A mental breakdown or mental health crisis is generally known as a Nervous breakdown, which refers to the mental sickness of a person.

This illness occurs due to extreme emotional, mental, or physical stress.

One can go through a mental breakdown because of past experiences or due to some uncertain circumstances in their environment.

For example, a person facing depression, a person going through anxiety, one unable to move on from past trauma, work-related pressure, family disputes, financial issues, etc., triggers a mental breakdown.

A nervous or mental breakdown is just a term used to describe one’s mental health crisis. It is not a medical term that can be used for any mental health disorder.

This term is used to describe the overall mental state of a person who is unable to express their sickness or mental distress.

1. Signs & Symptoms of Mental Breakdown

It is very difficult to recognize that a person is going through a mental health crisis. You may not know the exact symptoms of this as it varies from person to person.

Here are some common signs and symptoms that will help you to understand and support a person going through a mental breakdown:

1.1 Anxiety or Depression

Goes through anxiety and overthinks a lot which turns into depression. They may feel irritated or may think of self-harm. One experiences this due to stressful or traumatic events in the past or present.

1.2 Changes in Appetite

There might be a change in their eating patterns, diet, etc. Consumption of unhealthy diet increases. Starve for long hours.

1.3 Lack of Concentration

Not able to focus on work or daily life. Loses interest in the company of family and friends, forgets its duties and responsibilities, gets easily distracted, unable to make decisions.

1.4 Feeling Overwhelmed

Constantly overthinks and has a sentimental feeling towards everything.  Everything seems to be challenging to overcome.

1.5 Losing Connectivity

Getting themselves detached from friends, families, and colleagues. Avoids social activity and prefers to stay alone and does not interact with anyone.

1.6 Lack of Control Over Emotions

Feels helpless and often experiences emotional bursts. Suffer from mood swings and undergo various emotional states such as fear, anger, sadness, shame, guilt, loneliness, and boredom.

 1.7 Feeling Fatigued

This feeling occurs when a person is exhausted mentally and physically.

It happens due to poor sleep habits, lack of energy, tiredness, work pressure, and improper lifestyle.

Many of you may not consider mental breakdown as a serious problem for an individual but it is a very severe mental condition that one can go through.

Sometimes a person who is experiencing a mental breakdown is also not aware of their mental illness.

Such people isolate themselves and do not seek help. We need help and support if our close ones are going through a mental sickness.

3. Help and Support During a Nervous Breakdown

The severity of nervous breakdown varies from person to person.  Some may be vocal about their mental condition and seek help and some may not be aware of it.

It is that condition when a person is overwhelmed by their feelings, and thought process and does not behave normally. Anxiety, depression, overthinking, and guilt overpower their mental ability to think rationally.

Experiencing a nervous breakdown can cause self-harm, emotional stress, panic attacks, and anxiety disorders, and needs to be consulted with a primary care physician.

Here you will find some basic help that you can provide your loved ones going through a mental breakdown:

3.1. By creating a Safe Environment

A safe environment means where a person feels comfortable and safe with their own belonging.

A person going through a mental breakdown should be kept in such an environment where they will adopt some positivity and will be forced to think rationally.

Underlying mental health conditions forces an individual to harm themselves, causing self-destruction. Keeping sharp objects away from them can be a preventive measure.

We need to keep such people engaged by indulging themselves in the activities of their interest. For example, playing the music of their choice, serving food of their taste, indulging them in physical activities like swimming, exercising, walking, playing outdoor games, etc.

Help them to socialize by meeting new people, establishing a healthy and positive conversation with them on social topics, respecting their opinions, making them feel important, etc.

3.2 Listen without any judgment

A person going through a mental breakdown needs to be listened to patiently. To help them cope with their mental inability of rational thinking they need to be heard and make them feel important.

They should be made to feel that their opinion matters, whatever their point of view is correct regarding anything.

Listening to a person who is going through mental health problems makes them feel cared for. While listening to such a person always make sure that you maintain eye contact with them, which indicates that you are interested in hearing them.

Never oppose their statements or say anything negative as it will not help them to cure and will lead to more distress.  Always maintain a sensitive tone while talking with them and make them feel like normal people.

Motivate them, and talk with a positive attitude. Ensure them that no matter what you will be there with that person in their good and bad times.

3.3 Assist with Support and Care Required

A person with a mental breakdown needs the utmost care and support of their loved ones. It would help if you supported such people by helping them to cope with their overwhelmed thinking process.

You can help them by doing things of their interest which will make them feel lively.

You can even ask them for needful you can do that will motivate and give a feeling of peace and satisfaction.

Support them in their decisions and motivate them so that they can do all their job and responsibilities with proper accountability.

When a person going through this phase becomes sentimental about everything they say and think, so as a supporter we need to be very careful while having a conversation with them that we use proper words with pure intention. Cheering them up in every possible way can only help them to cure fast.

4. Some Treatment Options for Mental Breakdown

As it is previously said in this blog that mental breakdown is a very severe illness that needs to be given proper care and treatment. But sometimes when this sickness reaches its extreme severity, it needs to be treated medically, as it has high chances of suicidal thoughts and self-destructive actions.

Here are two basic treatments one could go for during a mental breakdown:

4.1 Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is also called Talk therapy, where the patient talks with a certified doctor or mental health professionals regarding their mental illness. It is a type of mental medical treatment, which is often used for any kind of mental disorder.

Here the patient is free to talk with the therapist regarding their illness and problems faced by them. Patient with post-traumatic stress disorder is best suited for psychotherapy as expressing their thoughts will make them feel less burdened and normal.

The therapist here plays a significant role in bringing out the actual thoughts of the patient to cure them. Mental health professionals understand the patient’s mental health crisis and guide them for aid.

The therapist understands the emotional and physical state of the patient and the root of where the actual illness commenced. It also identifies their life problems and the reason for their illness, such as a death in the family, loss of a job, work pressure, financial issues, divorce, an accident, etc.

After knowing their problems, it focuses on regaining their rational thinking and advising some very effective coping ideas that will help them to cure as soon as possible. The therapist serves them a different new vision for their problems and soon patient feels like their problem was never a problem.

4.2 Medications

Sometimes medication becomes necessary for some patient who is unable to cope with just psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy and medications work hand in hand as some patient finds it very difficult to cope with depression and anxiety.  For this very reason, therapists prescribe they consume anti-depressants or anti-anxiety tablets.

This should only be consumed under a doctor’s prescription and by those only to whom it is recommended. Otherwise, this could turn out to be hazardous to health.

5. Prevention of Mental Breakdown

You can prevent mental breakdown by adopting a healthy lifestyle such as creating a healthy day-to-day schedule starting it with a morning walk and exercise, consuming proper appetite, socialising, etc.

Pay attention to your mental health and if you feel burdened with your emotions try on journaling, it will help you out. Writing all your thoughts will less your mental burden and thus it will prevent you from overthinking and anxiety.

Never force yourself to do something or never shy from saying no to things that you do not have to. Avoid being self-conscious and be bold enough to talk about everything.

6. Conclusion

Our mind is one of the most powerful organs in our body and malfunctioning leads to improper working of the rest of the organs.

Mental and physical health are interrelated for living a healthy life. To keep your mental health stable and to prevent mental illness or breakdown, one should always follow a healthy lifestyle.

Meditating daily and chanting affirmations will help you from prevention of stress, pressure, depression, and anxiety and will keep you loaded with positivity.

Last Updated on December 25, 2023 by soubhik92@gmail.com