can provide you with the help you need.
Seek urgent help immediately if you or someone around you is experiencing: suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, chest pain and difficulty in breathing, refusal to eat food despite appearing starved, agitation, seizures. These require urgent care.
Stages of Mental Breakdown
Some clinicians agree that there is a progression of events that eventually results in a mental breakdown. It helps to note, however, that not everyone will experience the “stages” of a mental breakdown the same way.
Stage | What it often looks like |
1. Accumulation | Here, stress builds past what you are capable of handling. There are many changes in your mood, and you may become irritable. |
2. Early warning signs | Problems with sleep start to show up as mood problems that also escalate over time, so that it becomes even harder for you to cope. |
3. Escalation | You withdraw from responsibilities and relationships. Some physical symptoms listed earlier start to show, as emotional distress gets worse. |
4. Crisis point | You become unable to perform day-to-day tasks. Emotional problems peak. |
5. Stabilization & recovery | Now, if you receive care, your symptoms become less and less worrisome and you start to ease into your routines and tasks. |
Noticing the early stages of a mental breakdown, especially changes in mood and sleep, makes it easier to seek care before a full mental crisis occurs.
Treatment for Mental Breakdown
The treatment of a nervous breakdown involves controlling any immediate crises, managing its underlying causes, and rebuilding a good coping ability. It helps to note that recovery takes some time and is seldom immediate. With timely and appropriate care, most people recover from a nervous breakdown.
Professional Treatment
- Psychotherapy: Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is
helpful to improve symptoms[12] and help one cope. - Medication: Antidepressants, anxiolytics, or sleep aids are
sometimes prescribed[13] where there is an underlying diagnosis. Medication is generally most effective when combined with therapy. - Crisis Care or Hospitalisation: When there is a risk of suicide, self-harm, or possible health crisis, a
hospital stay may be necessary[14] to ensure the person recovers safely.
Supportive Recovery Measures
Your daily habits can help you recover from a nervous breakdown. Here are some worth developing:
- Healthy Sleep: Get good sleep consistently. Aim for 7-9 hours every day and practice good sleep hygiene. Poor sleep affects both your mind and your body.
Healthy Nutrition[15] : Eat balanced meals rich in vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and complex carbs. Limit highly processed food and fast food. Don’t go hungry for long periods either.- Regular Movement: Physical activity can help you
regulate your mood[16] . So, perform some exercise everyday. Aim for at least 22 minutes a day or 30 minutes three times every week. If that seems like a lot, start from where you are and increase your activity gradually. - A Productive Routine: A predictable daily structure
can help you stay in control[17] of your life. You should be careful to not choke yourself with too much “structure” such that it becomes hard to enjoy your life. Schedule some rest, joys, and hobbies too. - Strong Social Connections: Don’t get isolated.
Maintain good relationships[18] with colleagues, family, friends, and acquaintances that don’t put a lot of pressure on you. - Stress-reducing Habits: Mindfulness, diaphragmatic breathing, spending time in nature, volunteering, and journaling are some practices that help you manage stress.
Simple Daily Habits for Stress Management
Consider adding these practices to your daily routine:
- Take short breaks during the day. For example, take some minutes away from your screen at a specific time every day or whenever you feel overwhelmed.
- Set some daily boundaries. Say no to a request that is stretching you too far. Assign or delegate tasks to others. Postpone decisions that are not urgent or important for later.
- Spend some time alone, preferably outdoors surrounded by nature.
- Sit with your feelings. Identify and name any emotion you feel.
- Get a journal and write in it regularly. For example, explore how you feel, why you feel that way, what you are going to do differently, how things are going, and what you are grateful for.
- Stay away from any social media apps that stress you.
- Reduce the time you spend listening to or reading news.
How Long Does a Nervous Breakdown Last?
There isn’t a fixed answer.
The duration of a nervous breakdown depends on how severe it is, what caused it, and how quickly you can deal with the root cause and receive support.
While some people start to feel a lot better within a few days to weeks after they begin receiving care, others with more complex symptoms may need several months. Recovery typically takes longer if it was caused by losing a loved one.
You’d recover sooner if you get help on time, remain honest about your symptoms, and don’t return to high-stress conditions too soon.
How to Prevent a Nervous Breakdown
A nervous breakdown
- Notice Early Warning Signs: Don’t push aside warning signs such as sleep problems, mood disturbances, fatigue, and overwhelm. Instead, pay attention to that and get help.
- Healthy Sleep: Sleep protects your body and your mind. Get sufficient sleep and make sure you follow healthy sleep hygiene practices.
- Don’t Overwork Yourself: Do not attempt to do everything on your own. Recognize your limits and stay within the confines of these limits.
- Ask for Help: Don’t wait until it gets too late. Ask for help when you start feeling unusually stressed out and overwhelmed.
- Use Basic Coping Tools Consistently: Social interaction, exercise, routines, and mindfulness are all tools that can help you cope with stress.
How to Help Someone Having a Mental Breakdown
You can be of help if someone you know is having a mental breakdown. In fact, you can help them get the care they need, contributing significantly to their recovery.
Do these if you think someone around you might be having a nervous breakdown.
- Stay Calm: Stay calm and reassuring, while acknowledging that something is wrong and that support is available.
- Listen Without Judgement: Sometimes, all a person needs is a listening ear. You don’t have to fix anything. Listen to them. Don’t interrupt or judge them. Let them talk.
- Reduce Immediate Pressure: Where you can, help with reducing the pressure they feel. Take them out of their current environment. Help with completing a task. Help remove a limitation.
- Encourage Professional Support: Gently encourage them to speak to a professional. You might even introduce them to one.
- Seek Emergency Help If Needed: If they ever mention suicide or talk about harming themselves, contact emergency services. This is not an overreaction.
Conclusion
A mental or nervous breakdown is a difficult experience, much different from merely feeling tired. Even though the term is not a formal diagnosis, it describes distress that is very real. It is important to understand the warning signs, common causes, and the treatment available for nervous breakdowns. This can help you or someone you know get care.
When care is received on time, recovery becomes easier. If you recognize signs of a mental breakdown in you or someone around you, do not hesitate to seek help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it feel like to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown?
What is the first stage of a mental breakdown?
How long does it take to recover from a nervous breakdown?
What are the signs of a nervous breakdown in a woman?
What are the signs of a nervous breakdown in a man?
Men show the same signs of a nervous breakdown as anyone else, such as increased irritability, emotional instability, memory problems, or insomnia. Since men tend to internalize more and often refuse to receive help, symptoms may be left unaddressed longer and, in some cases, be more severe.
Is a nervous breakdown the same as burnout?
Not exactly. While both may be related to stress, burnout usually occurs in the workplace and is associated with exhaustion, detachment, and reduced effectiveness at work. A nervous breakdown, on the other hand, can be more severe and affects many areas of one’s life at the same time.
