nervous situation. Nervous breakdown - signs and symptoms of a nervous breakdown in men and women

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When a person long time is in a tense state, he is going through a severe crisis, which leads to a nervous breakdown. Interestingly, such well-known diagnostic systems as ICD-10 do not recognize this pathology. However, in reality, there are a sufficient number of people suffering from this disorder and they need help. As a result, many are interested in the following question: how to treat a nervous breakdown? First of all, it is necessary to understand that this pathology occurs in cases where a person experiences prolonged psychological stress, is subject to frequent stresses and does not get out of them. As a result, all energies and forces end, the patient gets a nervous breakdown.

It is worth noting that in modern world there are frequent nervous breakdowns, as the current lifestyle does not have the best effect on our body. If an individual takes on many tasks and emotionally fails to cope with them, this leads to overwork. During a nervous breakdown, everything around begins to annoy, pleasure is lost, physical fatigue appears, and. The first thing to do in this case is to take care of your psycho-emotional health and take a vacation.

Symptoms and signs

All symptoms of a nervous breakdown can be divided into three main groups: emotional, behavioral and physical. All of them manifest themselves in different ways, but are often present at the same time. In other words, the patient may experience individual symptoms from different groups.

Physical

  • Constant fatigue;
  • Decreased libido;
  • constipation, diarrhea (indigestion);
  • Frequent headaches, migraines;
  • digestive problems, changes in appetite;
  • Memory loss;
  • Sleep disturbance, insomnia;
  • breathing problems;
  • Alarm state, ;
  • Violation of the menstrual cycle;
  • Refusal to eat;
  • Nausea and vomiting.

Behavioral

  • sudden anger;
  • Crying or constantly want to cry for any reason;
  • Hysterics;
  • Stupor;
  • Strange behavior that others notice;
  • Frequent mood swings.

emotional

  • Depression;
  • Tearfulness;
  • Indecision and anxiety;
  • feeling of anxiety;
  • Guilt;
  • Thoughts of death;
  • Loss of interest in society and work;
  • Lowering self-esteem;
  • Dependence on alcohol and drugs;
  • Thoughts about invincibility and own greatness;
  • paranoid thoughts.

Nervous disorder manifests itself in both women and men. However, according to statistics, most often breakdowns occur in women, as they cannot cope with their emotional state. It's no secret that all representatives of the weaker sex are very emotional. And if the individual is not able to prevail over himself, to show self-control, then there is a risk of failure. It most often occurs between the ages of 30 and 40. Modern psychologists distinguish three main stages of the consequences of a nervous breakdown.

  1. A person experiences great enthusiasm and completely "goes to work." As a result, he loses control over himself, the body and psyche do not receive proper rest, the person does not listen to the signals that appear, the nerve forces are depleted.
  2. At this stage, the patient already feels the exhaustion of the body, as it does not allow it to work fully, anger and irritability appear.
  3. If during the second stage you do not contact a specialist or do not take certain actions, the condition worsens, nervous strain develops, full-fledged depression, apathy and a pessimistic attitude. The person becomes lethargic, indecisive and withdraws into himself.

The main signs of a nervous breakdown are manifested as follows:

  • Depression, a state of fatigue;
  • Internal tension, which is present day and night, it is difficult for a person to get rid of it;
  • Weight gain or loss;
  • Any request from the outside provokes aggression;
  • Insomnia;
  • Resentment and irritability;
  • Suspiciousness, anxiety, hypochondriacal thoughts;
  • Inattention, distraction;
  • Apathy, the appearance of pessimism;
  • Hostile attitude towards society;
  • Fixation on an unpleasant person or an unpleasant situation;
  • It is difficult to switch to another topic.

Without a doubt, a nervous breakdown is a serious disease that requires treatment. During the period of exacerbation, the individual commits rash acts, conflicts with other people arise, physical health worsens (headaches, pressure surges, phobias, ulcers, mental disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, etc.).

Causes of a nervous breakdown

As mentioned above, the main reason for the appearance of a nervous breakdown is constant psychological stress, which is not replaced by relaxation. Frequent stresses, unpleasant situations, only aggravate the situation, anxiety develops. Causes of a nervous breakdown and situations affecting its development:

  • Panic;
  • phobias;
  • post-traumatic depression;
  • General anxiety;
  • Bad memories and obsession with them;
  • Long-term medication;
  • Prolonged illness, stress;
  • Problems at work;
  • Financial difficulties;
  • Parting with a loved one;
  • Difficulty adapting to new conditions;
  • Prolonged psychological stress;
  • Competition, conflict situations;
  • Great anxiety about something;
  • The need to work with unbalanced people who periodically plunge into shock and bewilderment. The same applies to frequent contact with evil bosses, clients or colleagues, whose communication delivers only negative.

adults

Today it is impossible to say unequivocally who is more prone to nervous breakdowns, adults or adolescents. However, a more adult person is forced to cope with big problems, to be responsible for his life and family. In this regard, many take on their shoulders back-breaking work, from which it is difficult to escape. At work, you need to do more things in a short time, children need emotional support, and the second half needs more attention. If all this is not kept in harmony, nervous overstrain is possible.

Children and teenagers

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Children, due to their young age, are also exposed to severe stress. modern education overloads children with unnecessary chores and homework. As a result, if the child does not go to additional section, where he can throw out the accumulated negativity, also risks getting nervous strain and exhaustion. Therefore, it is important to monitor how adequate the training tasks are, in some situations to show sympathy and hug the baby more often. It is important to speak kind words and support him in every possible way. To understand how some situations can affect the psyche of the child, we give a few examples.

  1. If a mother forces a two-year-old child to eat something that he does not like, there is a risk of developing an aversion to food or causing anorexia.
  2. If she rushed at a small child big dog and he was frightened, a high probability of stuttering.
  3. Divorces and lawsuits about a child also hit hard on the nervous system of a fragile organism. Remember yourself at that age, it probably seemed to you that mom and dad are something unshakable, permanent and eternal, because for you they are blood relatives (as opposed to the status of spouses). While the child is small, parents are the main support, and only at a more mature age are divorces easier to experience.
  4. Teenagers are very cruel. If the child's personality is rather vulnerable, and he cannot stand up for himself, resentment, as a rule, accumulates inside and, with age, prevents him from fully living and developing.

Parents need to show more attention and care. The fact is that many of the problems of the child seem very small and unworthy of attention. However, for a baby, this or that situation is incredibly important and exciting. If he does not find the right solution, and his parents do not tell him what to do, perhaps in the future the problem will become much larger and will progress with age.

pregnant

Nervous breakdowns often occur during pregnancy. It is no secret that during this period women are the most vulnerable and endure a great emotional burden. Sometimes even the smallest things can cause irritation. All this is due to the large release of hormones that are designed to support life in the womb.

  1. In the first weeks of pregnancy, the body secretes a large number of gonadotropin. As a result, nausea often occurs, and nervous breakdowns appear.
  2. Next, progesterone is produced. During this period of pregnancy, women experience great fatigue and fatigue.
  3. Esterol is produced during the entire period of pregnancy, which affects the emotional state.

Treatment

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If you're having a breakdown and don't know how to avoid a breakdown, you need to see the right doctor. As a rule, these are psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists. First, they will be able to understand the reasons that led to this condition. Often, patients, despite all the evidence from the outside, simply cannot understand why it happened. Psychologists will ask leading questions and in 10-15 minutes they will tell you why a nervous breakdown has occurred. Secondly, they can prescribe the necessary medicines. If a nervous breakdown has developed strongly, you will most likely have to take a long course of treatment.

It is very important to listen to all the advice and put it into practice, there are no other ways to cope with a nervous breakdown. Modern psychology has come a long way. It is not uncommon to use a cognitive approach to treatment or even hypnosis. Medicines help to cope with a nervous condition, but until the problem is solved psychologically and the person does not change his lifestyle, pathologies will most likely appear in the future.

First of all, the treatment of manifested nervous disorders is to revise your lifestyle. You need to get in the habit of doing the following:

  • Try to avoid nervous and stressful situations.
  • Balanced diet and daily routine. Sleep at least 8 hours a day, you need to go to bed at 10 pm. modern medicine proved that the nervous system rests only two hours a day (from 22:00 to 00:00). This interval is able to replace 6 - 8 hours of normal sleep.
  • Raise your self-esteem, do not criticize yourself for any reason. Forgive your shortcomings.
  • Avoid contact with conflicting people.
  • Don't work hard. It is best to take a vacation for a month and take care of your health.
  • Walk outside every day, go for a run, and take moderate physical exercise that will help in the treatment. The pool is also an excellent prevention, as it relaxes the nervous system.

Disorder nervous system can and should be treated as quickly as possible, especially now you know how to prevent a nervous breakdown and what steps to take. To do this, follow all the above recommendations and be sure to visit a good specialist. Today, many doctors provide services remotely via the Internet, which is a definite plus. The only drawback is that you will not be able to prescribe medicines for treatment. However, as support and treatment with psychological techniques, this option is the only correct one in some cases. If you have been diagnosed with a nervous breakdown, contact a professional doctor immediately.

Many people face moments in their lives when any action does not bring proper pleasure and joy. In such a state, a person begins to vent his accumulated emotions to the immediate environment. The state of emotional instability can be complicated by prolonged depression and disruption of the nervous system. Everyone who faces stressful situations is familiar with the symptoms of a nervous breakdown. But not every individual is aware of the danger of this condition and possible consequences for the body. In this article, we will look at how a nervous breakdown manifests itself, the symptoms and consequences of a nervous breakdown.

Nervous breakdown is a serious psychological disorder that is associated with psychological overstrain, long-term stress or trauma

Nervous breakdowns are a kind of protective reaction of the psyche to the action of various irritating factors. In this state, a person loses the ability to adequately analyze the ongoing action, because under the pressure of circumstances, the individual loses control over his behavior. Frequent nervous tension is reflected not only in the emotional perception of a person, but also affects the physiological state. The most common consequences of a stressful situation are exhaustion of the nervous system, combined with physical fatigue.

If various stressful situations are an integral part of your life, you need to pay attention to increased attention own psycho-emotional state. In order to prevent the development mental disorders, you should visit a psychologist and use medications. However, it is important to pay attention to the fact that nervous breakdowns are a natural reaction of the body to the pressure of various stress factors.

Clinical picture

After we have dealt with the question of what a nervous breakdown is, let's look at how such disorders affect physical and mental health. According to experts in the field of psychology, the symptoms of a nervous breakdown are divided into three categories.

The physical consequences of the nervous system disorder are manifested in the form of sleep problems, diarrhea, flatulence, and migraine attacks. It is not uncommon for people who experience frequent stress to have problems at work. respiratory organs, lack of libido and chronic fatigue syndrome. This state may be aggravated by a rapid increase in body temperature, lack of appetite, menstrual irregularities and panic attacks.

The second group of symptoms affects the behavioral model of the individual. Under the influence of nervous tension, the patient develops unreasonable attacks of aggression and anger, as well as sudden changes in mood. In addition to the symptoms described above, inappropriate behavior and problems with concentration should be added. Symptoms of a nervous breakdown in women are most often related to the emotional sphere. Various life difficulties lead to the appearance of prolonged depression, anxious thoughts and unreasonable anxiety. Patients exhibit excessive sentimentality, paranoid tendencies and a lack of vital interest.

Many people try to get rid of this condition with the help of alcoholic beverages, strong stimulants and drugs. However, all the measures taken only exacerbate the situation and lead to the appearance of suicidal thoughts.


A breakdown can be attributed to a protective reaction of the body to a constant state of stress.

Causes of the development of a disorder of the nervous system

Signs of a nervous breakdown are manifested in a person under the influence of prolonged psycho-emotional stress. The constant impact of stress on the psyche leads to the launch of protective reactions, with the help of which the body tries to avoid catastrophic consequences. At the initial stages of the development of the disease, a person experiences severe anxiety, which is a kind of harbinger of a nervous system disorder. This condition manifests itself in the form of panic attacks, prolonged depression, unreasonable phobias and general anxiety disorder. In addition to stress, nervous breakdown can be caused by the following reasons:

  1. Prolonged use of potent medications that affect the human psyche.
  2. Abuse of sedatives and alcoholic products.
  3. Psychosomatic illnesses and vivid emotional upheavals.

Causes of nervous breakdown in adults

According to statistics, the risk group of people prone to various disorders of the nervous system includes representatives of both sexes aged twenty to fifty years. This is due to the fact that most people of this age are faced with various events every day that leave a kind of imprint on the nervous system. Every person is familiar with the phrase “blockage at work”, in which nervous tension spills out in the form of a negative attitude towards others and loved ones.

According to experts, a nervous breakdown at this age can be caused by various catastrophic events that led to physical or mental injury. In addition, a nervous breakdown can be the result of parting with a spouse, as well as various domestic conflicts. Often, various professional difficulties and diseases that are difficult to treat lead to the development of the considered emotional state. Financial position and social status also play an important role in this matter. Much less often, nervous breakdowns occur when the correct daily routine is violated.


Any nervous tension sooner or later ends in a breakdown.

Nervous breakdowns in teenagers and children

Determining a nervous breakdown in children is quite difficult, since the nervous system in childhood not yet developed enough . Often, the onset of the disease is preceded by various events of a global nature. In most cases, a psychological breakdown in a child's life is caused by a quarrel or divorce of the parents. In more early age, the disease can be caused by a strong fright, which can lead to the appearance of stuttering.

Also plays an important role social adaptation child. Problems in relationships with peers and unhappy love can negatively affect the psycho-emotional state of a teenager. In addition, the use of harsh pedagogical methods for educational purposes can only aggravate the child's condition. It is very important for parents to understand the problems that concern the child and help to overcome them. b. Otherwise, there is a possibility of developing more severe complications of nervous disorders, which may affect the health of the child.

Nervous breakdown during gestation

Let's pay attention to how a nervous breakdown manifests itself during pregnancy. The main reason for the development of a disorder of the nervous system is the colossal changes in the body and the restructuring of hormones. Every little thing can throw a pregnant woman out of emotional balance. Many women during childbearing become too sensitive to the action of various irritants. This is due to an increase in the level of hormones that are necessary for the proper development of the embryo. It is they who act as "provocateurs" of a nervous breakdown.

In the first month of gestation, the synthesis of gonadotropin increases in the woman's body, which, having reached a certain level, leads to a feeling of nausea. In addition, this irritating substance affects the central nervous system, which causes excessive aggressiveness. At a certain stage of pregnancy, the amount of progesterone in a woman's body increases. Enhanced Level This hormone causes a rapid loss of efficiency and the appearance of chronic fatigue. In addition, an increase in the level of estriol in the blood, increases emotional sensitivity and changes the psychological perception of the world around.

Possible Complications

Before we talk about how to recover from a nervous breakdown, let's look at possible complications disorders of the nervous system. Most often, problems of the psycho-emotional plan lead to the appearance of such pathologies as:

  • diabetes mellitus and gastritis;
  • decreased or absent libido;
  • prolonged depression;
  • anorexia.

One of the most terrible consequences of a nervous breakdown is the appearance of suicidal tendencies, as well as unjustified cruelty towards people around. Most often, these complications are observed in women aged thirty to forty years. According to experts, most women who have reached this age show a strong dependence on the emotions that overcome them.


Nervous breakdown is a fairly common phenomenon of our time.

Treatment of a nervous breakdown at home should be aimed at eliminating all irritating factors. In the presence of the first harbingers of a developing nervous breakdown, you should change your own life as much as possible. Most often, the provocateur of mental disorders is daily stress. That is why it is very important to try to change your own living conditions. Many experts recommend that people take short breaks from work duties to attend to their own needs.

In order to return the psycho-emotional balance to normal, you should not only take a break from work, but also sleep well. You can add positive emotions to your life by changing the type of activity or going on a trip. Many people, under the control of emotions, begin to suffer from self-pity, but do not try to change the situation. To bring positive into your own life, you should go beyond the limits that a person limits himself. Just disconnected from negative thoughts you can normalize your condition and discover the world around you in a new way.

Methods of conservative treatment

Drug treatment of nervous disorders is used only in the case of severe forms of the disease. One of the important components of treatment is the complete completion of the prescribed course and the regular use of medicines. It should be noted that the treatment process must be fully controlled by a specialist. For the treatment of nervous disorders, various antidepressants are used to help get out of a state of depression. It should be mentioned that not all types of depressive syndrome are amenable to drug therapy Therefore, it is very important to get expert advice.

In addition, in the composition complex treatment antipsychotic drugs are used, which are prescribed only after passing diagnostic examination. To eliminate anxiety, patients are prescribed anxiolytics. In order to restore the functionality of the nervous system, stimulants and vitamin complexes are used.


In a state of nervous breakdown, a person is not able to control his feelings

Alternative treatment methods

Remember! Any folk methods in the treatment of nervous breakdowns should be used only after consultation with a specialist.

Let's look at how to treat a nervous breakdown folk methods. For this purpose, there are many medicinal herbs from which you can prepare sedative infusions and decoctions. One of the best folk recipes for the treatment of nervous disorders - motherwort infusion. To prepare it, you will need a small amount of dried grass, which must be poured with several glasses of boiling water. Take a decoction should be three times a day, one tablespoon.

In a similar way, you can prepare an infusion of valerian root. However, in this case, vodka is used instead of boiling water. In order for the infusion to gain the necessary strength, it must be infused for two weeks in a dark and cool place. Drink tincture should be in the evening. The maximum daily dose should not exceed one hundred grams.

You can get rid of a psychological breakdown through hardening. Cold water has a positive effect on muscle tissue, strengthening their tone. Under the influence of cold water, blood circulation in the body increases, which helps to increase the quality of the metabolism.

Resources human psyche great, but not unlimited. And at some point she gives up, expressing her "surrender" through a nervous breakdown. How to distinguish it from the usual hysteria? Why does it happen and what can be done to cure it?

What is a nervous breakdown?

A nervous breakdown (nervous breakdown) is a sudden outburst of emotions associated with excessive stress on the nervous system. The state is always:

  • acute ("stormy");
  • transient;
  • accompanied by signs of neurosis and depression;
  • provoked by external stimuli.

Nervous breakdowns in women occur more often than in men. Although the characteristics of the psyche in this case become more important than gender: weak, vulnerable, excessive emotional people easier to lose their temper and give in to an attack. But with prolonged negative impacts, strong personalities, who generally have a stable character, can break down.

It is interesting that nervous breakdowns are not mentioned in the generally accepted diagnostic systems, that is, they are not associated with mental illness. Sometimes a breakdown is only a condition in which the patient loses the ability to function normally.

A nervous breakdown is always associated with excessive pressure on the psyche. Such a disorder is a defensive reaction to what is happening around. The causes of nervous breakdowns usually turn out to be all sorts of unpleasant incidents:

  • separation, divorce, failures in personal life;
  • problems at school or at work;
  • difficulties with money;
  • serious chronic diseases;
  • joining a new unfriendly team;
  • physical and mental overload;
  • excessive feelings.

Anything can be a factor that provokes a breakdown. Basically, a cumulative effect works: the longer the impact of an event on the psyche, the higher the likelihood of an acute nervous breakdown.

Nervous breakdown: symptoms of a developing disorder

Although the attack itself is quite "spectacular", it does not occur out of the blue. So, it manages to go through several stages of development. They are distinguished by three:

  1. The first stage is "preparatory". During this period, a person experiences an unreasonable rise in strength, begins to look at things with hypertrophied optimism, and works a lot. How to understand that this is not a normal situation, but a sign of illness? If such a surge occurred after a serious shock (death of a loved one, dismissal, relocation) or occurred against the background of general fatigue, then it is almost certainly a “calm before the storm”. The most interesting is yet to come. By the way, at the first stage, complaints of insomnia, fever, anxiety, trembling in the hands are possible.
  2. The second stage is "depressive". Vigorous activity is gradually replaced by passivity: the body cannot withstand the rhythm and gives up. The main characteristic of the period is the physical and nervous exhaustion. As a result - depression, apathy, disappointment due to unfulfilled expectations. In addition to blues and melancholy, memory lapses, unreasonable panic attacks, headaches, irritability are possible.
  3. The third stage is the "peak". When an organism exhausts the resources available to it, it can no longer continue to exist in its former rhythm. He needs rest. On the physical level, this is expressed through regular dizziness, nausea, increased heart rate, pressure surges, disorders eating behavior, constipation or diarrhea. Libido may decrease, and in women there is a failure in the menstrual cycle. It is at the third stage that what usually happens is what is called a nervous breakdown - a sharp emotional outburst of a destructive nature.

You can stop the development of the disorder at any stage. But, as practice shows, the majority ignores the signals of the body, fearing to “fall behind”: not getting a promotion, not earning the approval of loved ones, not becoming a good enough parent, etc. As a result, sooner or later, symptoms of a nervous breakdown appear out of nowhere, causing bewilderment of relatives and friends who believed that everything was fine.

Nervous breakdown: signs of an attack

An attack is a signal that the psyche has reached an extreme point. She can't take much more, and the signs of a nervous breakdown are her last way to communicate the problem. The following symptoms appear:

  1. Non-stop sobs.
  2. Violent hand trembling.
  3. Cardiopalmus.
  4. Screams.
  5. Breaking dishes, throwing objects.

An attack can start for any reason: a broken glass, a lost TV remote control, a child’s incomprehensibility ... Usually it’s just a trifle that infuriates a person. It becomes the last straw that overflows the cup of patience of the psyche. From the outside, a nervous breakdown often seems somewhat inadequate: a woman who is hysterical because of coffee dripping on her dress is perceived by others as strange. For her, such an insignificant incident is the last proof of her worthlessness, insolvency, and failure.

A nervous breakdown happens when you can't take it anymore. Moreover, if women mostly fall into hysterics, then men prefer the manifestation of open aggression. They can destroy the furnishings of the house, hit the wife or children, in a mild case - throw something off the table or loudly hit the wall with their fist. But feelings are not alien to men, and tears, sobs, sobs are quite possible.

What symptoms of a nervous breakdown will appear in a particular situation depends on the person himself: his upbringing, character, habits. Nevertheless, in any case, the internal state will be associated with a feeling of hopelessness and despair.

Nervous breakdown: consequences

A nervous breakdown never goes unnoticed. Of course, the acute phase is not endless and is replaced by a chronic disorder, accompanied by prolonged depression, constant anxiety, and general discontent. Almost always, after a nervous breakdown, one of the following occurs:

  1. Somatic diseases affecting physical health.
  2. Hypochondria and attempts to find some kind of disease in himself.
  3. Psychoses and neuroses, neuropsychic exhaustion.
  4. Short temper, frequent mood swings, deterioration of character.
  5. Formation of destructive habits that cause addiction (smoking, alcoholism, gambling, overeating, drug addiction).
  6. Problems in relationships with friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues.
  7. Closure, unwillingness to communicate, unauthorized isolation.
  8. Lack of career advancement, loss of interest in work.
  9. Aggression towards children, animals, sometimes adults.
  10. Suicide.

The consequences of the attack are associated with the lack of a crisis. If a person does not know what to do in case of a nervous breakdown and how to behave competently to minimize the consequences, he can simply endure an attack and continue to live according to a destructive scenario. After some time, the disorder will worsen again, but it will be more difficult to recover from it. Each attack throws a person back psycho-emotionally: a nervous breakdown impoverishes the psyche, making it less flexible and adaptive.

Nervous breakdown: how to treat?

The surest tactic is to visit at least a psychologist. It is quite possible to find a specialist not only in your region, but also anywhere in the world, using the Internet. In this case, it will be possible to maintain maximum anonymity and you will not have to worry that personal problems will become public in a small city. Although not always talking with a psychologist helps. In advanced cases, a visit to a psychotherapist who has permission to prescribe medications is required.

The following drugs are widely used to prevent recurrent attacks:

  1. Ordinary sedatives. This is the mildest option, since you can buy drugs without a prescription. Usually it is advised to take Glycine, Corvalol, Valoserdin. The funds are relevant for quick calming and improving sleep, but a serious effect cannot be expected from them.
  2. Preparations for plant-based. This includes tinctures (motherwort, peony), as well as more modern Novo-Passit or Persen. Medications work quite strongly, inhibiting cognitive and emotional reactions. They also reduce the ability to concentrate and provoke drowsiness.
  3. Vitamin and mineral complexes. They are used as an addition to the main therapy. Magnesium preparations, as well as multivitamins Gerimaks and Supradin, have proven themselves well.
  4. Over-the-counter anti-stress medications. They are prescribed to reduce anxiety, relieve tension, stimulate the functioning of the nervous system. It is often recommended to take Afobazol.
  5. Antidepressants, tranquilizers and other potent drugs. You can only buy them with a prescription. For example, Phenazepam or Pyrazidol. Use such drugs only in critical cases, when other methods do not work.

The success of drug therapy mainly depends on how competently the drugs are combined with each other and how well they suit a particular patient. Therefore, before treating a nervous breakdown, a specialist may advise a person to undergo a medical examination.

Nervous breakdown: treatment at home

Not all people are ready to go to psychotherapists and restore their mental health with the help of a specialist. If a person maintains a clear mind and feels strong in himself, he may try to do self-therapy. So - how to treat a nervous breakdown at home?

  1. Body work. Sport is indispensable for nervous disorders. You should sign up for a gym, start attending yoga classes, or join a dance group. Even a simple exercise reduces the level of stress, "unloading" the psyche, and the load on the muscles helps to speed up the metabolism and normalize emotional well-being. In addition, sport disciplines and does not allow you to become limp: the main thing is not to allow yourself to miss training “only today”.
  2. Breathing practices. The developed ability to control breathing makes it possible to always remain calm. At the moment of stress, it is enough to take a few deep breaths and count to ten - and the level of anxiety will immediately decrease. Breathing exercises can be combined with meditation: it also has a calming effect.
  3. Relaxation. With a stressful rhythm of life, it is recommended to devote at least fifteen minutes a day to relaxation: take a foam bath, go for a massage, listen to pleasant music, enjoy your favorite aromas ... Regular relaxation will help the body constantly relieve tension, preventing it from accumulating and developing into a nervous breakdown.
  4. Eliminate as many stressors as possible from your life. A person on the verge of a nervous breakdown does not need processing, conflicts with friends, thoughts about a lack of money ... It must be accepted as a fact that nothing can be solved now and you just need to slow down. You should live at the minimum “speed” and perform only necessary tasks until the situation returns to normal. Additionally, it is required to limit the viewing of news, horror films, thrillers and other content with a negative theme.
  5. Talking about your problems. You can talk with a loved one or with yourself, sitting in front of a mirror. Some are helped by recording their monologues and then listening to the audio "from the side." A good option is to keep a diary and analyze what exactly provokes deterioration. psychological state and how to deal with it.

You need to listen to your inner voice. Often it is he who shows the way out of the current situation.

Each person can face a sudden surge of their own emotions, completely uncontrollable. This is a nervous breakdown, the treatment of which is better not to delay. Mental health is just as important as physical health.

Content

There are moments when everything around infuriates, nothing brings joy, satisfaction. People who are in the immediate environment begin to suffer from your sudden mental breakdowns. All this can be accompanied by prolonged depression and hopeless disorders of the nervous system. What is a nervous breakdown is more or less familiar to every person, because everyone deals with stress. However, few people understand what it is fraught with and how to deal with it.

What is a nervous breakdown and how does it manifest?

A nervous breakdown is essentially a reaction of an organism tired of frequent stresses. A person at this time becomes unable to adequately relate to a particular situation, the circumstances around begin to put pressure both from an emotional point of view and from a physical point of view, control over one's feelings, the situation is lost. With a nervous breakdown, tremendous stress, nervous exhaustion, physical fatigue are experienced.

If this often happens to a specific person, then you should take care of the psycho-emotional state, appoint a consultation with a psychologist, start taking medicines. But on the other hand, such a reaction in the form of psychological breakdowns is protective, used by our body during constant stressful situations.

Symptoms and signs

The manifestation of nervous tension can be expressed in the physical state, well-being, behavioral, and also emotional. The physical manifestations of a nervous breakdown include:

  • Insomnia or drowsiness
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Difficulty breathing to some extent
  • Severe headaches
  • Memory losses
  • Decreased sex drive
  • , fever
  • Violation of the periodicity of the menstrual cycle
  • Anxious feelings that are accompanied by panic attacks
  • Refusal to eat

Behavioral state:

  1. Inappropriate behaviour.
  2. Sudden change of mood.
  3. Unexpected outbursts of anger.

Emotional:

  • Protracted depression.
  • Anxiety, anxiety, paranoia.
  • Excessive sentimentality, feeling of guilt.
  • Work and life around completely ceases to interest.
  • Increasing need for drugs and alcohol.
  • Suicidal thoughts.

Below, view an auxiliary video guide that clearly talks about some disorders of the nervous system, signs of human mental disorders, the causes of anxiety neurosis, emotional and nervous overwork, and treatment methods. Also, the video will help you learn how to act in a situation of a nervous breakdown of your loved one or relative:

Causes of nervous breakdown

The main cause of any nervous breakdown is constant stress. On one of these stressful days, the nervous system simply cannot stand it, an increased feeling of anxiety (anxiety neurosis) begins and ends with a serious nervous breakdown. Anxiety neuroses can be classified as follows:

  • phobias;
  • post-traumatic depression;
  • panic;
  • general anxiety disorder.

There are also other causes of nervous disorders, for example:

  • disruption due to long intake certain medicines that affect the human psyche;
  • with the abuse of alcohol or any sedative drugs;
  • bad memories;
  • long-term stress, illness, etc.

In adults

Adults are most prone to nervous breakdowns, because every day they face stressful situations, experience certain negative events, try to solve intractable situations. For example, everyone is familiar with the situation: at work, a person does not keep up with deadlines, completing tasks, and then he transfers negative feelings into relationships with loved ones. Here are some causes of general nervous breakdown that are common:

  1. An unexpected catastrophic event.
  2. Difficult parting with a loved one or divorce.
  3. Getting serious injuries.
  4. Long-term events that upset (illness, work, family troubles).
  5. Negative economic and political situations.
  6. Violation of the daily routine.

In children and adolescents

In children, the occurrence of nervous disorders is due to global events in life associated with loved ones, or situations for which the nervous system of a young, fragile organism is not yet ready. This is often why a psychological breakdown occurs. Here are the specific causes and situations that can lead to nervous disorders in children of different ages:

  1. An angry dog ​​rushed at the baby, as a result of which he received a strong fright, began to stutter.
  2. The mother who makes two year old eating something that he cannot stand, but eats through force, can provoke anorexia and an aversion to food in general.
  3. Divorce of parents and subsequent court history of who the children stay with.
  4. Problems at school: study, relationships with classmates, teachers.
  5. First unhappy love in adolescence.

The main cause of mental disorders in children is improper upbringing. The fact is that parents rarely understand all the mental, physiological, age characteristics of their child, do not always try to figure it out correctly, show indifference to the reasons for certain actions of children. As a result, the child's nervous breakdown does not keep itself waiting.

In women during pregnancy

Due to the tremendous changes in the body of pregnant women, nervous strain, frustration and breakdowns are not a rare case. The reason for this can be any insignificant situation, a trifle that a woman would not have paid attention to before. Literally everything starts to get annoying. Hormones in significant quantities, which the body produces to ensure the normal functioning of the fetus in the womb, simply do not give a quiet life. Here's how it goes:

  1. In the first weeks, gonadotropin is actively produced, the concentration of which reaches its peak, provokes nausea, irritates the nervous system of women, and leads to a breakdown.
  2. In the future, there is an active production of progesterone, which is responsible for the normal conditions of gestation and leads to increased fatigue.
  3. The production of estriol occurs all the time during pregnancy, this hormone actively affects the emotions of the pregnant woman, making her sensitive to external factors.

Why a nervous breakdown is dangerous: possible consequences

A nervous breakdown does not go away just like that without consequences for human health, it necessarily manifests itself. Often these can be:

The most dangerous consequence for a person who has suffered a nervous strain, breakdown is suicide, physical attacks on other loved ones or strangers. Women (30-40 years old) are included in the group of increased risk and tendency to nervous disorders, because they are more emotionally dependent.

Ways to treat a nervous breakdown at home

If your loved one or you yourself begin to experience similar symptoms of a breakdown, approaching mental overstrain, you see that you are literally on the verge, try to take a few preventive steps, actions. The most important thing is to get away from the usual course of affairs, everyday life, for example:

  • Pull yourself or this person out of an environment in which he is constantly immersed and receives intense stress. A good panacea would be a vacation, at least without traveling, to give yourself the opportunity to sleep, take a break from work.
  • Traveling is a great option, changing activities and getting positive emotions.
  • Do not fall into melancholy, especially if you are a woman, stop reveling in self-pity, drive away all the bad thoughts that cause breakdowns.
  • Get out of your usual environment (home, office) and raise your head, inhale the air deeply into your lungs, enjoy the nature around you, disconnect from heavy thoughts.

Medical treatment: pills, injections

In advanced cases, medical intervention is simply not enough. It is necessary to undergo a special course of treatment, which should not last a strictly defined number of days. Therefore, it is important that the process drug treatment mental breakdown was carefully monitored by a doctor in the hospital. As a rule, the following drugs are prescribed:

  1. An antidepressant that cures depression person. It is important to know that not every depression can be treated in this way, in some situations it is contraindicated.
  2. A drug to relieve feelings of constant anxiety (anxiolytic).
  3. An antipsychotic drug is needed to treat a serious nerve disorder. In order to have a reason to appoint him, it is necessary to undergo a qualitative examination.
  4. Vitamins to restore the cells of nerve tissues.

Folk remedies

Treatment of nervous disorders by folk methods involves taking sedatives herbal decoctions, tinctures. Most From this disease- it's a wasteland. From time immemorial, our grandparents have always prepared it in this way: a glass of dry grass is poured with boiling water and infused, and then they drink it three times a day. But others folk remedies against mental disorders:

  • Valerian root is poured with vodka and infused for two weeks. Drink it before going to bed, 100 grams.
  • In ancient times, mentally unbalanced people were suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water and forced to run, this was especially effective in the winter. From a scientific point of view, this is quite an adequate situation for breakdowns, because cold water acts on the muscles, causing them to contract. This is how the vessels are activated, the blood circulates faster and the person becomes adequate, correctly analyzing the situation.

Which doctor to contact

Most nerve disorders that require diagnosis and treatment are the specialty of a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or psychologist (depending on the severity of the condition). In many cases, a simple conversation with a psychologist is enough. Reception necessarily contains recommendations, advice.

When necessary, in addition to sessions of a conversational nature, in addition, this doctor can prescribe medications that will help to quickly relieve a depressive state and support the patient's psyche. If it is urgently needed, the psychologist will involve other colleagues in medical practice, for example, psychotherapists, etc.

Nervous disorder, although it does not have a term in medical practice, however, is the cause of a very serious illnesses. It is dangerous not to react to it. In simple situations and forms of this mental state, a person is able to cope with the problem himself. In a situation close to a mental disorder, you should not be negligent about your health. Carefully monitor the state of your nervous system, help yourself and people in time!

Attention! The information provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment, based on individual characteristics specific patient.

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A nervous breakdown includes an acute attack of anxiety, as a result of which a serious violation of a person's habitual way of life occurs. A nervous breakdown, the symptoms of which determine this condition to a family of mental disorders (neuroses), occurs in situations in which the patient is in a state of sudden or excessive stress, as well as long-term stress.

general description

As a result of a nervous breakdown, there is a feeling of lack of control over one's own feelings and actions, in which, accordingly, a person completely succumbs to the states of stress, anxiety or anxiety that dominate him during this period.

A nervous breakdown, despite the general picture of its manifestation in many cases, is, meanwhile, positive reaction on the part of the body, and in particular - a protective reaction. Among other similar reactions, for example, tears can be distinguished, as well as acquired immunity that occurs against the background of mental overstrain in combination with intense and prolonged mental stress.

The achievement by a person of a critical state for the psyche determines a nervous breakdown as a kind of lever, due to the activation of which the accumulated nervous tension is released. Any events can be identified as the causes of a nervous breakdown, whether they are large-scale and intense in their impact or, on the contrary, insignificant, but “long undermining”.

It is extremely important to know the symptoms of a nervous breakdown in order to take the necessary measures in a timely manner, because we are actually talking about an extremely serious disorder in which the development of events can occur in a variety of ways, from the subsequent entry into the cardiology department and ending with a neuropsychiatric dispensary.

Factors that provoke a nervous breakdown

  • depression;
  • stress;
  • lack of vitamins;
  • movement disorders;
  • function-related diseases thyroid gland;
  • schizophrenia in history;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • use of alcohol, drugs.

Nervous breakdown: symptoms

A nervous breakdown can be characterized by various manifestations, which in particular depend on the specific type of symptomatology. So, the symptoms of a nervous breakdown can be physical, behavioral and emotional in their type of manifestation.

Physical symptoms:

  • sleep disturbances, which can consist of both a long period of insomnia and a long period of sleep;
  • constipation, diarrhea;
  • symptoms that determine the difficulty of breathing in one or another variant of manifestation;
  • migraines, frequent headaches;
  • memory loss;
  • decreased libido;
  • violations related to menstrual cycle;
  • constant fatigue, extreme degree of exhaustion of the body;
  • state of anxiety, persistent;
  • pronounced changes in appetite.

Behavioral symptoms:

  • behavior that is strange to others;
  • pronounced mood swings;
  • sudden manifestations of anger, desire to commit violence.

Emotional symptoms (these symptoms are a kind of harbingers of a future nervous breakdown):

  • depression, which is not only a symptom that determines the possibility of a nervous breakdown, but also the cause of it possible appearance;
  • anxiety;
  • indecision;
  • feeling of anxiety;
  • guilt;
  • lowering self-esteem;
  • paranoid thoughts;
  • tearfulness;
  • loss of interest in work and public life;
  • increased dependence on narcotic drugs, alcohol;
  • the appearance of thoughts about one's own invincibility and greatness;
  • the emergence of thoughts of death.

Now let's consider in more detail the manifestations of some symptoms that are directly related to a nervous breakdown.

Sleep and appetite disorders, depression of the emotional state, weakening of social contacts in a particular area of ​​life, irritability and aggressiveness - all these are the main symptoms characteristic of a nervous breakdown. A person has a feeling of being driven into a corner, in which he, accordingly, finds himself in a state of depression.

Attempts to help close people in such a situation, as a rule, lead to aggression and rudeness against them, which also implies a logical refusal of any help in such a state. A nervous breakdown also borders on symptoms indicating overwork, which consists in apathy and lack of strength, in addition to this, interest in everything that happens and around is lost.

As already noted above in terms of the main points, a nervous breakdown consists not only in changes associated with the psycho-emotional state of a person, but is also directly related to his physical condition. In particular, disorders associated with the activity of the autonomic nervous system become relevant, they consist in excessive sweating, in panic attacks, dry mouth, etc. Further, after the defeat of the nervous system, there is also a defeat of the cardiovascular system, as well as the gastrointestinal tract.

In the first case, the most common changes are manifested in the form of hypertension and tachycardia (increased heart rate), pain in the heart also appears, which is defined, respectively, as angina pectoris. These symptoms require medical attention, otherwise the condition in question can simply lead to a stroke or heart attack.

As for defeat digestive system with a nervous breakdown, it consists in a change in appetite (it either decreases or disappears altogether), in bouts of nausea. The patient's stool is also subject to certain disorders in the form of constipation or diarrhea. These conditions also determine the need for a certain correction, and not a medical correction focused on the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, but a correction focused on eliminating the immediate nervous breakdown, which is the primary condition that affects the listed manifestations.

Thus, with an adequate and effective definition of therapy for a nervous breakdown, the result will provide relief from concomitant symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract and other systems.

Nervous breakdown treatment

The treatment of a nervous breakdown is determined based on the specific causes that provoked it, as well as the overall severity of the actual manifestations. With reactive psychoses, treatment is required within the framework of specialized clinics and hospitals. It consists in the appointment of drug therapy with the use of neuroleptics in it, as well as with the use of tranquilizers.

Overwork, which also plays an important role in the occurrence of nervous breakdowns, requires sanitary-resort treatment, and it is better if the sanatorium is local, because climate change often acts as an additional stress factor.

In any variant of the condition, the main method of correction is psychotherapy, which also applies to the prevention of a nervous breakdown. In this case, the doctor will identify all the factors that provoked a nervous breakdown, after which, as part of the appropriate psychological correction, he will form and implement an appropriate scheme focused on the patient's resistance to this type of phenomena.

When these symptoms appear, it is important to immediately seek help from a psychologist or a psychotherapist, or a neuropathologist (neurologist). You should not be negligent about a nervous breakdown, because the facets of the psyche are quite fragile and it is never known for sure how serious the consequences of such a condition for the patient and his future life as a whole can become.