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Jun 17, 2022 · More disagreements equal more stress, not less. If you’re prone to meltdowns, think about what tends to lead up to them or to set them off. Some may be easily resolved, such as being sure to eat ...
- Symptoms of Stress
Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. The...
- Symptoms of Stress
Jan 5, 2024 · Journal: Journaling for your mental health is a great way to decrease stress and develop increased self-awareness of what is causing emotional meltdowns. Get adequate sleep: Sleep is essential for your body and mind. When we sleep, we give our brain time to process and recover from the day’s stress. 2.
Jun 29, 2022 · A meltdown is an intense response to an overwhelming situation. It happens when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situation and temporarily loses control of their behaviour. This loss of control can be expressed verbally (eg shouting, screaming, crying), physically (eg kicking, lashing out, biting) or in both ways.
Aug 4, 2022 · Recap. An emotional outburst refers to a sudden passionate display of emotion resulting from strong or intense feelings. Experiencing an emotional outburst can be a vulnerable experience ...
- Overview
- Symptoms of an Emotional Breakdown
- Causes of an Emotional Breakdown
- Diagnosing an Emotional Breakdown
- Coping With an Emotional Breakdown
- A Word From Verywell
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You may have heard the phrase "emotional breakdown" fairly often, or even used it yourself and wondered what exactly it entails.
An emotional breakdown, also known as a nervous breakdown, mental breakdown, or mental health crisis, is a period of severe emotional distress, where a person may feel paralyzed and entirely incapable of coping with life’s challenges, says Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.
Metaphorically speaking, an emotional breakdown can be likened to a total tire blowout that has a car stranded on the side of the road, according to the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah.
It’s important to note that an emotional breakdown isn’t a formal mental health diagnosis, explains Dr. Romanoff. Rather, she explains that the phrase is used informally as an umbrella term that can encompass several mental health conditions.
“What makes an emotional breakdown distinct is that there are almost always intense symptoms of stress and paralysis where the person finds themselves incapable of functioning,” says Dr. Romanoff.
These are some of the thoughts that you may have if you’re experiencing an emotional breakdown:
•“I’m losing control.”
•“Everything is going wrong and I don’t know what to do.”
•“I’m mentally, physically, and emotionally overwhelmed.”
•“I’m stuck and cannot function.”
•“It’s not going to be all right.”
These are some of the potential causes of an emotional breakdown, according to Dr. Romanoff:
•Death of a loved one
•Family turmoil
•Financial difficulties
•Loss of a job or business
•Personal tragedy or setback
If you think you’re experiencing an emotional breakdown, you should make an appointment with your regular healthcare provider—this could include a psychologist, psychiatrist, or even your primary care physician.
A healthcare provider can complete a comprehensive evaluation, suggest treatment options, and work with you to develop a treatment plan to address your symptoms.
There is no diagnosis for an emotional breakdown in mental health manuals such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Fifth Edition (DSM-5) or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems: 11th Revision (ICD 11), says Dr. Romanoff.
Depending on your symptoms and their intensity, your healthcare provider will determine whether you have a mental health condition such as a depressive disorder, an anxiety disorder, or an acute stress disorder, and provide treatment accordingly, she explains.
Get Some Perspective
Take a step back from the stressor and try to get some perspective on it. This could mean talking to an objective person, a friend, or a trusted loved one to help you view the situation from a different lens and find alternative ways to cope.
Focus on Self-Care
Focus on self-care and then re-approach the situation instead of trying to white-knuckle yourself through a problem. Usually, it’s the basic small steps that make the biggest difference. This includes getting at least seven hours of sleep per night, eating healthy whole foods, and exercising. These are crucial elements that are universally needed for effective functioning. When we face stressors, we tend to neglect some of those domains, which only weakens our ability to cope and makes them assume the stressor is much worse than it is in reality. Once you have these things down, you will probably find that your perspective on the stressor has improved, and your perceived ability to cope with it has increased.
Seek Treatment and Support
If you’re experiencing an emotional breakdown or struggling to cope, it can be helpful to see a mental healthcare provider. They will be able to determine whether you have a mental health condition and offer treatment accordingly. If not, they can still help you put your challenges in perspective and help you develop the coping skills you need to face them.
An emotional breakdown is the point where we feel like we can’t handle things anymore and give up. Everyone has a different capacity for stress and so this point looks different for each of us.
While a problem can feel overwhelming when you’re wrapped up in it, it can be helpful to take a step back, take care of yourself, get help, and then re-approach it with a fresh perspective.
Stress Relief Techniques for Every Type of Stress
4 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
1.Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah. What is a mental breakdown?
Mar 5, 2024 · When kids have tantrums and meltdowns beyond the preschool years, they may be symptoms of underlying problems. Extreme anxiety can cause tantrums. Kids with ADHD are prone to outbursts, too, as they have poor impulse control and find it hard to tolerate boredom. Undiagnosed learning disorders can cause kids to explode in frustration.
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May 18, 2017 · Shifting your attitude and preparing before difficult situations can often be enough to prevent meltdowns. Try the three tactics below: 1. Identify your trigger situations for meltdowns and make a ...
