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Emotional breakdown can be understood in two ways. First, it may be used as a more socially acceptable phrase to describe a mental disorder - one that society is not very critical of. Second, it can be used to describe the meltdown of an individual who doesn't know how to cope with their situation.
One of the problems of humans is that we're far too good at keeping on going. We tend to surrender to the external demands of the world, living up to what is expected of us and getting on with the priorities defined around us. That continues, until one day, much to everyone's surprise, including our own, we break down.
This rupture can take many forms. We may no longer be able to get out of bed. We may fall into the depths of depression or may develop all-consuming anxiety or babble incoherently. Breakdowns are hugely inconvenient for everyone and can take a toll on our mental health.
Everyone can experience breakdowns differently. Some experience it progressively, while others can feel it very suddenly. You may even find yourself unable to perform daily tasks due to the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Common Signs of Breakdown
Although the term mental or nervous breakdown is not used by the medical community as clinical terms anymore, they can be very overwhelming and disrupt your functioning temporarily. Signs of a breakdown can subtly sneak up on you and grow out of control. Some of the common signs are:
1) Isolation
Do you find yourself constantly avoiding social gatherings? While wanting to be alone from time to time is perfectly typical, constant isolation may be a sign of mental breakdown.
According to Novotny, premature mortality is often associated with social isolation and loneliness. If you find yourself avoiding all social situations like spending time with your friends or even going to work, it may be time for you to reach out for help.
2) Symptoms Resembling Depression
Do you find losing interest in things you used to enjoy? If so, you may be developing symptoms closely resembling depression.
Symptoms of depression are generally associated with loss of interest as well as the inability to carry out daily tasks. These signs can be indicative of a change in mood or that you're mentally overwhelmed, which could progressively lead to a mental breakdown.
3) Absentmindedness
There may be times in the day when we get caught up in our thoughts. Mental distress can make us think about a lot of things.
A person on the verge of a mental breakdown may seem preoccupied as if their mind is somewhere else. It may even look like you are blankly staring into space, which is commonly seen in adolescent breakdowns.
4) Unhealthy Lifestyle Changes
From sleep hygiene to eating habits, severe unhealthy changes can be a sign of mental breakdown. These can include sudden changes in sleep schedule, snacking too much, or dropping exercise suddenly because of loss of motivation. If you find yourself having sudden unhealthy life changes, talking to a loved one or getting in touch with a professional can be helpful.
5) Panic Attacks
Mental breakdowns are periods of intense mental distress associated with anxiety and depression. Experiencing panic attacks may serve as a critical warning or precursor to having a mental breakdown.
Causes of Breakdown
In our society, we are taught that the harder we work, the more productive or valuable we are, but we completely disregard our well-being for the entity we work for. Working to the point of burnout depletes your energy and can be detrimental to your physical, emotional, and spiritual health, directly affecting your immune system.
Some common causes of breakdown are:
1) Pushing Through
We need to push through or put in hard work, but when we overwork ourselves physically and mentally, we end up depleting our energy stores. That makes it harder to return to a neutral state. We also end up making long to-do lists, which can lead to burnout.
2) Lack of Self care
Research on naps, meditation, nature walks, and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks improve productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories, and encourage creativity. A lack of self-care, on the contrary, can push your body towards exhaustion and burnout.
3) Major Life Changes
A mental breakdown could happen to as many as 26% of adults at some point in their lives. There are many types of life events, experiences, or traumas that might cause these strong feelings.
Major life changes include things like getting married, having a child, relocating to a new place, leaving for college, and going through a divorce. Experiencing a tragedy like losing a loved one, being involved in a car accident, or experiencing physical abuse are some common tragedies that can cause mental breakdown.
Takeaway
Health and strength are not always about 'rising above' our circumstances by continuing to function in chronically toxic, abusive, neglectful, or traumatic environments. They're about our bodies breaking down in such chronically unhealthy environments.
As our body breaks down, it reminds us that we're not made to live in such environments. Breakdowns do not respect human dignity, and they will refuse to pretend otherwise.
Janvi Kapur is a counsellor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialisation in clinical psychology.
