Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown (also known as nervous breakdown or snapping) is a non-medical term used to describe a sudden, acute attack of mental illness such as depression or anxiety.
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Definition
Like the term "sanity," the terms "nervous breakdown" and "mental breakdown" do not have any medical definition and are not used in a clinical sense. They therefore do not necessarily have a rigorous or static definition. They can be used colloquially to describe anything from a momentary fit of anger to the onset of a permanent psychological disorder. In almost all cases, however, the "breakdown" is the result of unmanagably high stress.
A similar, more rigorously defined phenomenon is Transmarginal Inhibition, which might be seen as a kind of mental breakdown in response to harsh conditioning. Note that a mental breakdown is not the same as a panic attack, though mental breakdowns can trigger panic.
Specific cases are usually described as a "breakdown" only after a person becomes unable to function in day-to-day life due to mental illness.[1] The person's condition is then advanced, and seeking professional aid is advisable.
Potential causes
Causes of breakdown might include:
- bullying
- chronic and unresolved grief
- chronic or newly discovered illness/disease
- unemployment
- homelessness
- academic problems
- employment discrimination
- career burnout
- social stress
- unresolved sexual identity crisis
- post-war trauma
- chronic insomnia and other sleep disorders
- serious or chronic illness of a family member
- divorce
- relationship breakup
- death of a family member
- pregnancy
- a traumatic, violent, or near-death experience
- deception by a loved one
- unrequited love
- use of certain drugs
The sudden, acute onset of the following mental illnesses might be classified as breakdowns:
- clinical depression
- bipolar disorder
- schizophrenia
- schizo affective disorder
- psychosis
- dissociation
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- severe stress
- anxiety
See also
References
- ^ Hallowell, Edward M & John Ratey. 2005. Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder. Ballentine Books. ISBN 0345442318
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