[Morigan]

Hallo

I have never had a complete mental breakdown.
I am under extreme pressure at work.
Myself and my husband are discussing divorce.
My family is going through a tough time
2 of my very close friends are also REALLY going through a tough time.

I constantly imagine just vanishing. I am constantly clenching my jaw. I can't sleep. My back and neck is in chronic pain. I have no appetite. I am rude and sarcastic to people. I am actually becoming mean. I avoid social interactions at all costs to make sure I don't get an anxiety attack.

I have been taking my meds religiously.

What is a breakdown? Do you loose control of your actions? Do you faint? Do you kill someone. I don't have any suicidal thoughts. But I do have an urge to break inanimate objects in private.

* breathes out sloooooowwwwly **** I actually feel a little better after typing my thread.

I hope someone can give me the danger signs of a mental breakdown so that I know what to look out for.

Thank you

I

[renie1022]

I have wondered the same thing myself. I remember my mother having a "nervous breakdown" when I was little and I wonder what that actually meant. I feel on the edge very often and like I need to go to the hospital.. however I heard on this board that in-patient is just for people who are a danger to self or others. I feel like I need therapy every day and need to check myself in somewhere to get that.

[jesusplay]

while inpatient I met a woman who had a mental breakdown.

she just walked around blank stare, occasionally mistaking people for other people.

[wildflowerchild25]

I think it looks different for everyone. I mean mental breakdown isn't a medical term as far as I know. For me I was so depressed that I couldn't get out if bed except to shower. I stopped eating completely. I slept all day long. And I really don't remember most of it. It took ECT To get me out.

At the end of august I had another significant break in my mental health, this time from a manic episode gone wrong. It included psychotic symptoms like me believing that another entity was putting thoughts in my head that I had to follow, along with intrusive images of self harm and bizarre, disturbing dreams. I was hospitalized for Sui behavior.

So I don't think it's the same for everyone. Many times I have felt like I just couldn't keep going, but when I woke up in the morning I go out of bed. It wasn't until I couldn't gt up that I considered it a breakdown.

[danziger]

I think the signs are different for each person, but hopefully you can catch yourself before you get completely out of control. I guess it's good that you're at least thinking about it. I think the people who have a serious mental breakdown have it worst. I imagine a person isn't really aware of what is happening during a mental breakdown. I know I experienced that to some extent. There are things that I don't even remembering happening that my family has told me about. I checked myself into a psych ward on three different occasions because I felt like I was losing control of my thoughts. It turns out that I must have been right. They kept me for about two weeks the first two times, and for a whole month the third time. I'm celebrating my 43rd birthday today, and I don't think this would be happening if I hadn't gotten professional help.

[Morigan]

Thank you for replying guys. I will keep you posted. next week I will take 6 days off - hopefully that will recharge my baterries. I wish you all a good day!

[pink&grey]

When I've broken down I lost control. Did crazy things and became so frightened that I committed myself. I think a break down is just that: breaking to the point that you can't manage anything at all. If I were where you are now, I'd up my therapy appointments to twice a week.

[Auntie2014]

Going 72 hours without sleep. Sleeping 3 hours then repeating the 72 hour non stop cycle is a good clue for me. Also non stop crying and major panic combined with no sleep is a good warning for me to start calling for professional help ASAP.