How to Tell if You Are Having a Nervous Breakdown
Reflect on any recent loss or trauma., Think about whether you have difficulty feeling happiness or pleasure., Pay attention to any mood swings., Pay attention if you’re continuously calling in sick to work., Be wary of any feelings of helplessness...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Reflect on any recent loss or trauma.
A breakdown can result from trauma or death of a loved one.
It can also be a result of a constant buildup of stress, like work pressures or financial burdens.
Think about any recent or unexpected stressors that have overwhelmed you suddenly.
Any event that happens suddenly may drain all available resources, leaving you feeling unable to cope.This can include a recent death, breakup, or divorce.
Trauma can include living through a natural disaster, being a victim of theft, violence, or domestic abuse. -
Step 2: Think about whether you have difficulty feeling happiness or pleasure.
When suffering from a nervous breakdown, you may experience an inability to feel pleasure.
You may feel listless, empty, or apathetic.
Nothing may seem to carry any meaning to you, or you feel an overwhelming sense of “going through the motions”.
Apathy and withdrawal are symptoms of depression.
You may feel deeply depressed as a result or leading up to a nervous breakdown.You may want to be happy and feel normal, but you can no longer enjoy your favorite activities. , Mood swings are usually in evidence before any nervous breakdown, as they are indicative of emotional exhaustion and poor coping methods.
The mood swings may involve:
Irritability Anger combined with guilt and remorse Excessive crying spells Phases of extreme quietness Depressive phases , Taking a day to mentally, emotionally, or physically recover from an event is one thing, but if you find yourself continuously calling into work sick, this may be an indication of a breakdown.
You may lack the motivation to go into work, or find that you physically cannot make your body get ready and go to work.Pay attention if you’ve let your work slide.
Even if you come into work, observe your productivity and if it differs drastically from last month. , These are two very common feelings before and during a nervous breakdown.
You may feels like you lack the internal resources to cope with your issues, and thus feels helpless.
You may experience a feeling of hopelessness, as you are unable to control the circumstances around you and can see no way out of your current predicament.
These are symptoms of depression that may contribute to a nervous breakdown.Some other symptoms of depression that may contribute to a nervous breakdown may include:
Lack of energy Fatigue Lack of ability to concentrate Decreased attention Isolation , In case of a breakdown, you may be constantly thinking excessively negative thoughts and even experiencing positive things or feelings as negative.
Common thoughts may include:
Interpreting meanings in a negative way Having a negative filter in your mind, which only allows negative things to pass through.
Thoughts that say the situation and nervous breakdown will never go away and that you will feel like this forever. , You may find yourself detaching from friends and family and spending most of your time alone.
Friends call to set plans and you always turn them down, or the thought of getting together with friends sounds exhausting.
When overwhelmed by stress, it may be easy isolate and conserve your energy for working through the stress., A nervous breakdown can lead you to feel numb and detached from your external environment.
You may even feel as if the things happening around you are artificial.
Basically, you will no longer feel like you can relate to your environment or to the people in your life. -
Step 3: Pay attention to any mood swings.
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Step 4: Pay attention if you’re continuously calling in sick to work.
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Step 5: Be wary of any feelings of helplessness or hopelessness.
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Step 6: Think about whether you feel overwhelmed by negative thoughts.
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Step 7: Recognize if you’re isolating.
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Step 8: Pay attention to feelings of numbness and detachment.
Detailed Guide
A breakdown can result from trauma or death of a loved one.
It can also be a result of a constant buildup of stress, like work pressures or financial burdens.
Think about any recent or unexpected stressors that have overwhelmed you suddenly.
Any event that happens suddenly may drain all available resources, leaving you feeling unable to cope.This can include a recent death, breakup, or divorce.
Trauma can include living through a natural disaster, being a victim of theft, violence, or domestic abuse.
When suffering from a nervous breakdown, you may experience an inability to feel pleasure.
You may feel listless, empty, or apathetic.
Nothing may seem to carry any meaning to you, or you feel an overwhelming sense of “going through the motions”.
Apathy and withdrawal are symptoms of depression.
You may feel deeply depressed as a result or leading up to a nervous breakdown.You may want to be happy and feel normal, but you can no longer enjoy your favorite activities. , Mood swings are usually in evidence before any nervous breakdown, as they are indicative of emotional exhaustion and poor coping methods.
The mood swings may involve:
Irritability Anger combined with guilt and remorse Excessive crying spells Phases of extreme quietness Depressive phases , Taking a day to mentally, emotionally, or physically recover from an event is one thing, but if you find yourself continuously calling into work sick, this may be an indication of a breakdown.
You may lack the motivation to go into work, or find that you physically cannot make your body get ready and go to work.Pay attention if you’ve let your work slide.
Even if you come into work, observe your productivity and if it differs drastically from last month. , These are two very common feelings before and during a nervous breakdown.
You may feels like you lack the internal resources to cope with your issues, and thus feels helpless.
You may experience a feeling of hopelessness, as you are unable to control the circumstances around you and can see no way out of your current predicament.
These are symptoms of depression that may contribute to a nervous breakdown.Some other symptoms of depression that may contribute to a nervous breakdown may include:
Lack of energy Fatigue Lack of ability to concentrate Decreased attention Isolation , In case of a breakdown, you may be constantly thinking excessively negative thoughts and even experiencing positive things or feelings as negative.
Common thoughts may include:
Interpreting meanings in a negative way Having a negative filter in your mind, which only allows negative things to pass through.
Thoughts that say the situation and nervous breakdown will never go away and that you will feel like this forever. , You may find yourself detaching from friends and family and spending most of your time alone.
Friends call to set plans and you always turn them down, or the thought of getting together with friends sounds exhausting.
When overwhelmed by stress, it may be easy isolate and conserve your energy for working through the stress., A nervous breakdown can lead you to feel numb and detached from your external environment.
You may even feel as if the things happening around you are artificial.
Basically, you will no longer feel like you can relate to your environment or to the people in your life.
About the Author
Samantha Ford
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
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