Nervous Breakdown?

[swetha]

What exactly does this mean?
how do u treat it?
how do u know u r suffering frm it?

[pinkslumber]

I experienced a nervous breakdown a few months ago and basically it's a complete shut down of the mind and body.  Outside stresses impact the mind and body to the point where they are no longer capable of absorbing the stress nor can they make sense anymore of what to do to eliminate the enormous pressure created by the stress.  The mind overloads and there are constant thoughts racing through it all the time and the thoughts jumble one into another until nothing makes any sense and the person feels an incredible need to make it all stop or escape all the noise and clutter in the mind.  The body also takes a tough beating because the mind is so full that it won't sleep, forgets to feel hungry, feels hopeless and just full of despair.  All of this leads to everything shutting down.  The mind suddenly goes blank, the body is exhausted and collapses into sleep for days or longer and the person cannot function.  Depending on what brought on the breakdown it may take the person several weeks or months or even years to recover mentally.  Some people never recover and stay "blank" always.  It's a very traumatic thing and treatment can involve medications like anti depressants or anti psychotics and a lot of psychological therapy.  What's scary is that it sneaks up on a person.  Little things mount and mount until it feels like every little thing is a big thing and then before you know it, it feels like a black hole is sucking all rationality away and by then it's probably too late.  Hope this description helps you understand this better.

[angel2007]

I had one of those a few months ago I couldn't read or think of anything as it would be to painful,
with really sharp headaches. And its all cause by stress and depression.

[citiboi_219]

I had one a few years back (2004). It was so dibilatating. I ended up waking every night at 3am, not being able to go back to sleep and going to work tired.
The only way out for me was to believe that there was a higher power that I could turn to to help me through this. And in the end, it took a lot of praying and facing up to the problem before I could change.

But for those who think they are suffering from one, be warned. The light at the end of the tunnel will make you strong. Don't lose hope.

[pinkslumber]

I couldn't come out of it on my own, I was too far gone.  Thankfully, there was one thing that I was able to hold on to through all the turmoil which made me go get help. My love for my kids.  Even though I just wanted to rock myself into oblivion and escape life, motherhood was the one thing that threw me a straw to grab onto.  I just couldn't comprehend not interacting with my kids now that one is grown and in college and the other is almost grown.  I thank my Higher Power for knowing exactly what would give me the strength to fight back.

[targetjer]

Pinkslumber    WOW I bow to your narrative on "What is a Nervous Breakdown?"  My utmost respect will always be yours.   I consider myself a writer but when I saw that question I just mentally froze for a moment, even though  I too had experienced a breakdown two times in my life.  Ya know, I had even tried to answer that question a couple of times.  I hope you kept that answer because you could actually submit that to a medical magazine or some other thing and maybe get your name in print.

There is really nothing I can add to that.  I am thankful for the hospitals that exist to help an unstable person.  I am thankful for the  workers who give their all to try to get you back to where you should be.  These are the ones who basically build the bridge for you to pass back over into society.  Ya see, when you start having a nervous breakdown you also have a tendency to allianate all your relatives and friends.  When you finally fall to the bottom, generally you are totally by yourself in your pain with no understanding from anyone----save that emergency doctor.

I agree with all that you said, Pinkslumber.  The road back is long and hard.  While you are released from the hospital sooner than you think is fair, you now can walk into the future having a support system that you did not have before.  You now have someone who will llisten just to you and no one else.

I am thankful that I have survived the plight of "Nervous Breakdown" twice in my life.  And I am not afraid of those words anymore cause I know that someone is out here who cares.

Sunshine and peace always

JER

[EarlofLeicester]

Have also been there.  Was always tired and yet could never stay asleep (kinda like what citiboi describes earlier).  Although I am past what happened, it feels like that what happened will always be a part of me and I will never be the same person before it happened.  I certainly can't sleep through the night anymore.

[swetha]

thanks guys:-)

that was helpful. i dont kno y i just feel jittery hearing those words...how do u cope with it?
swetha

[EarlofLeicester]

thanks guys:-)

that was helpful. i dont kno y i just feel jittery hearing those words...how do u cope with it?
swetha

I'm still figuring that one out.  Talking to a therapist is helpful.  If the anxiety is overwhelming, then a powerful antidepressent like ativan makes work bearable, but they become tough to kick and less effective with subsequent dosings. I recommend only if nothing else will work.  I have found (personally) that  mood stabilizers like paxil and zoloft (for me) are ineffective and can carry nasty negative side effects (i.e. suicidal tendencies). Doing things one likes, and connecting with people (like in MB) is important to make it through the day.

[angel2007]

My kids were also my inspiration to get out of it.

I would pray and pray.

I knew everything but I couldnt think of anything,

So I bought one of those suduko puzzle books to train my mind slowly into thinking again.

It helped and I slowly recovered on my own.


You need to relax your mind, meditation might help.

Good luck

lots of love

Angel2007

[jallious]

Heheehe. nervous breakdown...I know what those feel like.

[EarlofLeicester]

My kids were also my inspiration to get out of it.

I would pray and pray.

I knew everything but I couldnt think of anything,

So I bought one of those suduko puzzle books to train my mind slowly into thinking again.

It helped and I slowly recovered on my own.


You need to relax your mind, meditation might help.

Good luck

lots of love

Angel2007

Good advice Angel2007.  Jallious, if you are serious re: your comment, you may want to explore some techniques to help mitigate the issues in your life.

[jallious]

I feel my life is perfectly balanced for once. It will stay balanced for a while, and then I'll be able to go into serenity again, and you'll all have your 'happy and nice' jallious back.

[EarlofLeicester]

I feel my life is perfectly balanced for once. It will stay balanced for a while, and then I'll be able to go into serenity again, and you'll all have your 'happy and nice' jallious back.

Interesting that balanced and 'happy and nice' are two different Jalliouses.  One would think that being balanced would promote happy and nice.

[jallious]

Not at all, else I wouldn't be in the state I'm in, I'd still be the one you met before.