Breakdown?

[macca78]

Hi guys

I'm wondering if there is anyone who can help. I am not sure if I have just suffered a mini nervous breakdown or not in work. I was overcome with work, people, phone calls, I am so stressed and anxious, all building up. And then I started to tremble quite badly and couldn't string two words together, I was incoherent. I also had this inner nervous twitchy energy sensation. It was horrible. Feeling bit calmer now but don't know what to do about it!

[PoppyC]

Hello
I am sorry to hear what you have just gone through.Are there any other physical signs other than the ones you listed? Has this happened before? I had a nervous breakdown last year and it lasted everyday for several horrific months. It doesnt suddenly happen and then stop within minutes. Its a lasting experience that takes some time until you recover from it - I dont think you can get mini breakdowns. Maybe you can get varying degrees of how severe the breakdown is. However my first signs of a breakdown started like you have just described only I had been down and massively anxious for many months before. I think by the sounds of it you may have had a panic attack. You were overwhelmed with stress making you very anxious and then your symptoms kicked in. You need to relax - easier said than done I know! - Use this experience as a warning sign to learn how to cope better with stressful situations and dont ignore it. It is your bodies way of telling you that you are overloaded with stress and that you now need to learn how to relax and let go of the stress. If you are at work now, would you be able to go home and rest? go the sickbay and have a rest for a while? Make an appt to see your gp and explain the symptoms. Dont ignore what has happened as it could happen again. Basically what you have gone through sounds like a build up of stress and anxiety causing the symptoms and could have been a panic attack, however I would make an appt as soon as you can to see your gp and explain what happened as he will be able to advise far better - without adding to your stress its just better to have anything else ruled out by your gp before assuming it is anxiety related.
I hope things improve for you.

[finny12000]

Hello macca
sorry to hear about you feeling this way but it was probably a large build up
of adrenaline in your system and it got overloaded.
Ive been that way myself and try to take deep breaths and imagine calming air going into your system and all the adrenaline and anxiety going out with each breath you take.
Also go for a little walk and remember back to when you were ok before it all
look on it as a blimp and try to focus on something else but
you will be ok as its just anxiety playing its little tricks and if you have not
had this before maybe get a app with doc to discuss it.
it sounds like a panic attack but as i havent had one before myself hopefully
other members can reply and put your mind at ease.
Take care
finn

[macca78]

Thanks Poppy for this. To be honest I had have bad anxiety and stress for about 18 months, dipping in and out of depression, trying different meds, its horrible isn't it? So maybe I have had some sort of breakdown then. Also noticed becoming detached from reality a bit. Its horrid.

[PoppyC]

Hi again
How are you feeling now? Hopefully a little better.
Maybe you wont have a breakdown, but what you have described your symptoms like, is what I was like for a long time before I had one. Look after yourself as best you can by relaxing and doing everything there is to avoid being overwhelmed by anxiety. I used to get so stressed out by everything. I had depersonalisation and derealization for quite a while and that was when I was having the breakdown. It was horrible. I felt like I was literally not on the planet and was watching everything and everyone from afar. People who I was close to felt like strangers. Colours changed too. It was like everything was in a sepia colour. Everything looked odd, felt strange, cold and empty. I felt so alienated from everyone. That for me was the worst part of what I went through. I thought back then that I was going to be like that forever. I could not explain to anyone just how awful I felt. It was so scary. However it eventually just passed literally of its own accord and since then I have never experienced it again thankfully! Do your medications not work in any way for you? I found CBT really helps me. I really hope you start to feel better as I know how horrible it is to feel the way that you do.

[macca78]

Thanks Poppy, you're a gem! I have not had the best reactions at all to my medications so far, I am now on mirtazapine which is the third in about 6 months. I also have anxiety about my gp. She is first one I have been able to open up to but she is leaving in June. I have these awful mood changes too and they are very rapid. One minute I can feel low and not anting to live, then all of a sudden I will feel very excited and edgy and positive and want to do lots of different things. Have you ever felt like this? I have been referred for CBT which might take another 3 months to come through they said.