WARNING SIGNS of a Nervous Breakdown That YOU Shouldn’t Ignore!
We use the term nervous breakdown colloquially very often. Mostly this statement is to be understood with a wink of the eye, when our family, partner or work are excessively demanding and we get out of breath. If you've ever had to experience a real mental collapse, you won't be joking about it anytime soon. Very few people know that a nervous breakdown in real life doesn't necessarily involve a temper tantrum or throwing dishes and furniture around. Also, women and men experience emotional overload quite differently. We all sometimes reach our limits in everyday life. For one thing, the signs are easy to miss. On the other hand, we are usually so caught up in our routine and all our obligations that we simply don't find the time to listen to ourselves and recognize when the breaking point of our psyche has been reached. There is no question that it exists. It is different for every person. Some people quickly feel overwhelmed, while others endure the absolute maximum for years until the breakdown finally frees them. Because there is another aspect to consider: A shutdown of our soul is not only a warning sign. It should be considered a reboot and make us rethink the direction our lives have taken. We present you 8 early warning signs that announce a nervous breakdown in this article.
1. Social isolation and social withdrawal.
When we're mentally and perhaps emotionally overloaded, the last thing we need is more outside input. We've reached a manageable limit with our lives, so we avoid anything that might cause us additional stress. We also fear that family and good friends might look at us and see that we are not doing well at the moment. We are ashamed of not being in control of ourselves and our lives. Therefore, we retreat, take refuge in excuses, and avoid social contact wherever possible.
2. Excessive irritability
On the verge of a nervous breakdown, the ice we walk on every day is thin. But not only for us, our social environment also plays into this fact. The traffic in the morning, the indecisive people in the supermarket at the checkout line, the complicated work colleagues or partners and children who literally pull our last nerve. Those who still notice that every little thing leads to a sheer apocalyptic outburst of rage can still heed the need for controlling action. However, if we are so caught up in our emotional chaos that we would like to beat everything up, then we are on red alert.
3. Worries about worries weigh us down
What usually overwhelms us and robs us of sleep are the everyday hardships and worries that everyone carries around with them. Even if they are basically manageable and we can reasonably juggle all the balls that life has thrown at us, this does not mean that this is a permanent condition. We can deal with grief and anxiety for a while. We somehow manage to pay the bills, manage the doctor's appointments, balance family and career to some degree, and make sure each day goes by. Only once does the point come when a cog in the wheel slips out of place, a domino falls over too soon, and a step in our meticulously thought-out survival plan fails. Then the fragile house of cards collapses and we suddenly no longer know where our heads are. Mental overload is not an avalanche that spontaneously bursts upon us. It is more comparable to a tsunami. It is brewing far out at sea and is moving toward us in deliberate silence, but nevertheless with destructive force.
4. Sleep is out of the question
We all know phases of insomnia. If it becomes a permanent fixture in our lives, it is also a clear early warning sign that our peace of mind is currently not at its best. If we are unable to get much or any sleep for several nights in a row, our inner balance is clearly disturbed.
5. Chronic fatigue and states of exhaustion
When things get too much for us, we feel it in every bone. We then just drag ourselves through our days and would prefer not to leave bed at all in the morning. Unfortunately, that's only a real option for very few of us. Most people have to function. If not for themselves, then for others. If every day seems like an agonizing struggle and you just feel more like you're wrapped in cotton batting, be careful. This condition does not resemble those of zombies in horror movies for nothing. You are literally among the living dead, at least that's how it feels.
6. Shortness of breath
Our body is a real miracle. It can survive a lot and endure a lot and heal itself. However, it also shows us its limits quite clearly. In the case of an impending nervous breakdown, for example, we suddenly can no longer breathe. Our lungs then only work at half strength and the oxygen content in the air seems to have evaporated from one moment to the next. The well-intentioned advice to breathe deeply is then of no use at all. The reason: In times of intense stress, our body tries to prepare itself to run away or fight for its life. This mechanism, the well-known fight-or-flight response, can then manifest itself in the form of shortness of breath.
7. Concentration and memory lapses.
You're standing in front of the ATM and can't remember your pin number. Someone asks you for your phone number, and your mind goes blank. You are restless, unfocused and just want to be somewhere else. All these failures in everyday life are clear indications that everything is getting too much for you. Our brain can no longer handle all the information. In addition, insomnia and exhaustion naturally have a negative effect on our mental performance.
8. Our eating behavior changes
Here we know 2 extremes, the frustration or stress eaters who overeat and all those who completely lose their appetite from one second to the next. Some try to compensate for their stress with chocolate and fast food and calm their nerves by excessive chewing. The others have reached a point of complete listlessness, where no food in the world appeals to them anymore. They feel neither hunger nor thirst and after days and weeks are only a shadow of their former selves.
Today’s Conclusion: All the power of mindfulness
A nervous breakdown is not a nice feeling, on the contrary. The worst part of it is probably the shame we feel because we perceive ourselves as too weak or not resilient enough. The social pressure to be the fastest on the hamster wheel has then done its job. The path to a tangible breakdown is insidious. We often only notice the free fall of our psyche when it is almost too late. There is no patent remedy for prevention, since each person perceives his or her limits differently. However, we could listen more to our body. It is the mouthpiece of our soul and stands up for it when the soul can no longer defend itself. That's it for today.