When some people hear the term ‘nervous breakdown’, they think about madness or insanity. Indeed, many people associate nervous breakdown to a stereotypical patient inside a mental institution who is walking around in a corridor, his eyes glazed and unfocused. Some people, on the other hand, associate nervous breakdowns with the loss of will to live and the loss of the ability to function and perform his so-called activities of daily living. He apparently loses the desire to eat or take a bath. Still some people also equate nervous breakdowns to career burnout. In this case, people who are perennially busy suddenly ‘lose it’ – their drive or their ability to perform their work and function at the office.
It is apparent from the above discussion that most people are unclear about exactly what a nervous breakdown entails. In this article, the specific symptoms of and the means for diagnosing a nervous breakdown shall be discussed.
The Role of Stress
People often experience stressful situations in their lives. The body has a special coping mechanism which helps a person battle the effects of stress. The adrenal gland, which also has a role in managing fat, regulating blood pressure and regulating the sugar level in the body, is in charge of handling the stress that we encounter every day. In particular, the adrenal gland secretes hormones that help the body prepare for its defense; the catecholamine like epinephrine and norepinephrine help restore the balance in the body.
But when someone is exposed to constant or continuous stress, the adrenal gland also becomes tired. The parts of the body crucial to the body's defense also become tired. Consequently, a person who is constantly stressed out experiences fatigue; his adrenal glands’ ability to manage the body's reaction to stress is also weakened. Thus, someone who is under constant stress eventually finds that his resistance to stress is diminishing and his ability to cope with stress declining. The decline in the body's ability to resist and defend against stress can ultimately lead to a nervous breakdown.
What Is a Nervous Breakdown?
Nervous breakdown, in actuality, is a catch-all phrase that is used by people to refer to all sorts of disorders (usually psychiatric or psychological). In other words, nervous breakdown is a general term and not a specific medical term with specific symptoms and causes. It is in fact just the layman's term for various medical conditions that keep a person in a state of constant agitation and distress; these conditions are usually marked by a person's lack of ability to function normally.
Technically speaking, a nervous breakdown is actually a symptom. People who suffer from major depression, for instance, will probably experience a nervous breakdown as a result of their depression. It is not a nerve disease. Rather, it is a state where a person who has had to deal with a lot of stress suddenly “snaps” and “loses it,” so to speak.
The Symptoms of Nervous Breakdown
Nervous breakdowns are therefore vague and manifested in many ways. People who are suffering from depression can have a nervous breakdown characterized by the inability to feel pleasure, inability to sleep or stay awake and, generally, inability to function normally.
A nervous breakdown may also be experienced by people who are suffering from psychosis or other mental disorders. Someone who has a nervous breakdown may find it hard to assimilate information and grasp reality. He may also have visual and aural hallucinations. Furthermore, violent tendencies may also manifest as a result.
A nervous breakdown can be devastating and frightening. If the warning signs are not recognized early, the repercussions can be serious. During a nervous breakdown, a person cannot fully comprehend reality. He can become extremely angry, confused and distressed. He can easily become destructive – both to himself and to other people.
A nervous breakdown is therefore a psychological crisis that occurs very suddenly. It also has physiological manifestations. Someone who is suffering from nervous breakdown suddenly experiences some of the following symptoms: muscle weakness, lightheadedness, intense craving for food (especially food that is rich in fat and salt content), insomnia, diarrhea, constipation, low sexual drive, and an irregular menstrual cycle.
Diagnosing Nervous Breakdown
Diagnosing a nervous breakdown is usually very difficult. First of all, diagnosis requires elimination of all other possible causes of the various manifestations of a nervous breakdown. Thus, a patient who may have a nervous breakdown has to undergo some tests. A comprehensive history must also be compiled on him; this requires the cooperation of the patient and the patient's family.
For proper diagnosis of a person with nervous breakdown, the family member or friend should accompany the person to a medical institution where professional help is available. The medical professional will then proceed to perform a full physical examination, including lab tests, to rule out physical causes. The doctor will then interview the patient and the family, and he will perform a mental health assessment to determine the patient's mental state.
Diagnosis also necessitates looking for the specific disorder that is causing the nervous breakdown or that is manifesting itself in a nervous breakdown. A nervous breakdown, as earlier mentioned, is not a true medical condition but rather a catch-all phrase that is used to refer to a broad range of psychiatric and psychological disorders. A patient who is having a nervous breakdown may be suffering from anxiety disorders, psychotic or manic disorders.
Determining the root cause of the nervous breakdown is required, therefore. The resolution of or the root problem will lead to the resolution of the manifested symptoms (of which nervous breakdown is one).
Conclusion
A nervous breakdown can last for several months if it is left untreated. Since a nervous breakdown makes a person lose his grasp of reality, he can become a danger to himself and to others.
If you think your loved one is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, it is imperative that you immediately seek medical help. It is best that the cause of a possible nervous breakdown be immediately addressed so that a full nervous breakdown can be prevented. If you, on the other hand, are dealing with a lot of stress, you may be setting yourself up for a nervous breakdown. You should try to slow down and relax more before you become truly sick.
By TTS Holistic Counselor Mehdi Jaffari
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