In simple words, mental breakdowns are a state of physical or emotional exhaustion. They can make you feel alone, in the dark and lost.
Mental breakdowns or burnouts are no fun. Just the name itself is quite repelling. It’s taboo. Miss understood by the people who have them, those surrounding them, and those who believe they simply don’t exist.
Different types of Mental breakdowns
The experts have separated 3 different types of origins to where mental breakdowns may come from. They can be caused by:
- Depression or an anxiety disorder
- Psychotic symptoms
- Work-related
First signs of a Burnout
A person with a mental breakdown often doesn’t function as they normally would.
Daily tasks become more and more difficult. Simple decisions such as what shoes to wear or what’s for supper end up into tears and crying because the decision is difficult.
The stress level of an up coming appointment is through the roof for no reason.
It can affect their emotions state:
- getting angry easily
- irritability
- feeling helpless
- crying for no reason
- worrying
It can affect their interests and their physical statues:
- losing interest in activities
- lost of appetite
- hard to breath
- difficulty sleeping
- irregular menstruation cycle
They’re not immediately noticeable at first. These symptoms may take a few weeks, even months, before noticing there might be a problem. Even more often, the loves ones are the ones noticing these changes first.
Easy question, difficult answer
We’ve all been asked these easy question:
- How are you?
- Are you well?
- How are things?
- How’s work?
Yet we all answer them the same way:
“I’m doing good or everything’s well Thanks you”
Is it really the truth?
Seems in today’s society, we ignores the fact that, we’re not well. We’re overwhelmed or over worked. We don’t want to admit that we just might be on a mental breakdown. Or maybe we just don’t want to hear the phrase ” Hope you feel better soon” and not getting support or help we need.
It gets hopeless, dark, and lonely to be stuck in state, but sometimes telling the truth and admitting its not going well is the best thing you can ever do for yourself.
Where to find help
Admitting you are on a mental breakdown is the number one step in getting help. Denial is a terrible state of mind. and we often need help to see that we do need help and we cant’ get out of it alone.
Talking about it to your family and friends can help when they are willing to listen. Some of them may feel the same way. Some might of gone through what you are going through and could refer you to a doctor.
Step two would be to see your family doctor.
- They might recommence giving you medication for your symptoms such as helping you sleep or antidepressant.
- Give you time off form work
- Help you changes your life routine, like meditation, walks, healthy diet, reduce work hours/week.
Getting out of a mental breakdown is difficult. Listening to good advise from your family, friends, doctor and from your own body, it can be easier to get back on track and back to your regular self faster.
But most important, give yourself time.
I had a few burnouts myself and this next blog tells my personal story
02 How I burned-out, got help and learned to relax.