There isn’t a single, neat definition of what an emotional breakdown is. Each experience that falls under this umbrella term may have unique symptoms or features. An emotional breakdown may bring feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, paralysis or inability to cope with what’s happening. It’s also sometimes called a nervous breakdown or mental health crisis. Most of the time these situations happen when people hit their personal limit of built-up stress or when they’re blindsided by a personal tragedy, such as a loved one dying.
In this blog post, we’ll describe what an emotional breakdown might look like and list some steps you can take if you or a loved one is experiencing one.
What are some possible symptoms of an emotional breakdown?
The way you respond to an emotional breakdown may be very different than how someone else might feel or what they might do. During an emotional breakdown, besides intense emotional symptoms, a person may also notice other mental health symptoms or physical symptoms.
The following are some symptoms that may come up during an emotional breakdown:
- Feeling on edge, being unable to relax
- Feeling like you’re losing control or you want to give up
- Sudden shifts in perspective
- Hopelessness or powerlessness
- An extreme sense of doom
- Mood swings or emotional outbursts
- An energy crash or feelings of fatigue
- Intense emotions: sadness, worry, anxiety, fear, guilt, shame, anger and others
- Paranoia
- Self-isolation
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- Sweating
- Shaking or tremors
- Dizziness
- Difficulty breathing
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Trouble sleeping
- Nausea, vomiting or upset stomach
What to do if you or a loved one is having an emotional breakdown
If you or a loved one is experiencing an emotional breakdown and you don’t feel safe, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also check out other SAMHSA crisis resources, including a National Helpline. If you are safe for the time being, make an appointment with your regular health care provider. You may also start to explore higher levels of mental health care.
In the meantime, you or your loved one should take a step back and focus on self-care. See what you can do to make things easier for yourself and try to calm down. It may help to call up a friend who can listen or help you take care of practical things while you recover. Try some grounding techniques, put on some calming music, and engage your senses with an aromatherapy oil or lotion. Lavender, chamomile, clary sage and orange bergamot are all very calming scents.
What else could it be besides an emotional breakdown?
An emotional breakdown may be an isolated event brought on by difficult life situations. In other cases, it might be a symptom of a larger mental health condition. Everyone needs support with managing their mental health from time to time. If you or your loved one has had other mental health symptoms leading up to or after this breakdown, you should seek out an assessment with a licensed clinical provider.
The following are some types of mental health symptoms and conditions that may look like an emotional breakdown:
- Panic attack — A panic attack is a sudden wave of intense fear that may be set off by a specific fear or happen without a triggering event. It may last between five and 20 minutes or, in some cases, up to an hour.
- Adjustment disorder — This is the medical term for a period of distress or psychiatric symptoms after a stressful or traumatic event. Adjustment Disorder develops within 3 months of a specific stressor and typically doesn’t last longer than six months once the stressor or its consequences have ended.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — People who have PTSD may go a long time without noticeable symptoms and then have an intense reaction when their trauma is “triggered” by a certain event or experience.
- Bipolar disorder — People who have undiagnosed bipolar disorder may not know what’s happening the first time they have a mood episode. There’s usually a buildup to manic, hypomanic and depressive episodes, but sometimes they can feel very abrupt.
- Other mental health conditions — Anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) and other conditions can cause people to feel like they’re having an emotional breakdown.
Get help with long-term mental health recovery at Lightfully
An emotional breakdown is a clear sign that you’ve been dealing with a lot of stress, and you may have some needs that are unmet. This feels very upsetting in the moment, but it does pass. Try to give yourself plenty of time and space to recover. Once you feel more stable, reflect on what might have led up to your breakdown and what may need to change. If you’re feeling consistently overwhelmed, reach out to a mental health care provider for help.
Mental health isn’t something you should only think about when you’re having a crisis. It takes self-awareness and planning to care for yourself effectively. It also takes some experimentation to figure out what self-care routines you need to maintain mental wellness. You should also build supportive relationships and consider making a crisis plan for future situations like this.
A comprehensive mental health treatment program can help you learn about your condition, your unique needs, healthy ways to cope and much more. Taking the time to seek treatment in a Lightfully Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) now can help you come back stronger and feel more prepared to manage your symptoms in the future.
Are you considering treatment right now? Contact us or reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team to schedule an assessment today. Let’s talk through what’s happening and what you can accomplish in treatment.
