A nervous breakdown, also known as a mental breakdown, is a sudden, acute attack of mental illness such as depression or anxiety. Like “sanity” and its derivatives, the term is not recognized by the psychological community. In part, this is because the term has pejorative connotations, while this phenomenon is a normal and relatively common response to chronic stress. Often, the emerging illness is only described as a "breakdown" when the person becomes unable to function, at which point the disorder is advanced. Often, the supposed breakdown is a manifestation of career burnout. Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ... Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal, pathological anxiety, fears, phobias and nervous conditions that may come on suddenly or gradually over a period of several years, and may impair or prevent the pursuing of normal daily routines. ... Sanity considered as a legal term denotes that an individual is of sound mind and therefore can bear legal responsibility for his or her actions. ... Stress (roughly the opposite of relaxation) is a medical term for a wide range of strong external stimuli, both physiological and psychological, which can cause a physiological response called the general adaptation syndrome, first described in 1936 by Hans Selye in the journal Nature. ... This article is about the psychological term. ...

The psychiatric community rejects the term "nervous breakdown", in part, because it is not descriptive enough of the actual disorder and symptoms. A common diagnosis that follows such an event is “brief reactive psychosis.” Brief reactive psychosis is the psychiatric term for psychosis which is triggered by extreme stress. ...

A nervous breakdown is not the same as a panic attack, though nervous breakdowns can triggen panic. A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than thirty minutes. ...

Causes

Causes of breakdown include chronic and unresolved grief; unemployment; academic, occupational, and social stress; chronic insomnia and other sleep disorders, serious or chronic illness in a family member; divorce; death of a family member; pregnancy; deception from a loved one; and other sudden major life changes. A funeral in Sarajevo in 1992 Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Plato is credited with the inception of academia: the body of knowledge, its development and transmission across generations. ... Insomnia is characterized by an inability to sleep and/or to be incapable of remaining asleep for a reasonable period. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. ... For other uses, see Death (disambiguation). ... A pregnant woman near the end of her term Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ...

Whatever the cause, the message to the sufferer is that they now become aware of their limits of tolerance to stress, the usual outcome eventually is a more robust personality that interacts with stresses of life with more self care, although this may take time—sometimes years. Sometimes the sufferer develops strengths once not known to themselves which can also lead to a dramatic recovery.

Duration

During a nervous breakdown, a person will go through a series of complex emotions: usually ones that he/she can't comprehend, or will refuse to comprehend. While these and other emotional/physical feelings vary greatly, the following is usually expected:

• Extreme anger/confusion: Usually a person experiences these emotions shortly before "breaking down". But once they have shut themselves off from comprehending their feelings, they usually become confused to the point that they become angry. Their anger may be expressed in several ways: depression, destruction, self destruction, and many other passive/violent forms.

• Crying: Because of the confusion and anger brought out by the breakdown, once the person begins to open up to interpreting their emotions: they will cry from the extreme emotional stress that they are now trying to relieve themselves of.

• Loss of appetite: This may be brought about because of one of two reasons. The person experiencing the breakdown may be so upset with their situation that they starve themselves out of self-destruction; or they may do it because their mind is so confused in trying to reason through the high levels of stress that it does not feel the need to eat, almost as if eating is the last thing on the person's mind.

Depression, or a depressed mood, may in everyday English refer to a state of melancholia, unhappiness or sadness, or to a relatively minor downturn in mood that may last only a few hours or days. ... A German Thrash metal band formed in Lörrach, Germany in 1983. ... Tears trickling down the cheeks Lacrimation is the bodys process of producing tears, which are a liquid to clean and lubricate the eyes. ...

Longer-term duration

Nervous breakdowns can last for up to six months if left untreated. During this time the patient is disoriented, may have delusions of outer worldly abilities and they often require hospitalization. It is not known whether holistic treatments are sufficient in curing the patient, but traditional medication goes some way to making sure the patient is tranquilised and therefore gets sleep; something that is often most needed. Ultimately, what they need is rest. Sleep is the best treatment in the early stages.

Effects

Most commonly, nervous breakdowns are short, normally not lasting more than a week; however, they are often the external symptom of an underlying mental illness that if left untreated can lead to serious repercussions and have a lifelong effect on the sufferer.

A nervous breakdown is the acute manifestation of such illness and as such can lead to suicidal ideation or attempts at self-harm. The sufferer typically experiences what they feel as the total breakdown of ability to deal with even the most minimal stresses of day-to-day living and at its most extreme can become entirely non-functional and withdrawn.

Experiencing a nervous breakdown often predisposes the sufferer to the likelihood of further episodes, particularly if left untreated .^{[citation needed]} . However, this is not necessarily the case, and some people may have a one-off breakdown and no further episodes .^{[citation needed]}. Moreover, although treatment and medication may be necessary in some cases, some people are able to make a rebound without treatment. Although the recovery phase can take several years .^{[citation needed]} , it is possible to achieve it and to lead a successful life. That requires a high level of self-awareness and self-belief on the part of the person who has undergone the breakdown. .^{[citation needed]} The description above is scientifically recognized either as clinical depression, or Manic (bi-polar type) depression, basically Nervous breakdown scientifically speaking is a condition closest to 'Anxiety attack/s',often refer to as Panic attack/s.^{[citation needed]}

Popular Depictions

In the Broadway show Les Misérables, Javert's Suicide (the song and the action) is based on Javert's mental breakdown. Javert recites this shortly before killing himself: Les Misérables (translated variously from French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Victims) (1862) is a novel by French author Victor Hugo. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life. ...

I am reaching, but I fall. And the stars are black and cold. As I stare into the void; Of a world, that cannot hold...

Sylvia Plath's novel "The Bell Jar" is a semi-autobiographical account which describes a precocious young woman's nervous breakdown [1]. Image File history File links Cquote1. ... Image File history File links Cquote2. ... Sylvia Plath (October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) was an American poet, novelist, short story writer, and essayist. ... The Bell Jar book cover The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plaths only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas in 1963. ...

The music of Syd Barrett, especially his solo work, is often regarded as characteristic of the feelings one experiences during a nervous breakdown. Barrett himself famously went through such an episode, perhaps exacerbated by his heavy experimentation with LSD. The following are the opening lines to 'Jugband Blues,' one of the last songs he wrote with Pink Floyd [2]: Roger Keith Syd Barrett (January 6, 1946 – July 7, 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and artist. ... For other uses, see LSD (disambiguation). ... Jugband Blues is a song by British progressive rock band Pink Floyd. ... Pink Floyd are an English rock band noted for psychedelic rock music, philosophical lyrics, classical rock compositions, sonic experimentation, innovative cover art, and elaborate live shows. ...

It's awfully considerate of you to think of me here And I'm much obliged to you for making it clear That I'm not here.

Image File history File links Cquote1. ... Image File history File links Cquote2. ...

See also

• Neurosis