Feeling fragile? Crippling social anxiety, off your food and struggling to get out of bed each day? Maybe you feel an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, apathy, and doom?
Don’t worry – you’re probably on the edge of a nervous breakdown.
I mean no sarcasm or distasteful dismissal by this. If you’re really in the throes of a nervous breakdown, it is most likely exactly what you need. Let me explain.
The problem with perseverance
Perseverance is both humanity’s greatest strength and its downfall. We buckle down and push forward no matter the impact on our emotional and physical wellbeing. Sure – this is how we made it this far. But as any body-builder knows, adequate rest and nourishment are just as important as the hard grind when it comes to making gains.
As a result of this widespread workaholism, an increasing number of us are cracking under the pressure. Indeed, this fierce determination to succeed can only last so long. It may take months or years, but eventually, if we forgo appropriate rest and self-care, we eventually snap.
What they don’t tell you about a breakdown
Although “nervous breakdown” is no longer considered a medical term, it’s still used by many to describe a period of intense mental distress, during which you’re unable to function in your everyday life.
And despite the stigma, this phenomenon is very common. Though many will hide behind ambiguous terminology and not specify what exactly is making them ill (maybe not even to themselves!), it is very normal and even healthy for the body to react in this way given the circumstances.
How your nervous breakdown could help you
A nervous breakdown is a cry for help coming from within ourselves. It is the body’s desperate attempt for the mind to take notice of the strain which it is inflicting. Regard it as a gift from your physical to your emotional self. Sometimes the physical body feels the effect of stress before the conscious self takes notice – by which point much damage has already been done.
It could affect your appetite, your sleep, give you the urge to act impulsively or avoid all stimulation at all, it can even lead to neurological disorders. However it manifests itself, your body is screaming at you for mercy. Listen to it.
How to treat your nervous breakdown
Don’t be fooled that a quick fix in the form on a pill or other purchase is all you need. This is the result of long-term self-neglect, so it requires a long-term fix. This could be as simple as getting more sleep or meditating for a few minutes a day, or as groundbreaking as a career-change or relationship evaluation. Whatever your individual story, a nervous breakdown is an extraordinary opportunity to learn about yourself and your needs.
The bottom line
In the midst of a breakdown, you may feel like you are losing yourself, or at least your mind. Although it is, of course, a cause for concern, remember that this is just your body’s way of initiating a transformation. Everything now depends on how you respond to this experience.
Beneath the visible disturbance, you are on a subconscious search for health and wellbeing. You haven’t become ill as it may seem; this is just the first stage of your healing process to start the path to positive change.
