Mental Health: How To Stop a Mental Breakdown & Helplines

December 18, 2024

I've had my fair share of mental health struggles, from severe anxiety, to OCD tendencies, bouts of depression and trauma. At times it's been debilitating and has consumed every part of my brain, there's been many occasions where I've felt like I'm drowning and fighting to keep my head above water. Other times I've been aware that my mental health has taken, or is about to take, a nosedive, and I've been able to catch it by finding ways to cope. When I feel like this, I'd describe it as having a mental breakdown, or being on the verge of one.

The term mental breakdown (or nervous breakdown) isn't used in a medical setting, it's not an official diagnosis and it doesn't relate to a specific condition. It's a term that's used as a way for people to express that they're experiencing high levels of stress, and that they're finding it difficult to cope with the challenges their facing.

What Are The Symptoms of a Mental Breakdown?

Excessive worrying
Being more irritable or angry
Withdrawing from loved ones
Low self-esteem
Restlessness
Thoughts of not wanting to be here anymore
Crying more than usual
A sense of impending doom (feeling like something life-threatening or tragic is about to happen, without there being an actual threat)
Persistently feeling unmotivated and hopeless
Struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep
Memory loss, brain fog or trouble concentrating
Feeling lethargic most days
Finding it difficult to keep up with personal hygiene like showering and brushing teeth
Trouble completing daily tasks like cooking and cleaning
Overeating, binge eating, or experiencing a loss of appetite
Digestive issues like diarrhoea, constipation, bloating or cramps
Physical symptoms like a racing heart or palpitations, dizziness, feeling sick, headaches, and feeling clammy

It's easier to prevent a full blown mental breakdown by slowing down and taking some time out, rather than digging yourself out of one. So what do you do when you feel yourself slipping?

How To Stop a Mental Breakdown

If you can - take a time out and remove yourself from the stressful situation, don't keep engaging in it if you're starting to feel overwhelmed. You can come back to it once you feel better equipped to handle it.

Practice relaxation and stress-relief techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or whatever helps you de-stress.

Find productive ways to manage or prevent stress such as improving organisation, planning ahead (forward thinking), discussing coping mechanisms with a counsellor, practicing delayed gratification, and taking breaks.

Take care of yourself when your mental health is good. If you can take care of your physical and mental wellbeing before you start struggling, it can make stressful situations easier to cope with and stop you getting to the point of a full breakdown. You can do this in your everyday life by eating a well-balanced diet, sleeping well and exercising.

Try to have a support system around you to keep you grounded, and to physically help if they can - like cooking and cleaning for you until you feel better.

If a mental breakdown seems to be particularly bad, for example it's impacting on your ability to get out of bed, take care of yourself or go to work, it goes on for a long time and you feel like nothing's working, or if you're at risk of hurting yourself or others, it's essential to reach out to a doctor or mental health specialist that can provide you with the professional support you need. Mental breakdowns can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition so don't delay getting help in these situations. They may recommend therapy like CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), starting medication like antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication, of changing aspects of your lifestyle such as caffeine intake and improvements to your diet or sleeping pattern.

Keep telling yourself that the way you're feeling right now is temporary and you will be happy again eventually - even if it doesn't feel like it. Remind yourself of how resilient you are, how you've got through every bad day in your life so far, and how this time will be no different!

If you don't feel like you have anyone to talk to, you can reach out to me at mel@thebreakupessentials.com and I'll talk to you until you feel better. Remember that you never have to struggle alone❤️