Is Having a Nervous Breakdown Becoming Normal in Society?
In the American society, you work hard for what you want. While this society standard has wavered in some respects, for the hard working American, this standard is something they live by. It is encouraged to be stressed. It is seen as a normal part of life. If you want to get ahead in your position, work 70 hour weeks and in 5 years you will be promoted. While it is healthy to work for what you want, this type of stress can cause a nervous breakdown. Denee Jordan, director of mental health services for the Exceptional Children’s Foundation says, “We begin to tolerate more and more stress in our lives, and it just spirals from there.”
By pseudo definition, a nervous breakdown is an event where a person has reached his or her limit and cannot function normally or preform day to day activities. A nervous breakdown usually occurs as a result of stress. External influences like, divorce, unemployment, or the death of a loved one may also indicate the brink of a breakdown by fueling emotions like depression or anxiety. These breakdowns are considered temporary and signals a need for the individual to pause, relax, recuperate or even seek professional help.
Recognizing the symptoms is the first step in preventing a nervous breakdown. Once you realize you are heading down a dangerous path, you need to take a step back, reevaluate your situation, and create a solution.
Depressive symptoms: Clinical depression can trigger a breakdown. Loss of interest in things, dramatic weight gain or weight loss, and changes in your sleeping patterns are also symptoms.
Anxiety: Extreme anxiousness with a stressful situation may signal a breakdown. Symptoms for this are increased blood pressure, tensed muscles, clammy hands, shaking, dizziness or upset stomach.
Extreme mood swings: Mood swings and unexplained outbursts can also be a sign of a breakdown.
Hallucinations: Hallucinations may appear in the onset of a breakdown as well.
Panic attacks: Panic attacks go hand in hand with anxiety and depression. Symptoms of a panic attack include increased blood pressure, pounding chest pain, difficulty breathing, feelings of unreality, an intense level of fear, and detachment from yourself.
Paranoia: Paranoia can signal an extreme decline in your mental well being. This decline signals a breakdown in progress.
Social withdrawal: People facing a breakdown may isolate themselves from everyone particularly, friends and family. Social settings can cause stress to elevate, while during a breakdown this may help to relieve the stress, withdrawal can turn into a depression issue fast.
Flashbacks of a traumatic event: Traumatic events can trigger symptoms of a breakdown as well.
Try to manage your time more efficiently, take breaks at work and at home, and clear your mind. If these methods do not work, you might need professional help. “See a therapist or a counselor. That’s what they’re there for,” Jordan says. “Sometimes they’ll prescribe medication; other times they’ll just help you talk through it.”