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Our mental health is very important to ourselves. Yet, there are those that may risk it for the worst. This guide will show you the ten signs that may signal a mental health breakdown.
Pressures and stress can get to us. Even to the point where you can no longer handle it mentally. If you need help in regards to your mental health, you can get information from the New Waters Recovery website here: https://newwatersrecovery.com/north-carolina-drug-rehab/.
Let’s take a further look at this guide so you can identify these ten signs of a mental breakdown.
Insomnia
A lack or inability to sleep can be common. However, it can also be a sign of a potential mental breakdown. The traumatic or upsetting events that have happened keep running through your mind.
These thoughts will keep you up and you’ll feel like you can’t get a peaceful night’s sleep. Likewise, if your body does not get the adequate rest it needs, it won’t heal from the stress that’s incurred on you physically and mentally.
Concentration issues
Stress can lead to issues where concentration will be low to non-existent. If you are stressed in the long-term, your brain will make changes to where it can hurt your concentration as well as your memory. The stress hormone cortisol can increase to the point where the memory loss can be permanent.
You’ll experience various feelings of depression and anxiety
The feelings of depression and anxiety will range from irritability, worry, fear, and the feeling of helplessness among others. You may also experience crying that may be uncontrollable, loss of interest in the things you usually enjoy doing, and thoughts of harming yourself or suicide.
Stress levels can be so high you may experience these feelings in an extended period of time. This can also lead to a nervous breakdown in the process.
Changes in appetite
You may be dealing with physical symptoms such as nausea or stomach pain. This in turn can lead to a change in appetite. This may discourage you to eat when you need to.
This may lead to weight loss. However, some may even gain weight instead of losing it. This can be due to the fact that they might eat (or comfort eating as it’s called) to cope with the stress. Either way, a change in appetite is a serious sign of a mental breakdown that is in the process of developing.
Digestive problems
Tying this to the previous sign, digestive problems will occur. You can experience stomach irritation, nausea, even diarrhea among others. If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), this can even cause your symptoms to get worse.
Be sure to monitor such symptoms if you’re feeling stressed. This can lead to a mental breakdown if your stress is not handled properly. The stomach discomfort can even lead to a lack of eating and you could lose a substantial amount of weight over time.
You may experience panic attacks
Panic attacks can occur, but they are not unusual. Especially when someone may be dealing with a mental breakdown. Symptoms of these include but are not limited to trembling, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, sweating, and a feeling of excessive fear or doom.
They may feel like they’re dying. Medical attention may be needed if the symptoms tend to be worse. These can also be linked to possible mental disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
At this point, a mental disorder may have already developed. A mental evaluation will confirm whether or not this is the case.
Hallucinations may occur
Hallucinations such as seeing things or hearing noises that won’t have any external stimulus can occur. You may hear or see things that other people don’t. While it may be signs of an existing mental disorder, sometimes these can occur when you are developing a mental breakdown.
If these occur on a regular basis, you may need to seek help as soon as possible. It’s possible to reduce your levels of stress when they rise. However, long-term exposure can lead to serious mental issues and hallucinations may be one of the symptoms that occur.
Withdrawing from social functions or activities
If you are stressed or breaking down mentally, the last thing you may do is talk to people. It can get to the point where you may be shut in at home and choose not to go out. You might not feel like talking to anyone be it in person or on the phone.
Also, it may coincide with other feelings or symptoms such as paranoia. You may feel like someone may be out to get you. A person would avoid contact with people as much as possible.
Poor hygiene and grooming
Those who may be suffering a mental breakdown will have a hard time taking care of themselves. This may include neglecting their hygiene and grooming. Their appearance may even be almost unrecognizable to others.
They may feel like they don’t care for themselves anymore. If this happens, it may be a sign that things may not be good for them mentally. The lack of proper care could also point to signs that they may also be considering self-destructive behavior as well such as substance abuse, self-harm, or even suicidal thoughts or actions.
Isolation
They can be isolated at home and refuse to leave. This means they will also skip school or even work. This may be one of the worst signs of them all.
With no contact from the outside world, concerns may be triggered by your friends, family, and co-workers. If you are experiencing this, it’s time to get the help you need. Having a mental health breakdown is nothing to be ashamed of.
You can get the help from a mental health professional and get the treatment you need. The sooner you take care of this, the better off things will be in the future for you.