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Nervous breakdown how to help


4 Ways You Can Help Someone Having a Nervous Breakdown – Bridges to Recovery

March 28, 2019, Liz WatersonBridges to Recovery

When you suspect someone is having a nervous breakdown you must take it very seriously. A nervous breakdown may cause an individual to stop normal functioning, as well as an array of other side effects. It is important you understand what a nervous breakdown is, the early warning signs, and how to help someone having a nervous breakdown.

Growing up I was always envious of how well Josh balanced everything. During college he was able to hold down an internship at a great law firm and keep excellent grades in his classes. Following graduation, we both took a job at that same law firm. It was challenging for me at first, but he naturally excelled to become an outstanding young attorney and was made Partner by the time he was 30. Everything just always fell into place for Josh and he had it all—a successful career, an active social life and, of course, met and married the perfect woman. They decided to start a family, but it was when Jen became pregnant that things with Josh started to unexpectedly shift.

Josh was paranoid that a baby would change everything, and he became obsessed with crunching numbers to make sure they could financially afford their child while maintaining the lifestyle they enjoyed. Work began to pile up. Josh looked exhausted every day, and he began calling in sick and “working from home” in a very uncharacteristic manner. Colleagues asked if I knew what was going on with him, and everyone in the office thought Josh seemed depressed. When we were finally able to have an in-depth conversation, he confided in me that he felt like he was having a nervous breakdown and didn’t know what to do. He suddenly felt the pressures of work, family, and money overwhelming him. He didn’t want to stress Jen with his worries, but he also had begun to feel smothered by his own feelings and had no idea how to cope with being a rock for everyone else when he felt like everything in his life was spinning out of control. “It’s not that I’m sad or depressed,” he said. “It’s—I just can’t breathe.”

What Is a Nervous Breakdown?

A nervous breakdown, also known as a mental breakdown, is a mental health crisis that should not be taken lightly. This crisis occurs when an individual is no longer able to handle the stress or pressure. During this time a person will no longer be able to function normally and will endure copious amounts of anxiety and stress.

The cause and severity of the mental health crisis vary from person to person. Most likely there has been a build-up of stress and a lack of healthy coping mechanisms to manage the stress. Some other causes of a nervous breakdown are:

  • Death of a family member
  • A separation or divorce
  • Financial problems
  • Work-related stress
  • A physical assault
  • A recent diagnosis of illness or injury
  • An anxiety disorder

A nervous breakdown may last for a few hours or for a few weeks, the longer it lasts the worse the effects can be on a person’s well being.

How to Recognize a Nervous Breakdown?

There are numerous signs that can clue you in on a person having a nervous breakdown. Pay close attention and ask yourself these questions when wondering if someone is having a nervous breakdown.

  • Do they seem stressed?
  • Are they exhausted all the time?
  • Have they had extreme mood swings?
  • Do they seem paranoid?
  • Are they overworked?
  • Have their eating and exercise habits changed?
  • Are they anxious?
  • Do they seem depressed?
  • Have they missed important events, like school or work?

If you answered yes to any of these questions there is a high chance you or your loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis. Depending on the severity of this nervous breakdown comprehensive treatment may be the best option for treatment.

How to Help Someone During a Nervous Breakdown

When someone is experiencing a nervous breakdown it is essential to make sure help is available, as overcoming this mental health is very challenging. The main symptom of a nervous breakdown is the inability to function normally, and may include not being able to ask for help. Someone going through a nervous breakdown may have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. If you feel overwhelmed in helping call for help and when in doubt call 911 for emergency assistance.

Here are some ways you can help someone you care about who is having a mental health breakdown:

  1. Create a safe and calm environment. Make sure both physically and emotionally the individual is in a safe place. Take away distractions and unnecessary things or people.
  2. Listen without judgment. A person enduring a nervous breakdown will be much more likely to listen to you if you approach them with a calm, non-judgemental attitude.
  3. Encourage treatment. Since the cause and severity of a nervous breakdown is different for each person receiving a diagnosis from a mental health professional is key to treatment. This mental health crisis will not get better on its own, it is challenging enough, so make sure they speak to a professional.
  4. Help them make lifestyle changes. Adjusting just a few things in life can really help a person cope with stress and anxiety in a healthy manner. Make sure they are practicing self-care, encourage exercise and alternative therapies like meditation and yoga.

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Why Residential Treatment Is the Best Option for Someone Having a Nervous Breakdown

The cause and duration of a nervous breakdown vary from one individual to the next so there is not one set treatment plan. You need a mental health evaluation and a treatment plan tailored to your needs and to best diagnose any potential mental health disorders such as depression and/or anxiety. Residential treatment will provide a customized treatment plan, an environment designed for recovery, family programming, 24/7 support, group and family therapy, and holistic and alternative approaches to healing. The backbone of treating a nervous breakdown is individual therapy.

Licensed therapists will help patients understand what caused this mental health crisis and work with them to develop healthy coping mechanisms as well as teach strategies and relaxation techniques to prevent future breakdowns.

I convinced Josh that he needed to sit down with Jen and talk to her about what he’s going through. Jen and I worked together to help Josh get the support and care he needed. We found a comprehensive treatment center for Josh and convinced him that a brief stay in a residential facility was the best option for him and his family. Through assessments and testing, Josh was officially diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Now he was able to solely focus on his recovery and learn how to manage stress to prevent future breakdowns. All this time I thought Josh “always had it together”—it turns out he had just been functioning and managing his anxiety without anyone knowing it was there until he reached a point when he couldn’t hide it anymore. Treatment was able to provide Josh and Jen the tools needed for coping with his anxiety, balance work and home, and provide a healthier environment for their growing family.

Bridges to Recovery offers comprehensive treatment for people struggling with mental health disorders as well as co-occurring substance use disorders. Contact us to learn more about our renowned Los Angeles programs and how we can help you or your loved one start on the path to lasting wellness.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

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  • SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

    Also visit the online treatment locator.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

  • Suggested Resources

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    It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
    Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.

    After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
    Aids family members in coping with the aftermath of a relative's suicide attempt. Describes the emergency department treatment process, lists questions to ask about follow-up treatment, and describes how to reduce risk and ensure safety at home.

    Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
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    For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.

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Last Updated: 08/30/2022

What to do in case of a panic attack, what to do in case of a nervous breakdown, what to do in case of sensory overload

Mind and feelings

Sasha Serbina

January 18, 2023 16:10

Acute emotional reactions occur not only with mental disorders. Everyone can find themselves in a crisis situation, experience a panic attack or a nervous breakdown. About how to help themselves and others in such cases, "Afisha Daily" was told by specialists from the "Anton is right here" and "Open Wednesday" charitable foundations.

What if someone has a panic attack?

If someone around you has a panic attack, the most important thing is to stay calm. There is no one-size-fits-all advice for helping. Calmly suggest several options without being pushy. You can take the person by the hand, bring a glass of water and let them talk. Some are helped by distraction to other topics and breathing exercises, others by talking about what worries them. If this is your acquaintance, after the attack, discuss with him what kind of support would help him.

The first thing I do in such cases is to show that the person is safe here and now. I move his focus to where he is, how his body is located in space, how he breathes. I ask you to calm your breathing and breathe deeply for a while. In a stressful situation, it is important to feel safe and contact with the body, it is the body that responds first to the shock. And, of course, the main thing is to let know that my support is always available . Listening, letting people talk and crying is also a strategy. It is necessary to leave a choice: in this situation, you provide a reliable rear, but do not deprive the resource for independent actions.

If the condition is acute, the anxiety does not go away, or there is a danger that the person may harm himself, it is worth contacting a specialist. If the person has a psychologist, you can contact him first. But sometimes an ambulance, a psychiatrist or a neurologist may be required.

What is sensory overload and what to do if it happens?

Sensory overload is when the brain receives too many sensations and cannot cope with it. From the inside, it seems like a sudden storm: stimuli stop being filtered and burst into the brain all at once.

Talking will not help here, because this is a purely physiological reaction. You can help to get to a safe and quiet place where there are few irritants, dim the lights, music and drive away strangers. The best option is to leave the person alone for a while. Various monotonous activities can also help: solving puzzles, making lists, or taking a walk.

In the event of any situation associated with nervous overload, you need to remember: it is important to show support, calmness and in no case condemn. When you express dissatisfaction and blame a person, he becomes ashamed that he cannot control the behavior. Therefore after a breakdown, be sure to show the person that everything is in order and you still treat him well .

How to maintain and not express implicit judgment?

It is difficult to imagine an algorithm that would fit all people and situations. But there are simple rules that can help you support a person in difficult times. Showing empathy and empathy helps to connect emotionally and get through a difficult period together. Thanks to this, a person does not feel lonely.

  • Treat the person's feelings as a normal reaction to a difficult situation. Express agreement with his right to feel this way. Avoid the phrases "don't worry" or "just don't think about it."
  • Do not discount the feelings of the interlocutor, do not say "everything is fine, this is nonsense, you are exaggerating." Such phrases not only do not give a feeling of support, but also provoke feelings of guilt.
  • Demonstrate a willingness to listen rather than talk. Perhaps the person needs to talk. But don't be too pushy if he doesn't want to discuss the problem. In this case, it is enough just to be there, not to leave the person with the situation alone.
  • Offer real help, not advice. Ask what you can do to improve his condition. If you see that a person cannot cope even with the support of loved ones, offer him the help of a specialist. This is especially important in situations where a person voices thoughts about unwillingness to live or shows aggressive behavior towards himself.

How can I help myself?

The most common tips that still work:

  • Stick to a sleep routine: Eight hours of sleep is very important.
  • Do not skip meals.
  • Exercise.
  • Do not read the news a couple of hours before bedtime.
  • Periodically take tests for vitamins and trace elements. Anxiety can be the result of some kind of deficiency, and exacerbation of chronic diseases can occur from severe stress.
  • Any stability in an anxious situation provides support for effective work in uncertainty.

However, these recommendations will not help a person with depression or an anxiety disorder. In the event of the appearance of signs of these diseases, it is necessary to contact a specialist - a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

Open Wednesday is a charitable organization that has been helping teenagers and adults with autism in Krasnodar for free since 2018. Thanks to her, in the Krasnodar Territory, for the first time, it was possible to officially employ people with an autism spectrum disorder and open the first assisted living apartment in the region. The organization supports more than 170 families, each of which has a person with autism.

"Anton is right here" is a charitable foundation for systematic support of people with autism, founded in 2013 in St. Petersburg. It has programs for people with ASD of all ages: from early diagnosis and pre-school inclusive education to assisted employment and independent living in society.

This text is part of a joint project between Afisha Daily and the Garage Endowment Fund, in which we ask difficult public questions to representatives of NGOs and charitable foundations.

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Anna Malova

Nervous breakdown - what it is, causes, symptoms, treatment

Everyone experiences stress, but for some people it can develop into a nervous breakdown. What is a nervous breakdown, why does it occur and how does it manifest itself? Especially for Forbes Life, clinical psychologist, co-founder of the YouTalk service Anna Krymskaya talks about the causes, symptoms and consequences of this condition

What is a nervous breakdown

In the past, the term "nervous breakdown" was often used to refer to various mental disorders, but today there is no such diagnosis in medicine, and a nervous breakdown is not considered a mental illness. The terms “nervous breakdown”, “nervous breakdown” or “emotional breakdown” often describe a condition where a person cannot cope with stress, anxiety and anxiety on their own, cannot function normally in everyday life.

Causes of a nervous breakdown

Although a breakdown is not a mental illness, any other disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder combined with stress (such as divorce, loss of a loved one, etc. ) ) can cause a breakdown.

Chronic stress can also cause a nervous breakdown, for example, caused by a series of financial difficulties, problems at work and in personal relationships. At risk are people who do not have stress tolerance skills and reliable social support.

You can prevent stress from developing into a nervous breakdown if you “catch” your condition a few weeks before the crisis point

How to understand that you have a nervous breakdown

The signs of a nervous breakdown vary from person to person and depend on the cause. Each organism reacts in its own way. Some symptoms are related to mental state, well-being and changes in behavior. However, physical symptoms are also possible.

Psychological symptoms of a nervous breakdown can manifest themselves as:

  • acute anxiety that the person cannot cope with on their own;
  • a feeling of detachment and disinterest in communicating with friends and relatives, doing the usual things;
  • inability to focus and make decisions;
  • mood swings - feeling of depression, emotional burnout, outbursts of uncontrollable anger and fear, feeling of helplessness, sobbing and hysteria;
  • depersonalization - a state when a person does not feel himself;
  • detachment from reality — a person does not distinguish between reality and imagination;
  • as well as hallucinations, paranoia (the feeling that someone is watching you), suicidal thoughts and self-harm attempts.

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Physical symptoms include insomnia and restless sleep, fatigue and exhaustion up to the inability to do even normal daily activities, frequent colds, digestive disorders. As well as such physiological manifestations as heart palpitations, discomfort in the chest, a feeling of a coma in the throat, which seems to make it harder to breathe - that is, signs of a panic attack. Some of the symptoms of a nervous breakdown are similar to those of burnout, a state of mental and emotional exhaustion that is often the result of chronic workplace stress.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov Pexels

Treatment of a nervous breakdown

There is no universal answer to the question of how to treat a nervous breakdown. Depending on the situation and diagnosis, both a psychiatrist and a psychologist will help to cope with a nervous breakdown - these specialists have a different profile of work, often in the event of a nervous breakdown, the support of both is needed.

A psychiatrist specializes in diagnosing depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic disorder and other conditions. If some mental disorder has become the basis for a nervous breakdown, medications can help treat it. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are usually prescribed, but other medication options are available depending on the condition.

Diet, physical activity, and some simple habits can help you through stressful times.

In terms of psychological help, cognitive behavioral or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the most effective treatment for nervous disorders. This approach helps to identify errors and false attitudes in thinking and interpreting life events, it works effectively for a specific task and in short-term therapy, for example, within 20 sessions. CBT is an important mechanism for the treatment of anxiety disorders of various nature. For a nervous breakdown, cognitive behavioral therapy may include homework, journaling to analyze experiences that occur during the day, refocusing, relaxation, and mindfulness techniques, as well as exposure (intentional encounters with frightening situations in order to reduce fear) and rational-emotive role-playing games. A psychologist should be able to ask open-ended questions correctly, show empathy and give a person the necessary tools that will help them to help themselves in the future.

What to do to avoid a nervous breakdown

You can prevent stress from developing into a nervous breakdown if you “catch” your condition a few weeks before the crisis point. Try not to overload yourself, find time to replenish resources and slow down.

Some simple habits can help yourself during a stressful period. All of them are quite simple, but proven effective. Try to eat a balanced diet that energizes. The diet should be varied, it is worth removing coffee, alcohol and other stimulants from the diet to reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Do not forget about regular physical activity - it can even be small daily walks.

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Relaxation techniques and breathing practices also show high efficiency in dealing with stress. For example, you can use a visualization technique where you create a mental image of a place that calms you, or muscle relaxation, where you first tense and then relax different muscle groups. Try focusing on deep, slow breathing: inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.

If you have a nervous breakdown, you are in a critical condition and urgently need help, you can contact one of these organizations:

+7 (800) 2000-122 - a helpline for children, adolescents and their parents.

Learn more