How To Recover From A Mental Breakdown: 7 Strategies

Do you often feel shattered and crippled due to overwhelming thoughts and emotions? Then you may be struggling with a mental breakdown, which can be a devastating and terrifying experience. Mental breakdowns and make us feel lost and detached from our own selves. However, there is still hope for recovery. Let’s find out how to recover from a mental breakdown.

What is a Mental Breakdown?

Also known as nervous or emotional breakdown, a mental breakdown refers to an intense mental and emotional period where a person experiences extreme psychological distress due to an inability to deal with overwhelming stresses.

Mental breakdown is defined as “a time-limited condition that presents with primarily anxious and depressed features, associated with a series of external precipitating stressors (e.g., interpersonal, employment, and financial losses),” by researchers.

It is often marked by feelings of emotional and mental exhaustion along with decreased ability to function effectively. You’ll likely feel emotionally exhausted, physically drained or even unable to do basic daily tasks during a mental breakdown.

By understanding what is a mental breakdown, we can better strategize how to recover from a mental breakdown.

Mental Breakdown Symptoms

Wondering what a mental breakdown looks like? While each person may experience it in their own individual way, here are some of the most common mental breakdown symptoms that you should be aware of –

1. Exhaustion or Loss of Energy

Extreme fatigue from mental breakdowns could leave you feeling completely drained both physically and emotionally. You may also experience a lack of motivation making it hard for you to start or complete even simple tasks.

2. Overwhelming Anxiety and Panic

Intense anxiety accompanied by panic attacks are common symptoms of mental breakdown. You might find yourself having shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, tightness in your chest or even a feeling of impending doom.

3. Emotional instability

You may experience sudden mood swings where you go from feeling extremely sad or hopeless to very angry or irritable.

Managing your emotions may seem challenging as you become overwhelmed by minor stressors. This is one of the major mental breakdown symptoms.

4. Cognitive Impairment

Mental breakdowns can also negatively affect your ability to have mental clarity, think logically and concentrate on solutions. It can cause memory problems, making it difficult for you to make decisions. You may also struggle with problem-solving.

Overwhelmed by your emotions, you may avoid social situations, isolate yourself and cut off contact with loved ones during your episodes.

Social withdrawal and isolation can make you feel misunderstood, lonely, unsupported and intensify feelings of loneliness and increase the feeling of being disconnected from others.

How to Recover from a Mental Breakdown

So what to do when having a mental breakdown? Here are some steps on how to recover from a mental breakdown and reclaim resilience and well-being –

1. Seek Professional Help

It is important that you consult a mental health professional and seek therapy, if needed. A healthcare professional can offer the necessary guidance and support through counseling and other therapeutic interventions that fit your specific situation.

Therapy can help you identify the reasons for your emotional breakdowns and address any underlying mental health issues. They can also help you develop strategies to cope with it and regain control over your thoughts and emotions.

2. Practice Self-Care

Make sure to take care of your body, mind, and soul. Take part in activities that make you happy or relaxed such as spending time in nature or pursuing your hobbies. You should also be mindful and practice meditation to better manage your thoughts and emotions.

Journaling about your thoughts and feelings, spending time with your loved ones and getting a balanced meal and enough sleep can also prove beneficial. Besides, set boundaries and engage in activities promoting recovery.

3. Build a Support Network

Talk openly about your feelings to people you trust and seek emotional support from loved ones who understand what you are going through. Communicating openly to trusted friends or family members about your experience may alleviate some of the isolation and loneliness felt during this period.

Similarly, online discussion groups/forums could help you connect with others who have gone through similar experiences and experience a sense of community. This is how to recover from a mental breakdown.

4. Establish Healthy Habits

Establishing a routine that promotes overall well-being is key. This involves maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding fancy or extreme diets, being physically active on a regular basis and having enough sleep. These can support your brain’s functioning and emotional stability.

5. Challenge Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts can overwhelm someone when they are experiencing mental breakdown to the extent of distorting one’s perception of reality. Learn to identify negative self-talk and use logical reasoning based on facts to challenge such thoughts.

Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations, which revolve around self-compassion and self-acceptance.

6. Use Stress Management Techniques

To prevent further emotional breakdowns in future, efficient stress management is essential. Explore different techniques for reducing stress such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation using mindfulness among others.

Try out various methods that you are comfortable with and incorporate them into your daily routines. This is what to do when having a mental breakdown.

7. Take Small Steps

This journey of recovery requires time and patience. Break your goals into small practical steps that can be achieved within short periods of time.

No matter how small or insignificant the progress may seem; celebrate every milestone achieved as this will keep you motivated and build resilience.

Takeaway

To recover from a mental breakdown, focus on self-love, self-compassion, emotional regulation, support and patience. Understanding what is a mental breakdown, mental breakdown symptoms and how to recover from a mental breakdown can help you know what to do when having a mental breakdown.

Remember that you are never alone and seeking professional help is part of the healing process. Start off with self-care and surrounding yourself with people who genuinely love and care for.

Embrace this as an opportunity for self-development and know that recovery is possible. You deserve to live a fulfilling and balanced life.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

How do you get out of a mental breakdown?

Try these simple yet effective tips- center yourself, be mindful, seek support, and prioritize self-care to overcome a mental breakdown.

How long does it take to recover from a mental breakdown?

Usually, recovery time varies from person to person. Seek professional help and practice self-care if you are struggling with a mental breakdown.

How do you take a mental break?

To take a mental break, pause, breathe deeply, engage in activities you enjoy, and seek tranquility.

Key points

A significant amount of real-life social interaction seems essential for the development of emotional and personal skills.

Research suggests that today’s youth has about half the exposure to critical real-life social interaction that pre-internet generations did.

Trends in poor social development among young people suggest the need for urgent attention and specific strategies to enhanc

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

Up Next

Have you ever noticed certain behaviors that make you wonder if your grandparents’ love might be a little… off? Spotting the signs of toxic grandparents can be tough, especially when society paints them as the ultimate source of unconditional love and support.

But sometimes, grandparents might cross boundaries, show favoritism, or create a stressful environment that doesn’t quite feel right. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about their behavior, you’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll dive into the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of toxic grandparents and give you some strategies regarding how to deal with toxic grandparents, without causing family drama.

First, let us try to understand what are toxic grandparents.

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

Up Next

Ever wondered how a person with bipolar disorder thinks? Living with bipolar disorder is often a constant ride of highs and lows, not just in mood but also in thoughts.

One moment, someone might feel invincible, brimming with ideas and energy; the next, they may feel crushed by sadness or anxiety, weighed down by self-doubt and exhaustion.

Understanding how a person with bipolar disorder thinks can help you understand better what they might be going through. Today, we’ll dive into what is bipolar disorder, followed by 10 thoughts that often cross the minds of those who live with it.

Let’s start with what is bipolar disorder.

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

Up Next

Indicators of Low Intelligence That Will Surprise You

When we talk about intelligence, most of us picture sharp-witted people solving puzzles or doing complex math. But the signs of low intelligence can be just as telling, and they show up in ways you might not expect.

A low IQ person often exhibit certain behaviors or attitudes that make them stand out. Whether it’s their inability to adapt or their rigid thinking, these subtle low IQ symptoms say a lot.

Today, we are going to do a deep dive into the 9 unusual signs of low intelligence that might surprise you—because intelligence isn’t just about getting straight A’s.

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

Up Next

The quality and amount of sleep play a huge role in the mental health and mood of an individual.

Even just one night of inadequate sleep can heighten one’s stress level. Constant lack of sleep and chronic sleep deprivation can alter a person’s disposition and may even lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. In fact, a lot of research is now establishing links between insomnia and depression and how the two can interchangeably affect each other.

Sleep and mental health are broad and complex topics that still need further research to be able to fully grasp and comprehend well about them. All the same, the more we dig deeper w

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

Up Next

A Letter for those who don’t understand chronic illness.

Dear people who don’t understand autoimmune disease or Chronic Illness:

I know people that have an autoimmune disease and chronic illness. They seem fine on the outside, but that’s what they want you to see because they have a fear of being judged and misunderstood.

However, in reality, people that deal with these issues may be people who are dealing with diet restrictions. Perhaps they have to go to many doctors to deal with managing pain. They may not be able to do the things that we take for granted.

I personally believe if you have an autoimmune disease, or any other chronic ill

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

Up Next

Ever find yourself reacting strongly to situations and not quite sure why? Either you hear echoes of your past, or it’s probably because you listen to your inner child. In this article, we’re delving into the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults – those subtle whispers from your younger self that can shape your present.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

READ FULL ARTICLE ⇲

How To Recover From A Mental Breakdown: 7 Life-Changing Secrets

What is a Mental Breakdown?