Understanding And Preventing Mental (Nervous) Breakdown For Better Mental Health

How many times in a week do you feel stressed or feel intense symptoms related to mental health? If your answer is… often! Continue reading this blog, as this blog might help you to overcome such a mental health issue.

When we often feel emotional or mental distress or when it becomes difficult to carry on functioning or completing regular tasks, it can be a nervous or mental breakdown.

Some people have really misunderstood the actual meaning of mental breakdown. Therefore, this blog will help you in understanding mental breakdown, symptoms, causes, treatment, self-coping strategies, and more.

What does Mental/Nervous Breakdown mean?

A mental breakdown or a nervous breakdown is a word used for describing the period of mental distress that occurs more often and suddenly. Whenever someone experiences a mental breakdown, they are not able to properly function in their regular life. It does not have an official diagnosis yet but it is used to describe an overwhelming situation wherein a person cannot achieve proper functioning.

It can also be a symptom or sign of any other mental health illness or condition. Prior, this term was used for referring to mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, acute stress disorder, and more. The key factor is that the symptoms are intense which makes it impossible to function properly at that time.

Symptoms of Nervous Breakdown

Signs and symptoms of a mental breakdown vary. They are also dependent on the experience and types of symptoms. Signs and symptoms of a nervous breakdown can be derived on the basis of:

• Physical
• Behavioral
• Psychological

Below are some of the common signs and symptoms of a nervous breakdown:

Causes of Nervous Breakdown

A person experiencing a nervous breakdown can be so stressed that they are not able to function properly. Below are some of the causes related to a nervous breakdown?

• Recent injury or chronic illness
• Experienced traumatic event
• Chronic stress
• Loss of job or any relationship
• Relationship changes divorce, separation, and more
• Physical or mental abuse
• Violence
• Discrimination
• Financial issues
• Chronic physical health condition
• Poor sleep
• Academic problems
• Moving
• Work-related stress

Treatment of Nervous Breakdown

If you think you or your loved one might be having a mental breakdown, the first and most important step is to connect with a mental health provider to get a proper diagnosis since the symptoms can be related to any other related mental health condition as well.

If you wish to connect with a mental health provider from BetterHelp, click here.

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Below are some of the common treatment options available for treating nervous breakdown:

• Talk therapy

One of the best options to treat nervous breakdown effectively is taking the help of talk therapy. The most commonly used type of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is used for treating depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and other mental health conditions. This therapy is effective because it helps in learning positive coping skills and helps in challenging negative situations.

• Medications

Your mental health professional might also prescribe medications for treating intense symptoms.

• Lifestyle changes

To combat the changes and challenges, your therapist might also suggest some lifestyle changes to you. Below are some of the common lifestyle changes prescribed by a therapist:

• Avoid alcohol or caffeine intake.
• Stay active and exercise regularly
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet
• Develop a bedtime routine
• Practice stress-relieving techniques

Self-Help Coping Strategies

Below are some of the effective self-help strategies for combating nervous breakdown:

• Keep talking to your professional so that your symptoms and healing can be tracked.
• Try therapy so that you can learn how to manage symptoms effectively.
• Take medications on time and as prescribed so that you can gain the strength to overcome challenges.
• Try stress management techniques like yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and more to keep your stress managed and controlled.
• Try not to get exhausted, therefore, focus on getting enough rest.
• Avoid digital devices before bedtime.
• Try reading self-help books.
• Spend quality time by learning a new skill or hobby.
• Try to be more mindful and communicate your feelings with your partner.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for support.

I hope this blog helps you with understanding what mental/nervous breakdown exactly means and how to prevent it for better mental health. Comment down your queries related to a nervous breakdown. For more such content, connect with us on all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading!