Lazo, Jennivive C.

STEM 11

How to Deal with Mental Breakdown

A nervous or mental breakdown is a term used to describe a period of intense
mental distress. It was one used to refer to a wide variety of mental illnesses, including
depression, anxiety, and acute stress disorder. It is generally viewed as a period when
physical and emotional stress become intolerable and impair one’s ability to function
effectively. Most common signs of a mental breakdown are depressive symptoms, such as
loss of hope and thoughts of suicide or self-harm, anxiety with high blood pressure, tense
muscles, clammy hands, dizziness, upset stomach, and trembling or shaking, insomnia,
hallucinations, extreme mood swings or unexplained outbursts, panic attacks which
includes chest pain, detachment from reality and self, extreme fear and difficulty breathing,
paranoia such as believing someone is watching you or stalking you, flashbacks of a
traumatic event, which can suggest undiagnosed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD),
and withdrawal from family, friends and coworkers like avoiding social functions and
engagements, eating and sleeping poorly, maintaining poor hygiene, calling in sick to work
for days or not showing up at all and isolation.
Mental breakdown can by managed by using either talk therapy or cognitive
behavioral therapy, taking prescription medications, such as antidepressants or antianxiety
medication to treat chemical imbalances, practicing alternative treatments such as
acupuncture, massage therapy or yoga. If already on the verge of breakdown, breathe
deeply and count backward from 10 when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, cut caffeine
and alcohol from your diet and develop a sleep schedule and routine that will help you
sleep well such as warm bath, switching off electric devices or reading a book before bed.
Self- care can also be possible through getting regular exercise at least 3 times a week,
going to a therapist or counseling sessions to manage stress, avoiding drugs, alcohol,
caffeine and other substances that create stress on the body, getting regular sleep and
sleeping for at least 6 hours a night, incorporating relaxation techniques like deep
breathing into your daily routine, reducing your stress level by pacing yourself, taking
mini-break, better organizing your environment and daily activity, and keeping a daily to-
do list.
What others see as a mental breakdown may actually be an undiagnosed mental
illness. Consult a doctor. Health is wealth.