Is There Such A Thing As A Nervous Breakdown? Not Really

This is a term we hear often, and more so this past couple of years. I remember as a child when our aunt had a nervous breakdown. It was all shrouded in secrecy. She was admitted to the hospital, and I recall her being very sad and overwhelmed by circumstances. She was a very pretty lady. I was always impressed with her cool sunglasses, and fashionable appearance. I think it was the first time I realized that good looks do not always translate into happiness.

The term “nervous breakdown” is still cloaked in mystery. It is not really a medical diagnosis because our nerves do not break down. If they did, we would be in serious trouble such as when people get ALS, MS, and various other neurodegenerative disorders.

The term refers to situations where an individual is so overwhelmed by the stress of their circumstances to the extent they cannot function. They cannot work or carry out routine activities of daily living.

What happens to people if they have a nervous breakdown? Most will see a doctor and get referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist. A psychologist will delve into the cause. A psychiatrist will prescribe medications. In some cases, the person will be hospitalized and may even get electric shock treatments (yes they still do those). In fact ECT is commonly used to treat depression in seniors.

How do people prevent the so-called nervous breakdown? Although some people are more resilient than others – we can only take so much. Many people escape the emotional distress by using drugs or alcohol, which often exacerbates the mood swings.

Taking responsibility for our health, includes taking responsibility for our mental health as well. Even though we experience extreme emotional distress, it does not mean we have to cave in to it. The important thing is to try and stop any external assaults on our mind and emotions. Emotional distress is often a signal that something needs to change.

A very straight forward way to prevent a nervous breakdown, is to keep functioning even if you don’t feel like it. As long as you can get up in the morning and put one foot in front of the other, you can walk it through, and think it through.

The central elements in maintaining stable mental health are diet, exercise, and avoiding toxic people and toxic drugs.

There are all kinds of therapeutic measures to help our mental health. Hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, prayer and meditation, gardening, listening to birdsong, music, hobbies, and learning. Gratitude, adequate sleep, and concentrating on what dietary improvements can be made to increase serotonin and dopamine levels will do wonders to prevent a complete failure to cope.

I know many people are dependent on prescription drugs. The drugs can have a profound effect on the brain, and many psychotropic medications cause movement disorders. Each individual has to do their own research and monitor how they feel.

The only external evaluations of a person’s mental health are based on behaviours and thought processes as expressed in conversation (or writing). If the thought processes are extremely disorganized, or expressing inclinations to self-harm or violence – then intervention is required. If a person is behaving in such a way as to be disturbing the peace, the people around them need to be protected.

So regardless of what we experience, we can take measures to stop the external stressors. We can learn to evaluate what things cause us stress, and what things help us feel better. We can be assured that maintaining self-control will help keep us sane. If we have overwhelming issues, we need to create a plan of action, and go about things in a lawful, calm, coherent manner.

Most of all, we need to have confidence in our own ability to maintain a sound mind and use good judgement. When I look at some of the homeless camps, it is heartbreaking to see people who are unable to take care of themselves or their surroundings. What is the solution?

When I worked as an RN I noticed that many people who ended up in locked psychogeriatric units, had many prior episodes of nervous breakdowns requiring admission to the hospital. They also had a history of long term use of psychotropic medications.

We ought to be aware that there are people who will attack our minds, and try to destroy our mental health. This is often a sideline for those who are inclined to use control tactics and violence, such as in domestic or familial violence. They attack the mind and emotions because it is not a physical assault, and therefore they can get away with it.

Even though we are most inclined to fear for our physical safety, we also have to diligently guard our minds and our hearts. The most difficult battles we face in our lives – are spiritual, not physical.

I think the biggest fallacy to overcome, is that we lose the ability to cope. Coping requires that we keep going, set tangible goals, and have confidence in our mental health.

An often overlooked reality of our journey through life, is to acknowledge that we are also spiritual beings. One way or another, our minds, our will, our emotions, and our beliefs will eventually dominate our destiny. If we have faith in God, we know he will help us get past the struggles we face.

Every time I feel emotionally devastated, I remind myself that God has blessed believers with a sound mind. Therefore, thank God for a sound mind, and every time you fall or fail – just hope you can get back up and keep going.

We were never promised a life without struggles. But we have been shown the spiritual answer to enable us to overcome whatever happens to us.

Interestingly, many years later during a nostalgic discussion with our aunt – she smiled warmly and said, “All I can say is – by the grace of God go I”. My sister and I stole sidelong glances, and both of us agreed. I remember thinking – I’ll second that motion!