Nervous Breakdown - your perception

What's your understanding of a nervous breakdown?
And, can you see it coming?
What are the symptoms and what do you do?

I was unable to eat for weeks. Couldn't even take care of my son. All I could do was sit in my rocking chair legs drawn up to my chest and me holding on to them so tight. I cried day in and day out. If I slept any, it was only in that chair. I could only get up to go to the restroom and right back to my chair and crying and rocking. My husband, who was normally very abusive, avoided me as much as possible. He did not know what to do with me. He took our son to his mothers and left me all alone in that chair for days. Finally, going into the 3rd week, I gathered enough energy to drive myself to my doctor. He wanted to admit me, but I begged him not to. He gave me medicines and told me I needed to make some changes in my life. I had no clue that this was about to happen, it came out of the blue and paralysed me.

My understanding of a nervous breakdown is going beyond your burdening threshold and limits and simply releasing, for better or worse.. I could be wrong though.

I am asking a very real question, especially as I feel there are a number of us on these forums that could benefit from this...

Please forgive me for interrupting your thread. I should have ignored it as well.

They are very real & scary events. I only have panic attacks as a reference.
But at present we are trying to keep my mother as calm as possible. She is asking to be admitted to psych ward. My dad & her reg doc are in denial.
Hope you get better comments in your search.

I've been to a hospital before, and it was fine. I just want to know at what stage I need to ask for help

I had a nervous breakdown years ago. I was unable to focus; I was unable to reason; unable to carry on a 'reasonable' conversation; unable to work; shaking uncontrollably, having a panic attack; very anxious. It was just horrible.

I was immediately sent to a psychiatrist who immediately put me in the hospital (I signed myself in).

When you have a nervous breakdown, it's my feeling that you definitely KNOW when you're having one. You don't question it. LOL You lose control of just about everything.

I hope you're not having one. It's a terrible experience. Hugs, Lee

Thanks Leed.
Some days are really worse than others. But I know I'm on week 2 of hardly getting any work done, hardly cooking supper, not spending time with my horses, and sleeping 12 hours on weekends when I can.
Getting very depressed on weekends about the work week and just not wanting to care

That is a long time to be dealing with it consistently. Be very careful, and don't push yourself to far. (((HUGS)))

well be definition I guess when the nervous system has too much input and can't take it anymore. So it would kinda be like going insane, though there may be varying degrees of what it is.

I mean even when someone temporarily pretty much loses it it could be considered a nervous breakdown even if they are able to come out of it later. I don't think its a very specific term really.

Sure - I just am trying to understand when to ask for help

When it feels like its too much for you to handle on your own anymore, at least that's my opinion.

Nervous breakdowns sort of don't exist. They happen when things suddenly gets worse, and it can be stress, anxiety, panic, depression and psychosis really. It just has to be a sudden and severe worsening. It makes more sense being more specific about what the sudden worsening is about.

Having a breakdown is not funny at all, My brother had one many years ago, He laid in bed for days and wouldn't get up for anything, did not eat, bathe,, My mom at the time called the GP, he was sectioned and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia he was just 18 at the time (he is now 46) and still is often sectioned.

Can't speak for others, but mine last for a long long time. Lots of anxiety. I mean lots and lots...my chest felt like someone poured acid on it. I could function at work, but barely. Mostly my mind raced, and I obsessed over everything. Matter of fact, that was my last diagnosis made by a shrink...I didn't even know they diagnosed that using that term anymore! but they did, with me. I was a wreck for sure,

When I had my breakdown I was no longer able to care for my baby son or myself. I didn't eat, I didn't sleep. I attempted suicide. I was eventually hospitalized but it took years to recover. It was awful.

Suga, you have been struggling for sometime now. I think you should get help. Please, I don't want you to hurt yourself.

My T last week said - you just sound emotionally tired.
Now, couple that with bad depression and major anxiety, and I'm not a happy camper. I'm thinking the actual vocabulary may be different but the issue still as "sever".
My pdoc has changed my meds; I'm not sure what the next approach is.

I actually thought I was having a breakdown last week, I was almost sectioned, I hardly slept or ate in 7 days, I have crisis team visiting me every 2 days now to monitor me, They said if I got worse then hospital will be the next option, I was just staring into space (so my husband says) Very suicidal too.

T seemed very keen today to send me in to hospital to get away from life, get daily therapy from her, maybe even get a physio out to make sure there is no stress, and if need be get a pdoc daily. For 5 days or so. I'm really considering. I'm finished. I even told her that during the session there were times I heard her, but didn't internalize a single word; I'd just shut down

The idea is growing on me. I'd only go to a normal hospital though - not psych specific

Hi Sugahorse, anytime you get to the point you can't hardly function is a good time to get help. I mean, it's better than letting things stew to the point somebody else has to make that decision for you. When that happens to me, I often fight the help given because it's made me feel even more powerless. Not to mention ashamed. Good luck! You can do this.

Thank you. Fri and Sat were goods days, today has just started, and had a horrible to trigger, so it's hard to gauge at this stage...
I think I'm ok

I am glad you are considering hospitalization. It really helped me when I was at my worst.

MAJOR TRIGGER - grandmother has just been dx'd with sever cancer. No idea how long she'll be around for. My parents are offering me to fly to Germany to probably see her for the last time. I don't know if I can handle that.
But my parents are also beginning to fall apart

((((sugahorse))),

I think you're staying away from the very things that "help" you. Can you just go and groom your horse, let him smell you and "nuzzle" you? I do that myself, I just go and cuddle my horse and take in his beauty. I also try to watch an "upbeat" movie too or go for a quiet walk.

I am so sorry about your grandmother, it is so hard when a family member is dying.
Sigh....it is understandable that your parents are upset too. After all, that is one of your parent's "mom" and that is a very challenging loss for anyone. It is hard to go through and difficult to heal from.

((((Hugs))))

I broke down myself after I just could not get up and face another day of caring for my injured animals. Honestly, I think if I had just had some rest and been away from it and even if I just spent time sitting on a beach and quiet, I might have done better to calm down and "repair" or re energize in some way. And that is what we need to think about when so much comes all at once, to try to find time outs and allow ourselves to "re-engergize" and "regroup".