What defines a 'nervous breakdown'

[jude]

Hiya,

Can anyone tell me what a nervous breakdown is. Iv been reading Claire Weekes books, and they all talk about nervous breakdown. Is this what I/we have had or can it progress to that. Im a bit worried that its going to get worse and worse until I mentally shut down or something. This worries me especially, as I get lots of psychological symtoms, like depersonalisation etc.
I can work myself up thinking about this until I imagine I cant think and really panic. I end up desperately searching for something to do to stop myself thinking about it.[|)]

Please help me get this straight in my head as I often convince myself that Im going to lose all sight of reality.

Jude x

[seh1980]

hi Jude,

I'm not sure exactly but I don't think that what we are experiencing is a mental breakdown. A mental breakdown is a lot more vicious than our anxiety/panic. i think a mental breakdown is when we lose control - it involves crying, screaming, not being able to do anything, etc. It only lasts a short while whereas anxiety is a more mellow drawn-out process. Hope this helps.

Sarah :D

[PENNY]

HI,

I think the word Nervous Breakdown, is just a word that was used
in previous years to discribe some one with Fears and Panics,
and when the person got so bad that they could not cope,
then it was the thing to say, " They have had
a Nervous Breakdown. The different conditions were not Seperated.

These Days we have different Names for these conditions.

So try not to worry, It is only a Word, you will not
Break Down!! !!!!

Love
Penny,



PENNY,

[davebrum]

hi i hada nevous breakdown 8 years ago at the time my doctor more acuratly described it as nervous/ mental exhuastion - i became bogged down by everything to the point that i just couldnt do anything and wanted to sleep all the time. it can take a while to recover but if you have proper physicall mental and emotional support the recovery process can be alot quicker - well thats my experience - hope i have helped
x dave

[bluebottle]

I had a mental breakdown at Christmas. It involved lying on the sofa for 2 weeks, no noise, and needing constant reassurance from my wife that I wasn't going to go mad or be taken away.

I am now beyond that and fighting my corner to get better. Don't worry my friend, you will be alright.

[jude]

Thanks for replying everyone.

Bluebottle,
Thankyou, at least I know now that if I get that bad I will recover.

My Dad rang me yesterday and told me he had a nervous breakdown when he was 28. He said that my Nan had one too and they 'put her away'. This really didnt help at all. I had visions of being tied down and sectioned. This mental health stuff must have changed a bit over the years I know, but it was scaring the hell out of me. I thought that it must run in families and I was about to completely lose it.

I will try to calm down now.

Thanks again all
Jude x

[clickaway]

Yes, I think its a fairly loose term.

I thought I had a mild nervous breakdown recently as I had to face early retirement because of my GAD.

It involved a lot of crying and a loss of hope, not knowing how to get better, not being able to do things, go out of the house etc.

It lasted about 10-14 days and was probably just another emotional layer dumped in my mind that just meant I felt worse.

I'm now over it.



Ray

[stimpy]

Mrs Dictonary puts her brainy hat on [:P] NOT !!

"Nervous breakdown" is not a real term as such.
As far as I know it has no psychiatric or medical definition, apart from the fact it has nothing to do with nerves.

I guess what we would call a nervous breakdown is major depression, panic or anxiety. Come to think of it any mental problem caused by or following stressful situations, accidents / illness or death.

Infact I would say any mental problem that causes a loss of interest in nearly everything, a lack of energy and motivation. Feelings of guilt and hopelessness. Especially if it causes you to shut down both physically and mentally, could be classed as a nervous breakdown.

In the "olden" days it was amazing how many people were sectioned due to "melancholia."

Infact it was amazing how many people were sectioned because they were poor, anti-social, misfits, none conformist, "under the weather" or were aggressive and violent.

So if you were poor, anti-social who was naughty and didn't fit in with people around you, you were a sure fire winner to get sectioned.

How things change.:D

Depersonalization, a feeling of going mad, and uncontrolable bodily functions (such as shakes, palpitations...) are all perfectly normal for an anxiety suffer to experience.
Don't worry about the men in white coats coming to take you away, because they aren't going to !



Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[:p]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'

[sunlight]

I think 'nervous breakdowns' or mental breakdowns have symptoms such as feeling like you are going crazy (or fearing that you are), depression, high anxiety, feeling like you're losing or have lost control. Like all the things we fear at different points all building up like a volcano ready to burst. [|)]