anon33693 - I don't know if you will read this, but believe me it was good to know that atleast you made an effort to recognize that you might be dealing with a problem.

You know I just feel that all of us have to deal with things in life that we would not want to, and it's always like an endless fight, but then I am sure that we can always give our best to what we have and at least feel satisfied about it.

It is always difficult but I am pretty sure that things get better, it's not just living for the sake of it...you are alive and things will get better.

I just hope that all of us could be optimistic about our lives, I am sure things do get better if you work hard. Best of luck guys!

I have suffered from anxiety and depression also. I still do but I am better now. Pray and ask God to help you. God will hear you. He puts us in these positions to use us to help others.

My son is currently in the in patient psych ward for a nervous breakdown and diagnosed with bipolar. He is fighting staying in and wants out. His doctors said the meds have not had a chance to stabilize yet. I am so fearful that he is not getting any better. This is his 4th day. This is so scary. Looking for advice.

Hi, world! I sought you out because I am older than teenage (almost 60), and was helped by the others' posts. I am undertaking something like my 5th "nervous breakdown". It is always at first alarming because "my program isn't working!!" But I know now that there is a physical cause (mine may include the fact that my grandmother had similar symptoms.

I sincerely feel to reach out to the young people. This is an event which can be survived! It's not the end of our worlds, and we still have many, *many*! resources available to help us re-order our lives (so take heart!). I agree that medication brings its own problems, and that truly healthy human beings can have psychic, visual and auditory experiences.

Just wanted to say thanks to a lot of the comments I read. It helped put things in perspective. I have come to terms with that I am either falling into a depression or on the brink of a nervous breakdown (since symptoms are similar and the timing is impeccable).

I just graduated college and I am a worrier. So each day I worry about the fact that I have a college degree and I just got a minimum wage job. I know things will get better, but like I said...I'm a worrier. All in all I've had a lot of bad things happen to me, the most recent being only 10 months ago my ex of a few years killed herself, shortly after I broke up with her. So no response needed, just saying that your comments inspired me to actually go seek help with what is troubling me instead of just letting it get to me, and also just letting me write this comment to actually talk about it with someone other than myself.

We *all* have problems whether they are mental or physical. People come here for help. Read up on depression and stress and you will see that it can cause changes in your body/mind.

Hey Luke,

So many people go through life with real handicaps and *manage to accomplish something*. You're healthy, you weren't abused as a child, and you have a supportive group of family and friends. There is no reason you can't enjoy your life. You're just anxious, nervous, and feeling sorry for yourself because you have no perspective. I'm 21 years old, I have chronic & crippling ulcers (think internal bleeding), and yet I'm the lead design engineer and partner in a growing electronics company. I'm basically disabled and yet I still accomplish things, and always make time for friends and family.

First, I want to thank you all for sharing your experiences. The acknowledgment we make that something is not right with us is certainly a difficult one, but this page really has helped me to accept that as personal as what I'm going through right now feels to me, it is not an uncommon phenomenon and many others are out there coping with their own challenges.

I'm 31 years old now, I have a loving family, some good long-term friends and a reasonable job.

Over the last year however, I've found myself retreating from my friends (many of them are now married or in long-term relationships) and I no longer enjoy the company of my family and prefer solitude. In this self-imposed exile I find myself regularly succumbing to my moderate addictions to alcohol, tobacco and internet shopping (mostly for DVDs) as I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find any meaning or pleasure in my life without these things. I've not been in a sexual relationship for about 12 years now (although I'm by no means unattractive, I've never really managed to 'connect' with the girls I've met over the years) and although I'm trying hard to meet someone, a part of me is terrified that instead of resolving this empty depressive state I find myself in, I'll just be dragging an innocent person into my personal hell.

Things have gotten worse lately, I'm struggling to do my job (my mind is constantly bombarded with anything other than work-related thoughts) and I really don't care about these mundane office concerns, but I know that losing my job will deal me a crippling blow. I'm in a fair amount of personal debt which will take years to pay off, and I have no savings, assets or pension.

At this point in time I honestly feel like I am merely going through the motions of living, and that the whole business is a pointless farce and that the space I take up on this planet would be better used by someone else. The only reason I'm still here now is because of the emotional pain it would cause my family if I were to end it all.

I'm still not 100% sure if this is depression or a nervous breakdown I'm experiencing, but I've just recently discovered that the intensely unsettling turns I have been experiencing sporadically over the last few months are in fact panic attacks, and I now wonder whether this depression has developed into nervous breakdown territory.

My situation all feels a bit pathetic to me after hearing of the ordeals that some of you have been though, but I suppose we all have different mental thresholds.

I'm trying to organise to get some counselling (though I have no idea how they are going to simply 'talk' these feelings away!). Maybe they'll put me on antidepressants - I've heard that these generally have unpleasant side-effects and in some cases can exacerbate a depressive condition, but I suppose it's worth trying if it might help.

Sorry this is a long one, I guess I just needed to get it all out somehow - it feels a bit better.

Luke

I have finally come to grips with how I'm feeling. I need help! Over the last 5 years my 25 years of marriage ended, my baby brother was killed, my step-father who I could relate to died of cancer, my job of 18 years laid me off, my daughter hates me because I left her father, my son is having issues because of the divorce and to top that off my only valuables were lost in a fire. I have a job that pays 1/3 of what I was making, I have had to work 2 jobs to support me and my son. I don't like my manager but like what I'm doing. My co-workers are not trustworthy. My family is broken up; I was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. My mother doesn't talk to me. What else is there?

I started having a nervous breakdown, when I was eighteen years old because I had unpleasant teacher in my school who was intolerant and unrelaxed, likes to yell hard and going too rough at me. I was unable to listen, focus, wait, follow, go by and understand instructions or directions exactly and effectively are told and given by my teacher, remain on tasks, being careful what I am really doing, being unable to think clearly, Every time my teacher or someone else call, tell, and ask me about something and to do something immediately I would start to jump, get restless, be out of line, get jumbled, tell response and comments that seem aren't truth and illogcal.

Phillip P

Hey I have just turned 15 and I don't know if I am in the middle of a nervous breakdown, I fell out with all of my friends recently, and we went back to school on my birthday and because no one talked to me I had a panic attack. Since then we have become friends again but ever since then I have lost all feelings for everything. I don't care about anyone any more, I keep hearing voices and they keep shouting my name and then say they were joking, I am really confused.

The other night I burst out crying and I was shaking really badly because my dad was talking and the night before I put my fist through the living room door because my mum put the tv on. Help me please am I having a nervous breakdown or am I just paranoid?

Aimee

A classmate in our year 8 class today just fell off a chair in Math, and started swearing like crazy, saying "why me" and then started crying. Is that a nervous breakdown or an anger management problem? even the ambulance came...

I'm 25 years old. I had a loving husband, a good job, a beautiful home and the world at our feet. one day my husband just walked out and 2 days later i found out that i was pregnant. My husband would not return to try and sort things out although he has no reason not to as he swears there is nobody else involved. That was in January. I cry everyday and i cry myself to sleep every night. I barely go to work and when I do i come home in tears or cry at my desk all day. sometimes I go days without eating and I just drink endless bottles of wine, although it's no good for the baby. I have no control. I have shut out my family and friends and sometimes I get so upset that I wet myself. I pray everyday. I'm only happy when my husband is around me. The doctor says i'm on the verge of a breakdown if this is only the verge then I don't no how bad a breakdown is. surely its no worse than this.

I'm 17 and about a year ago i lost my niece and since then my sister has become very depressed

now she drinks when she has a problem and whenever we try to help she gets explosive and says she wants to be left alone and she is fine. Today she got really mad and starting screaming at us and hitting us saying hurtful things. Is this from the drinking or something worse? I just want to see my sister happy again.

i guess i went through a nervous break down when i was 16. i heard voices of people who weren't there and i saw strange things ... i made bad conclusions about good people and so i lost some good friends and started isolating myself. i have never been threw any traumatic experience or anything before, but i don't know why i slipped into this? i was a normal guy and no one has given me a proper explanation for this.

during that time a lot of people thought that i had an attitude problem. now i am 20 and i am out of this seeing and hearing thing! but i find so so so hard to concentrate on my studies. i still find it difficult to talk to people eye to eye. but sometimes i just forget myself and my inner talents come pouring out and it makes me feel so good, but sometimes i get into this depressive cycle that i find so hard to break free from. i was once so full of confidence, up for adventure, felt so alive but now, foof, i just can't give up on myself. i know but sometimes i give in. i pray that i will make it threw this. please help me out!

Anon511, I started to read your last post and didn't agree, but the last sentence says it all, maybe you are right.

I do hope researchers look into the above issues with a clearer and more open mind instead of just prescribing medications.

I'm a 22 year old male. I had a nervous breakdown about 6 months ago. I had been in a depressive period for probably about 6 months prior. I think the depression came after I started to become discontent with my own contentment.

For about two years I had been a physically active person. I started running after high school, lost lots of weight, felt attractive and wanted to live life to its fullest. I was always happy and it seemed like everyone around me was neurotic and trying to cramp my style. I am in the arts at a state school and would always be teased about how my major was useless, but I knew I was smart and had value and ignored them. Somehow though, all the negative voices that are in my life made it into my head. I started feeling alienated from people,like I couldn't connect intimately. I started feeling really driven to succeed financially cause I got scared of the economy and my degree.

The summer before my breakdown I stopped exercising. I didn't see the point in keeping myself maintained and my hygiene (which was never really good to begin with) started to slide. I often felt the need to talk fast. I made friends who thought of me as kind of hyper and spontaneous and I had my first girlfriend that summer, which was a good decision since I was 22 and had never been in a relationship. It helped that the thing was a low expectation summer fling. I have gained about 15 pounds since.

When the break happened I was living alone and it was probably the most horrible position to be in. I was too stubborn to go to a psychologist and just fought my emotions everyday by myself. In 6 months I've done nothing school-wise and am in serious danger of not graduating on time, but who cares, cause you're a human being before you're a student or an employee. Even now I tend to become delusional about things (I'm a philosophy student too, I call delusions an occupational hazard).

My behavior and personality have only over time become easier to control, but I'm still not there.

When I had my break it was horrible and dramatic. One night I literally thought I wasn't gonna wake up the next morning. I went to bed thinking I died. I was seriously manic for like a week.

All in all I just have to say the following

1. surround yourself by people who affirm your dreams, your life, your health, your body and your whole person.

2. don't let yourself be guided by delusions... research for facts in the world and listen to what other people say about your behavior.

3. please eat right and exercise... it's a must. Also, make sure that you make time for *real* fun (not X-Box). join an intramural sport or something, get active.

4. write it out, If you're just walking around having thoughts and not recording them then you're not taking this thing seriously, but don't fool yourself, your crazy diaries are just that and you're not arriving at any new universal truths of the universe, just truths about yourself.

5. *seek help* from people who know how to handle this sort of thing, but never let yourself be victimized, even if you're suicidal you have some sense of your own worth, and you need to protect it and develop it and understand it.

God Bless

i don't know if what i'm going through should be called nervous breakdown or not.

i'm only 20 years old. in my own view i have had a tough life. a lot of issues at home with my elder sibling who hates me. i have been in a complex for all my life due to my sister which has a huge impact upon my social life. i have had unsuccessful relationships. the past 7 years we have had major financial issues which are spoiling my relationship with my boyfriend. i fight with him on minor issues just to take out my anger. i want to run away from all things like forget the world exists. i'm avoiding my friends. i don't have anyone so close that i could share my feelings. i cant sleep anymore. i cry on minor issues, my head hurts all the time. i just wish someone could help me because if i talked to someone they might think i'm mad and laugh.

hope u all understand.

I checked this site to read about nervous breakdown symptoms but kept on reading all the comments and posts. First, I think it's not easy to talk about one's private life, intimate details, and open up to the general audience.

My mother was a Psychiatric Ward nurse way before I was born. She used to take me to the hospital childcare and once they closed the doors, I was left in the nurses' room but I would always wander around. There were very serious cases to just "mild" cases. Mental diseases come in all sort of shapes and colours and are very complex. However, one cannot and should not confuse mental diseases and disorders with other conditions. There are several professionals that are (or should be) qualified to help diagnose something. A general practitioner (e.i.family doctor) may prescribe proper medication for some cases and may direct you to a specialist. One cannot forget to always look for the best health practitioner and check credentials. Check second and even third opinions and make sure you know the authority for a reliable source. The more information you can get, the better.

As long as there has been a human on Earth people have been dealing with all sorts of odds. Society has portrayed the "picture perfect" family for too long, but the reality is way different. Everybody has different coping skills, personalities, abilities, strengths, etc. People function has a whole, in a society, community, family, and as an individual.

I read these peoples' testimonies and my heart goes out. I have been there and I can relate to many things. I can tell you that there is always Hope and Help. Don't give up on yourself or others no matter how hard and impossible it may look. Those other people (whether your children, spouse, parents) have the same problems. Everybody is trying to cope. There's just too many things going on at the same time, and people try to do too much or too little. It's essential to have a good balance or equilibrium. Taking care of yourself: a healthy diet, exercise, relaxation...If you need some time off, take it. Take a vacation! Some people even change jobs, careers, cities and countries. What works for one may not necessarily work for another.

An unhappy person in one place, maybe happy in another.

As for a nervous breakdown though, it's very serious and should be properly diagnosed. One should not confuse it with stress, fatigue, anger, or any other conditions. In some cases it may be helpful to have someone around to do the basic living activities even if it's just temporarily. There are other resources and options. Don't forget you're not alone!

Please tell me what are the symptoms of, on the verge of and actually having a nervous breakdown? I used to be a very houseproud mother. My house would be sparkling clean everything put in its place dishes done etc. Now I find even doing the simple tasks are daunting. My son is undergoing referrals so we can find out what is causing his behavioural problems. His problems are my downfall. He totally disrespects me, he steals from me and when I chastise him for it or say no to him, like oh you can't have the yoghurts they are mine, these ones are your's, he goes off and takes them.

I find myself after he has done this wicked and evil deed that I start throwing everything around in the house. I feel as though I have no motherly bond there with my son anymore *at all*, whereas when he was little it was such an overwhelming feeling of love I had for this precious tiny human being and now most of that, if not all, is gone.

I cry all the time. I worry for all my children. I go into irrational states of thinking, well if I did this to myself then maybe the kids would realise that mummy means business and just lay off from her once in a while give me a break kids, please. I am shaking. I put my hands outstretched and I shake uncontrollably. I am sitting with my head in my hands at the moment wondering well why am I feeling like this? What have I done to deserve such an uncontrollable son and why can I not cope anymore? So after expressing my symptoms is it actually a nervous breakdown or just on the verge of one??

i am a 38 year old woman. my mom was totally disabled when i was 7 years old. she passed away when i was 16. it was horrible and took me years to deal with.

anyhow, now i am married to a wonderful man. he is now disabled and has got so many things going on with him all i do is worry. my dad is now 85 years old. i work a full time job but if the phone rings at work i freak. i always think its bad news with my dad or husband. i'm on pins and needles just waiting for something bad to happen. i don't really sleep, at least not soundly, i always think something is going to happen. i have noticed lately i have real bad headaches. i'm tired all of the time. do you think this might be a nervous breakdown?

I am 17. I have grown up around people who are bi-polar and manic depressive, borderline personality, etc. and witnessed my mother and sister suffer nervous breakdowns.

I have also had my time spent in therapy, but nothing has come of it. My doctors always just say that any emotional distress I endure is due to being a teenager, and smoking pot.

But when I don't smoke pot I feel the worst, which is why I started smoking it in the first place.

This past summer, August 31st, to be exact, was the worst day of my life, nothing really bad happened, but I remember feeling like I was dieing the whole day, like nauseous and hard to breath and everything. Over the following days it lessened in intensity, but it's still here and now it's almost March and I am beginning to feel like I'm losing my mind.

See, the thing is, though, is I can pretend I am okay and say things that are nice but all the while I have weird thoughts.

I just feel like I have no control over any of my actions and I am angry. I don't know what's going on.

i find i can never really be myself. well, i am myself but in a way which i consciously alter. i always think about what i say and often have several personas around a variety of my close friends which i easily slip in and out of, altering such personas according to how well i feel people respond.

im 22. when i was much younger, maybe 5-11 i remember what 'being yourself' was like. some people you got on with others you didnt, it didnt matter. now, however, i try to please everyone; make them think im interesting and fun.

personally, i think it's from being too self-absorbed. is this normal, to want to alter yourself to be liked in a way that, whether true or otherwise, improves a perception of existence.

i know this really has nothing to do with what people are discussing here, but thought i would share nonetheless. im very thankful for having a wonderful girlfriend and a loving family

I am 24 yr old woman, currently in grad school...and working towards a Master in Science. I have been in a serious relationship from past 10 years, the person i love, loves me more than anything in this world...wld do anything for me ..understands me like no other...and we truly have a beautiful relationship...however my parents have been unaware of this...and i recently told them....and they are absolutely against him because he is not as educated as me and his family is not as financially well of as mine...and have refused to even consider this person ..and have begged me to stop seeing him and talking to him...i am from an Indian family therefore parents have a huge say in who their daughter marries...and i dont want to hurt my parents in any way ..but ever since this episode i have been feeling very low...i live at home...i dont feel like doing anything...just lying down in my room all day...dont want to go outside...have a concentrated continuous pain in my head ..loss of appetite ....and have no will to do anything... am i going on a path of nervous breakdown?

Can I just get some drugs and make this go away?

I have recently been going through a really rough time. It started about a year ago when i had an affair and found out my husband was having one too. We've tried to reconcile a few times but there is just to much damage. Needless to say, this emotional upset in my life led me into a depressive mood. Once I started having feelings of hopelessness, I sought out counseling through my EAP. I originally thought my down mood was because of my situation but after talking things out with my counselor it appears I have suffered for many years with a level of bipolar disorder starting from childhood. My family used to call me Dr jeckyll and Mr. hyde but we just laughed it off. After I began to spiral downward with thoughts of harming myself and leaving my children and uncontrollable persistent crying, I made the choice to try medicine (which has been equally hard for me because I hate taking any kind of medicine). The prozac has helped but I am continuously swinging between feelings of feeling great one day to feeling like there's no point to life the next. I have always been a spiritual person but find it hard to pray theses days. I have 2 small children that I don't even interact with. I go to work and then go home and get in the bed everyday. It's becoming increasingly hard to function and have found myself in the bed for days at a time on a few occasions. the problem is I've always been the go to person for everyone elses problems. i've always been the smart, pretty girl with everything i could ever want. The one smiling on the outside most times and then flipping out at the drop of a dime and going off the deep end on someone. I find it helpful to have a therapist and she has recently referred me to a psychiatrist. I don't really want to go see a psychiatrist because my culture has a hard time believing in certain mental illnesses. They believe you should just be able to pray your way through. I don't know, I hope I get better soon because most days I don't want to be here in this life. To all who are suffering, you're not alone.

Hello to all of you who are suffering. I have been down that road since I was very young. I am in my late 50's now and finally know what normal is. I saw a doctor and was prescribed imipramine. I have tried just about every other drug there is. This is the only one that worked. It takes about 2 or 3 months to normalize you and get the dosage just right. You have to be patient-it is so worth the wait! No more anxiety attacks, no more paralyzing depression, no more fear about what is going to happen next, no more overreacting to what happens next. Hope this helps all of you or as many as possible. It is great to be able to function every day of my life and to sleep well, but most of all, it is wonderful to know what normal is.

Im a twenty year old male. i consider myself good looking and so do many others i've had a few girlfriends and i use to be so happy until i started smoking drugs i started because my girlfriend that i loved with all my heart left me after two joyful years i smoked weed constantly everyday for about a year i didn't have a job or social activities that i used to. they occupied my daily life before sports, friends, and just socializing itself. i became a useless good for nothing jobless guy with no life no girl friends apart from a few that didn't really last long. im still sad but really have motivation to succeed in life i have plans now and plan to stick to them i want to get back into sports and best of all stopped smoking drugs my family can see the change and that makes me proud and motivates me more to keep going i hope all goes well there's nothing to fear about the future i use to fear it so much.

I'm a 43 year old mwf. I grew up the youngest of 4, with an alcoholic for a dad and a hard working wonderful mom. I saw things that no person of any age should have to see. (ex) Christmas Eve 1974, my uncle was stabbed in the stomach by his own brother. The brother was going after my dad and my uncle stepped in. When I was 12, my dad held a loaded gun to my head, while yelling to my mom to get his sleeping pills. She ran and got them. He took 30 in one swallow. He was in a coma for a week. When I was 14, dad had been gone on a drunk trip for days... I was awakened by my brother saying "wake up...dad just shot himself in the head." (He was very calm about it.) I jumped from bed and ran down to the end of our driveway. Mom had already gotten towels and had them wrapped around dad's head. She was frantic. She told me to hold the towels on tight, but there was blood already starting to trickle down the road where he laid. There's other things to add to the pot, but these are the major ones.

When I was 16, I met a boy that was 3 years older than me. We fell head over heels for each other. When I finished High School, at 17, Mom took me to the city hall and signed the papers so that we could legally be married. God I Loved Him!!

We were married for 3 years and at 20, I had our first and only child. My husband and I always both worked full time jobs. Hard jobs, but we managed. Our child grew up and so did we. I still had a whole lot of resentment towards dad though.

In 2001 I had to have a hysterectomy. The nurse that I had failed to check on me through the night and allowed my catheter to almost explode. I was diagnosed with a disease in my bladder caused from small tears inside of it from it being stretched so far, for so long. I only have a stinging sensation when I need to urinate. I am up and down all through the night because the only way to alleviate the pain, is to empty my bladder. In 2004, my precious mother-in-law was diagnosed with leukemia. We saw her go through so much. After 10 months, she lost her battle. In June, 2005 I fell down some stairs, and it caused a bulged disc in my lower back. That has since evolved into pinched nerves running down both of my legs. I am in misery pretty much most of the time from my navel down. In Sept. 2006, my blood pressure shot up to 250/150. I was immediately put into ICU for 3 days and had meds ran through iv's to get it down. Upon questioning me, the doctors diagnosed me with panic attacks. That explained the not being able to breath and feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest. In May, 2007 I was diagnosed with cancer in my thyroid. I had it removed 2 weeks later and had the radiation treatment 4 weeks post op. Since my blood pressure was so touchy, I still don't have my thyroid med regulated. To say the least, FATIGUE. April 1, 2008, my precious husband of 25 years was diagnosed with cancer in his esophagus. This was totally from left field. He was told that he had inherited the condition that his Mom had and could be corrected by stretching the esophagus. When I took him to have the procedure done, the doctor told us that he found a large tumor at the base of my husbands esophagus. He would have to undergo extreme treatments, including radiation, chemo, and one of the worst surgeries that can be performed. The summer is a blur... no sleep, anxiety attacks, severe back pain, leg pain, racing heart, sweats, day and night, worry, worry, worry about my darling husband. He was on a feeding tube for 3 months and lost 40 pounds. His poor belly would be growling so loudly at night, that I would just lay and listen, and cry for hours. There was nothing else that I cold do for him. Just Love Him. He had the surgery on July 7th and we were told that he would probably lose another 40 to 50 lbs. Thank You God! He has maintained his weight, and hasn't lost any at all since the surgery. I am so thankful for that. But...I still have the most scared, worried feeling hanging over me. I just want to go to sleep and not wake up... I cry constantly, my heart aches, both physically and emotionally. I'm so frightened. I shake all over. I sometimes hear a voice telling me it would be so easy to get out of this, but I fight back. I couldn't do that to my family. Am I on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

What is the difference between Bipolar Disorder and Perimenopause.... Normal- teenage- marijuana experimentation and Substance Abuse... ADHD and Normal Behaviors of Boys...Obesity due to lack of discipline or Obesity caused by a Metabolism or physical health abnormality... A Psychiatrist and A Bipolar/Codependent/Dominating Male.....????? I'd really like to know. I have read "self Help" books, CD's DVDs, Workbooks, taken several classes on Marriage, Parenting, Women's emotional health.(Christian and Secular) Attended "support" groups for all of the above. Done everything the "MD's" have said. Tried Prescribed Meds that make things worse. Holistic and Chiropractic therapy, one on one counseling for myself, my husband (married for 23 years) and 4 of my 5 of my children ages 21-7. I am a very successful "Above Average" Mammography Technologist at a very well known "best hospital in the world" very well liked, work full-time, live in a Upper Middle class America". Am Exhausted, anxious and now having Major health problems...Ready to check into a Psych ward.

I believe I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I am experiencing thoughts of wanting to go to sleep and never wake up ... at least in this life. I feel so pressured by all that's happening around me. We owe the IRS 39,000 and they just put a lien on our home. Our youngest daughter has decided to get married and has only given us 5 months to pay for this wedding. So much is expected of me. My oldest daughter only talks to me when she needs money and wants a free dinner at the house. My husband is a hard worker and tries his best to support and pay the bills. I cannot find a job to help with this mounting debt and I feel so hopeless. I just want to end this emotional turmoil! I am also struggling with feelings of abandonment from my father who died 2 years ago and I haven't come to terms with that either. A few years prior to his death he completely disowned me just because I held him accountable for a very serious situation. I am at the end of my rope. I feel so unloved and feel like I truly have no purpose in this life. I just want to feel secure and feel loved and respected. But I guess that is too much to ask? I feel so alone and as if I have no one else to turn to.

after trying everything to find peace and be able to cope, I finally found the one person who loves me unconditionally and has my best interest at heart. Things are falling into place and life is beautiful once again.

anon16134: i feel the exact same way.

i think i'm having NB..thats why im here..seeking answers while i still have some reasoning left...43, dwm, no job..feel like i wasted my life..please help me

to all those people who arent sure if you are having a break down let me assure you if you truly have one you will know it and never will be able to forget it, just had one last year im 48 and menopausal !! its a terrible illness id rather have 10 kids then relive that again.....

im only 16. when i was about eleven i started having extreme feelings of sadness regularly, for no reason. this evolved into low self esteem. im a normal girl, i have a normal life, im pretty and fairly likable. but inside, i hate myself so much. i desperately want to be someone else. i look at myself in the mirror and think i am disgusting. i have no sense of worth. i constantly have the same replaying thought in my head, i could die right now and none would miss you. ive cried and cut myself in the past cos i would just feel anger towards myself. someone please tell me whats wrong with me. ive still got the rest of my life ahead of me, and im scared i will just get worse. i dont know who to talk to.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder 8 years ago. It is just my opinion, but I think the words "Nervous Breakdown" are being used on this site to mislead people into thinking they might be experiencing a true "Mental Illness". Many of the entries on this site appear to be people who are experiencing extreme difficulty coping with the everyday stresses of daily life. Life in America in this day and age require many people to stretch themselves to thin with work, school, children and relationships with spouses/lovers, family and friends. If the problems being experienced began after a recent loss(within 6 mo to 1 yr) -(death, job, breakup, illness)there is a good chance that with the help of a good therapists and possible short term medication most of the symptoms being experienced, (crying, lack of energy, feeling down) should be short lived.

The major concern begins when a person makes statements like, I just want to sleep and never get up, I want to die but would never put my children through something like that or people would be better of if I were gone... these kinds of statements are a real sign that professional treatment is needed as soon as possible. A person is considered suicidal when they announce the desire to die and can give a detailed plan explaining how they intend to commit suicide. If this situation occurs immediate emergency medical treatment is needed.

There are many forms of diagnosable mental illnesses (Depression, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Personality Disorders (antisocial, borderline, paranoid, schizoid, avoidant...Etc) to use the term "Nervous Breakdown" downplays the major life altering issues people with diagnosed illnesses face. We often do not work or go to school, Have extreme difficulities with relationships of all types, We experience difficulity making and keeping friends,(people are generally very uncomfortable when around someone they know is mentally ill)

As your site says a "Breakdown" is when a person attempts suicide or a person behaves in such a way that family or friends would immediately seek and get psychiatric hospitaliztion... If you are questioning whether you may be suffering from any type of illness see a doctor - you'll either get treatment for short term emotional/lifestyle stress or you will be told you now have a uncurable lifeling mental illness. Each person who visits this site should ask themselves is knowing what's wrong with me important enough that I should actually go to a doctor or ask for random advise from unknown people with no medical degree or treatment experience

Hi all. First, I just want to say that this site and the things said on it saved my life tonight. I often feel overwhelmed and helpless. I feel like nothing I ever do for anyone I work for is ever good enough, no matter how hard I try or how hard I don't try. I want to get better, but my feelings of happiness or motivation never last for long. As a woman, I feel like so many depend on me for happiness or to be the "caring, understanding" one in a relationship, but it is so hard. I feel guilty for feeling the way I do and wanting to help myself yet not being able to truly help others. I also feel ashamed of my self when things go wrong.

I want to make my life my own, but I fear it's too little too late. This is the kind of fear that paralyzes and results in sadness, extreme frustration over small things, irritability, and as I have already said, helplessness. How do you stop crying all the time?

i have a terrible problem which seems to be getting the best of me. My daughter Linda, is an educated person with a college degree in the field of Psychology. She has a great job, beautiful baby, but a very unstable relationship with her child's father. They fight and argue all of the time and these "battles" go on for hours. She keeps saying she doesn't want him here, throws him out constantly, but he never leaves. This goes on at least three times a week and it gets very out of hand. She cries and screams and says she hates him and knows deep down he will never change, but yet she wants him here to help raise this child and she doesn't want to be alone. She has very low self-esteem and he is a pathological liar. Bad combination, huh? Anyway, Her tears and heartbreak go into rage with him, and i don't like seeing my daughter like this and i can't anymore. I tell her she knows better and she desperately needs to see a therapist, but she will now. They live with me so i always make sure the baby is far away from the screaming and raging. My daughter was never this way and now she is changing into someone i don't even know. What can i do?

There is a significant difference between the Medium who is clairvoyant and/or clairaudient and the mentally ill person who hears voices and sees people who are not there. They are completely different things and at total opposites of the spectrum. The Medium is not mentally deranged.

I definitely had a nervous breakdown, either that or was suffering from severe depression for a good 8 months. I am 25 now, this was when I was 22, every single day of my life now I am grateful to be alive. Sometimes I have a flashback of stuff I used to do to myself and just think 'wow, how did I not die?" It all started with me finding out the love of my life who I had dated for 5 years had cheated on me, numerous times throughout our relationship, and everyone knew about it but me. On top of this, he gave me herpes. I survived that, fine, and managed to fall head over heels in love with the only other guy I have truly loved in my life up to this point. I dated him for a year, until one day a woman showed up at the door with a baby. There was no denying it, the baby looked just like him. From there I dropped out of college. I got straight A's my entire life, and the one time when it counted, I just couldn't do it. It was like everything I had thought up to that point, about friends, about love, about education was just one huge sham. I went from being completely in love and having a wide circle of friends to not trusting anyone, and thinking the entire world was against me. I started doing drugs, 8 balls of coke followed by Oxycontin. I spent all my money on drugs. I locked myself up in my room and did drugs. When I came down, I took handfuls of sleeping pills just so I wouldn't have to be awake. When I did go out, I did drugs and made out with woman. I alienated myself from all my friends. Looking back, I could have handled things a lot differently then I did, but I just didn't care at the time, I wanted to die. During this time, I got fired from my job. Ironically, that was the kick in the butt I needed... from there, things started to look up. I started working out, stopped doing drugs. Got a new job and made some new friends. A little while after that, I met a guy and we picked up and moved across Canada, on a whim, with nothing but 2 suitcases of clothes. I don't touch drugs, just the memory of me sitting in my room, snorting coke until my nose bled, feeling like I wanted to die, like my whole life had a been one big lie, I had been living in a bubble and it burst. I was a very, very sick girl then, I don't think anyone knew how to deal with me, I didn't know how to deal with myself. When friends would call, I couldn't even bring myself to answer the phone. Eventually they stopped calling, confirming my delusional suspicions at the time that they were all against me. I tried anti-depressants on and off, Celexa, Paxil, Effexor, personally none of them worked for me. Even if they did, the other drugs I was taking probably rendered them useless. I am well now, I have an entire new life in a beautiful city and live a healthy, active lifestyle. I work with troubled Youth, aged 15-20 and feel like I'm making a difference in the world. The point of my story? there is hope. I honestly thought, things would never, ever, ever get better. That's why I wanted to die, I honestly believed that. So no matter how bad you feel, or what you are going through, please just hang in there, because things can get better.

The comments about the medium.

I used to 'hear' voices. Well the reality of the matter is that my former mentor died and when the world would be falling apart I would have conversations with him 'hear voices' and things would work out. Logically speaking it is probably simply what he said in life replaying itself when I need advice.

Lately I have not been having these conversations. I have not been 'hearing voices'. My father died less than two months ago. Work in some ways is improving but my contract ends and owing to the nature of my job getting a new one at the end of the contract is pretty much impossible.

I am falling apart. I know it. I also know because I am NOT hearing voices, that calm advice from my mentor that I am depressed.

Maybe someone who is depressed should not put their opinion forward regarding the comments of a medium but I do not think she should be criticized. Everyone's life is different. The standard's of normal are different for everyone. If they can function in society they should simply be accepted. D.

when you're on the verge of a mental breakdown, and are already diagnosed with anxiety and seeing a counselor, how do you react? Simply by just telling the counselor, and getting their advice?

I have ready many of the comments left here as well as the advice. I am 25 years old. I'm not sure if I have reached the level of a nervous breakdown, but I definitely am having issues coping. I feel so overwhelmed, exhausted, and depressed. I work full time and go to grad school at night which leaves me stressed out. I am in a long distance relationship and also, never have time to see my friends anymore. My family is also not doing to well, as a my mom is extremely depressed and my brother is a drug addict (who recently sought treatment thank God!) Well, I know my problems are minor compared to many who posted on here. But I guess I just need to get all this off my chest. I can't sleep much anymore and I basically shut myself into my apartment all weekend. I really flipped out tonight and when I spoke to my girlfriend about, she was not very understanding and basically told me that things weren't that bad. This upset me even more. I really just need someone to be empathetic and listen. Well, for all those who have read this, thanks for listening!

I feel so guilty. I have read all the post on here and feel ashamed for even thinking I have issues I cannot deal with. Although, I was able to relate to a few cases here. Last night I locked myself in my bedroom and just cried and slept. I am already on meds, and I have made an appointment to go back to talk with my psychiatrist. I just cannot deal anymore. I was so afraid of flipping out on the kids. I have been extremely moody. All I want to do is sleep, but of course it takes me forever to get to sleep because of racing thoughts. I worry about every little thing. I have increased in the number of panic attacks I get. I feel as though my nerves are crawling all the time. It seems like I am getting worse instead of better. I just don't know what to do. I pray that I will not wake up. When I do I am so disappointed. I won't hurt myself, but I am wishing something natural would just take me out of this world. I cannot stand that I cannot deal with everyday living. And the sad part is my life is much better than it was 7-8 years ago. But yet I feel this way. I just don't want to be awake anymore. Everyone tells me I am so strong and that if it weren't for me the kids and my fiancee would not be where they are today. Okay so I have made a better life for them so what about me. I cannot do anything for myself because I always feel sooooo much guilt afterwards. I am not strong anymore...I can barely even move. So now what?

thank you for your comments

to sstevens,

you're not alone!!! i think all moms feel like they're going to have a nervous breakdown at some point. i have 3 kids: 5, 3 and 10 mos. there are some days (most) where i am literally running from task to task. helping them go potty, making snacks/meals, refereeing fights, cleaning up, doing laundry, feeding the dog, answering the phone, shopping for groceries, balancing the checkbook, paying the bills...the list goes on. this is coupled with the fact that i try to get my kids out for social and play activities, i try to socialize with friends and spend time with my husband and i also work from home every day! sometimes i am so tired and frustrated that i cannot accomplish all that i want to in a day. my advice to you is to get your household organized to streamline things like chores, grocery shopping and meals. assign chores with a reward/punishment system for your kids. have a heart to heart with your family and make it clear that you need help--without yelling and screaming. that always shuts them down right off the bat. you also need to let go of some of the perfectionism and just accept that your house won't be perfect--and be happy about it. life is too short! i know that sounds cliched, but i've relaxed a lot when it comes to stuff like that.

while this may all be useful advice, if you feel like your emotional and mental state is more than just the normal stressed out state of being of a mom, you should go see a doctor. you could have a hormonal imbalance or a psychological condition that should be treated!

I am a 31 year old mother of 3. My youngest child is 6 months old. Since having my son, I have not had a decent night's sleep. I understand that he needs to eat...that is not the problem. The problem is that I feel like I have to constantly make excuses and make my family understand that I need their help around the house. Being tired from lack of sleep and everyone dirties the house behind me when I clean it drives me crazy! I hate filth and I feel like I am unappreciated for what I do and I feel like my fiancee doesn't respect what I do around the house. He works and I dont and he often asks when I start complaining about how tired I am..he says.." what are you tired from?" Is he serious? He has never cooked a meal in this house. I have to ask or beg him to help me..he helps sometimes! When it comes to our son, even when he is off and at home, he doesn't really help me as much as he should with caring for him. Now the kids they just make a mess and I yell and punish and it is so frustrating that one day I told them to just do whatever they felt like it because I am tired of cleaning up after people. No one listens to me. When I complain people get mad at me for being angry. I have migraines everyday and I just feel depressed. I love them but sometimes I wish I could just go away from them for a day. I feel like I am going to pop a vessel in my brain! does it sound like I am about to have a nervous breakdown?

needhelp08,

wow, it sounds like you're having a hard time. i think that a lot of parents have a hard time coping with life, work and family. there's just not enough time or energy in the day to do everything we feel that we need to be doing. my suggestion to you, is first, go see a doctor who can help you get well with medication (if needed) and therapy. it may mean that you switch doctors to find one that will put the extra effort of getting it right for you. second, if you can financially afford it, quit like your husband asked you do to. consider finding a work from home job, or babysit a couple times a week for a little extra cash. there are lots of ways to find extra money. i feel like living inexpensively is significantly less stressful than trying to work to make more money you're just going to spend. third, focus some time on yourself--reading, exercise, eating right, spending time with friends, etc. you won't be a good mom and wife if you're unhappy. if you're religious, pray a lot--i do it every morning to have the patience and strength to get through the day with my young children. it's hard to get out of a rut, and i hope i'm not minimizing your trials. hope all works out for the best for you!

Okay.. This all started a few years ago.. About 10. They put me on prozac and said I was depressed. Bla bla bla.. Then it was Prozac and something else for that extreme PMS disorder..

Now, they have me on Prozac 20mg, Wellbutrin SR and Klonapin.. I recently went to work four months ago full time because of financial problems.. I am no longer home with my three kids. Their school work is suffering (not mentioning the never ending battles and headaches with my middle child who is autistic).. Recently, I have been distant from everyone.. Even the people at work notice, my husband keeps asking me if he disgusts me, my friend that I used to talk to on a daily basis says she thought maybe I died and no-one told her.. lol She says it as a joke of course.. I used to get great pleasure out of my children, but seems recently I have lost my ability to be a good parent.. All I want to do is sleep and when I am up, I don't want to be bothered. I used to take great pride in my show dogs, which now seem more of a hassle to me than anything.. My house is a mess and I have gained 20 lbs in three months. No, I am not pregnant... Then the other day, I snapped.. I wanted to kill myself.. I kissed my kids bye, and walked out the door. I blew up for no reason when my husband made a joke with me. I went to a meeting at my son's school (he is in special ed, so we have frequent meetings) and they told me that he misses me and often wants his school to call me at work so he can just talk to me. He is only mildly autistic, he is not like Rain Man. They also told me that he and his brothers (who is very gifted academically) are struggling in school now and they want me to quit my job. I am stressed at work. It's a very fast paced- hands on job. It doesn't pay well. Last month one of my show dogs was struck by a car and killed.. This week one of our goats was killed by a neighbors dog. I keep having panic attacks and migraine headaches which my doctor tells me is tension. I feel let down every morning when I wake up. I don't smile, I don't laugh. I cry constantly. All you have to do is say something in the wrong tone and I am either in tears or ready to beat ya (no I don't hit my babies) but other adults, I would rather kick then to talk to.. I don't talk to my parents much, when they call, I find a reason to get off the phone. I don't talk to my siblings at all.. I haven't went to any family funerals or events at all because I just don't want to.. It's not that I don't care, I just don't feel the need. Needless to say, I didn't kill myself the other day, my husband called me on my cell phone and put my kids on the phone.

My kids are all between the ages of 4-9.

My autistic son keeps pooping his pants, it was only a few times a week at the beginning of the school year, now it's multiple times daily.. I refuse to wash those soiled clothes from a 6 almost 7 year old, so we just throw them away.. I am losing my patience with this situation.. I am sitting here tonight trying to think of an excuse not to go to work tomorrow. I want to stay home alone with my 4 year old and clean. I often want to clean my house and have these big plans of doing, but I just can't manage the energy.. If there is a chance to sleep, I would rather do that than anything.

My husband told me to give my work a two weeks notice, last week.. (the suicide thing was on Wednesday after my son's meeting) I couldn't. I am scared of getting yelled at by my boss who terrifies me. I don't know why.. I am not typically a person who intimidates easily.. I just don't know what to do.. Everyday is a struggle just to get through.. Every tree or cliff I see on the way to work on the way home seems to call "Crash into me". Of course, when my children are not with me.. I would never hurt my babies.. The only thing that keeps me from doing it is the hurt it would cause my kids and my dad. My mom wouldn't care too much, she would play it up of course for the sympathy, but she would still have my brother who has always been the pick of the litter.. My dad would be upset as I am daddy's little girl.. I just don't talk to him anymore..

My husband could always find someone better, perhaps even a better mom for my kids.. But, I would never do anything to cause my kids one moment of sadness.. I thank GOD for them, if it weren't for them, I wouldn't still be here..

I don't feel that I am depressed.. I have been spiraling out of control for awhile now, but really badly in the past few months.. Where does one go?? What does one do? The pills aren't helping, so I have quit taking them... I just don't know what to do... Any advice??

how do u know if it is a nervous breakdown or depression? i see similarities but i dont think i am depressed.

I came across this article during some research I was doing about whether or not I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to prolonged stress at work. I also came across Burnout, which feels closer to my current experience. I have a BA in Psychology, but am by no means an actual psychiatrist or therapist, and reading other comments from others on this posting, I thought that these links about Burnout could be helpful.

Apparently Burnout tends to happen more often in certain occupations (e.g. customer service, lawyers, etc.) and situations (e.g. caregivers of loved ones), which may be helpful to some of the people who commented on this article. As for what to do, I'm not sure.

I would recommend going to a licensed mental health professional for actual help with your problem, especially if you are in a lot of pain, but as far as getting started with how to even find the right help:

- Calling a help hotline and asking them for resources.

- Talking to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, or a counselor at your work or school, or your doctor (or a religious advisor like a priest or rabbi). Nothing to be afraid of here - you don't have to actually be crazy to talk to a mental health professional, just like you don't have to be sick to get a check-up from a regular doctor. And just like any doctor, if you don't like them, you can always go somewhere else for a second opinion.

- Attending a related support group meeting. The leader can probably tell you pretty quick if you are in the wrong meeting, and may be able to refer you to another group.

- Search around on the internet for resources - I usually just type whatever question I have into Google, and usually get the information I need.

I hope others find these resources as valuable as I have.

Some very eclectic comments here! I hope the editors don't take any of the comments down barring extremely obscene circumstances. With psychology being such a broad science and including so many different studies, including paranormal and spiritual studies, and the fact that every person is very different from every other it isn't surprising. One very effective exercise that many psychologists is writing down what you're thinking, which is pretty much what the people posting are doing. Writing down your feelings, even if it's in a private notebook and no one else sees it, can be a very helpful stress reliever. But on the other side, some people writing here are looking for feedback and it will be stressful to not hear any feedback. This is just another example of people being different. There is no universal answer to how to help people dealing with mental problems because different techniques will help some people more than others. Find what works best for you in dealing with stress and many of your mental problems and if it's too much for you to handle, seek professional help. Or go to a professional anyway, and they can help you find your own way to relieve that stress. Like for me, I feel like I'm close to a psychotic break and I feel most relieved feeling like I'm helping someone else with their problems. Strange huh? Good luck to everyone dealing with these problems.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm afraid I'm starting to have a nervous breakdown. I am VERY emotional, so emotional in fact, I've been crying for 6 hours straight. I don't care about any decisions any one asks me to make, I don't want to do anything, I just want to sit and cry. I'm also afraid that if I tell someone that I think I'm on the verge of one, they won't take me seriously. I've have never felt like this before and keep thinking what it would be like if I wasn't here, but then I don't do it, which is good, but I don't want it to get worse, what should I do???

A young lady that i work with is in the hospital. her daughter come to the job and told my boss that her mother had a nervous breakdown because i yelled at her mother. could that be true? could someone have nervous breakdown if they think someone is yelling at them?

I think I had a break down last month and maybe still having it. The sad thing is that I am 19, and the reason is breaking up, or better say, being left by a boyfriend who is my first love. I hate to admit the state I was in, but I had episodes of crying for hours, laying on the floor not wanting to get up, hiding underneath my desk, periods during which I wouldn't be able to fall asleep even though I've been up working for 48 hours, then periods when I would sleep for 15 hours. there were several days when I didn't go to my classes even though I would get dressed, and got all of my things, but then I would panic and wouldn't leave the room. I have two weeks on anti-anxiety drugs.

Now after writing this I think I should get some help. Maybe it's not necessary since I am much better now and have managed to continue with everyday life.

please, my mom is crying all the time, i am 13 years old and it's tearing me apart to see her like this. she has almost all the symptoms except the voices and seeing things.

ok what do i do if i am so poor i can barely afford the air i breathe, but i'm experiencing the symptoms of a nervous breakdown? is there a "home-grown" way to treat it?

I want to know exactly what the final definition is of a mental breakdown. I can't cope with my daily life I often find myself wondering and I know what I'm doing but I don't know why I've hurt myself in the past not on purpose but in over using my body for the purpose of bettering my family they keep telling me that I'll be ok and that I should keep going and soldier on but I can't keep going if my body and brain are broken. I want to tell them that I have to take some time for myself but they're so proud of me for being the rock in all of their problems that I don't have the heart . What do I do I keep smiling but I want to die and I feel like I'm already dead inside!

Although I am seeing a lot of people out there who are indeed suffering and others who are trying desperately to help those they care about who are suffering, I am also seeing a lot of trivialisation here. I am very disturbed that anyone would even think that bringing their 'experiences' of being a medium into this topic would be remotely helpful to anyone who is genuinely suffering. In fact, these kind of discussions are harmful to anyone who is genuinely in need of help and support for mental health issues. It is also my upmost belief that individuals who have suffered a breakdown following the loss of a loved one and who have turned to mediums for 'answers' are often permanently harmed by the so called 'information' and claims of contact with the dead. Grief counselling is available and is bar far the best option, and in cases where anyone feels that they are experiencing a breakdown or suspect that their loved one is having a breakdown, Professional medical help should be sought in all cases! If this simple rule was followed, a lot of harm and distress could be avoided, and in extreme cases suicide averted. I would urge the editors on this site to review very carefully the subject matter of all postings due to the very serious nature of this topic, and the devastating effect that wrongly given advice can have upon a vulnerable individual in need of help and support.

Hello my name is Sarge and well I am really trying to figure out if I am just down or having a breakdown. I will start at the beginning 3 months ago my wife left me. She said she wasn’t happy. After that I started putting things together and found out she had a boyfriend. Been dealing with that fine I think. Last month I met the most perfect lady was great for about two weeks. Well let me back up when I met her I didn’t want another relationship. But it just happened. But anyway things were great, better then great. I haven’t felt this good ever. But as fast as it started we went badly. I started sitting outside her place checking up on her. I don’t now way I put it in my head she was messing around behind my back. It was almost like I was hopping she was. Well thing excelled from there and we broke up for a short time. See she is going through a 28 yr. divorce and mine is a 10 yr. I want to help her and every time I messed things up. Well this last time I started sitting outside her place again checking up on her. I know she isn’t cheating she has never gave me a reason to think that but my mind just gets to running and then I just get stupid. Well in the past two weeks I have lost a uncle and a aunt. My uncle I wasn’t close to. My aunt we talked off and on but still not really close. But found myself really emotional. At the present time I and my girlfriend are not talking much. She says she needs her space for the divorce. I can relate so I don’t have a problem with that. My problem is I am finding myself very emotional. I can’t stop thinking about her it doesn’t matter where or what I am doing she is on my mind. It is affecting my work my social life. I tried going out and drinking didn’t help. The more I drank the more emotional I got. I can’t even set a watch a move and see a emotional part in it without tearing up. I have lost 16 pounds in the last month. I don’t eat. When I think I am hungry I buy like a big Mac and fries. I can’t even eat all my big Mac and Fries. This used to not be a problem till me and her started having problems. Guess what I am needing to now am I have a nervous break down or am I just feeling emotional because of the holidays. I really need to know because one more thing happens well I just don’t thing I can stand anymore.

I weighed 301 pounds in May. I started exercising, eating right and writing a script that's been in my head for year. By Nov. I was down to 195 pounds. In the last 3 weeks I've been bingeing and have gained 50 pounds. If I could pinpoint what triggered this I could stop it. I think my only friend dumped me. I told him I was raped by 3 different men. First when I was 10, 2nd at 18 and then 30. I said the last time I had consensual sex was in 1994 and the last rape was in 1995. I told him I felt ready to have a relationship and have sex and wanted to know how a man would react to this information. He said very nice things and made me feel normal. I haven't heard from him since. I get depressed easily. Nobody wants me fat or skinny. I'm a caregiver and my last vacation was 7 years ago when I od'd and spent 3 days in the hospital for observation. If I didn't have food to turn to I'd have nothing. Nobody has ever taken care of me and I'm just tired of everything being the same. If I could go back 3 week and eat right, exercise and write my script, everything would be o.k. How can I start over?

I have a problem, my oldest sister seems to be having a nervous breakdown and i don't know what to say to her anymore. I really need some help.

i think the term "nervous breakdown" is used to casually. as a mother of three children, i bandy that term around pretty frequently with my friends and family. example: "i was shopping at walmart today, and the baby was crying and the other two were tearing food off the shelves. i thought i was going to have a nervous breakdown!" i've never had any problems with depression or any other mental illness in my life, but stressful life events such as a job loss or financial trouble can put you close to the edge of feeling like you're going to break down. i think we need to identify what pushes us over "our" edge to the point where we feel like we can't function in our particular lives and come up with a plan on how to cope. take a nap, meditate, say a prayer, call a friend or eat a cookie! i don't want to minimize the real problem of emotional or mental illness, but i think that a lot of normally "healthy" people can feel "crazy" every once in a while. it's good to have a fall back plan when that happens.

There certainly are chemical imbalance issues which can cause mental irregularities and are best treated with chemical solutions. A lot of people who present with signs of depression though really just need truly caring, empathetic human contact. The Internet, paradoxically, has made it easier to communicate in some ways, but has also caused some to withdraw from good old fashioned mano a mano social interaction. It's naive to say a hug will cure everything, but a lot of people just need to feel a warm, caring body next to theirs so that they don't feel so alone in the world.

My sister, Missy has been taking care of her 20 year old daughter for right at a year now due to a horrible car accident that left my niece with a traumatic brain injury. She has a shunt to help drain off her brain fluid and has suffered a few strokes that has left her right side paralyzed. This is the second accident my niece has been in and strangely it is very similar to an accident she had just 5 years earlier where she suffered a brain injury and recovered, but this time she has not recovered fully. My sister does every single thing for my niece 24-7 because Jessica can't do it for herself. My sister is very worried because the doctors say that Jessica could develop another shunt infection, which almost took her life not too long ago. My sister has just suffered her second , what she calls, episodes, where she loses all control of her leg muscles along with the loss of any other muscle control and she drops like dead weight. The first time she didn't hurt herself too bad but just yesterday she was in her kitchen and lost muscle control again and this time she hit her face very hard on her countertop, she said it was like slow motion and this time she wasn't able to still hear and see, she said she must've gotten knocked out, and when she came to she said both of her eyes were almost swollen shut and there is a gash in between her eyebrows. She has been very angry lately and cries constantly, is way stronger than normal when she becomes angry. She can't sleep at all. She is always running to see if Jessica is still breathing. Is this a nervous breakdown? And how can I make her understand to go to the doctor, she seems to think that nothing will happen to her and she can't see the seriousness of this. Before the wreck happened Missy was very level headed and was very upbeat, the normal happy person, but now she is extremely depressed and has shortness of breath and chest pains sometimes!!!

I have had a so called nervous breakdown not too long ago. It was an awful experience. I think that it is a condition not to be taken lightly. I wanted to kill myself, I was so angry and I didn't know why. I have been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. I have had this all my life, I just didn't know it until way later in life. I took my family through a rough time but they stood by me at that time and if it was not for borrowed prayers I don't know were I might be now. Iam better now, just wish that I could get some sleep at night, that is my only problem now but all in all I am here.

glenrobsar, my ex used to work for a govt defense contractor and had a top security clearance. when we could have used some counseling, we feared to get it for the same reason as you. however, later (too late) we learned that the company had it's own in-house counseling department that we might have benefitted from. if you don't have that option, you would be wise to begin sending your resume around and testing the waters for getting another job. won't be long, unless it's already happened, til you're one of the few worker bees staggering under the dead weight of all the drones. the problems at your work all stem from incompetent hiring and management and it's a major problem in more work settings than you would believe. good luck and take your experience, skills, and work ethic somewhere else where you will be appreciated, but be smart about it and do your homework first.

I'm worried about being at the start of a nervous breakdown. I'm pretty scared to go to anyone about it because of my security clearance. Every day that I go to work, I have to sit and force myself to go through the motions of getting ready. I dread entering the door to the building. Every time the higher-ups come by, they want more and more info that we are not manned to take time and get them. I have more and more of my people under me pulled out (especially the well-trained) and given new people with no training. When I voice my displeasure with this practice I'm told to shut up and stop complaining and to "deal with it". I've been at my job a little over 19 years and have dealt with a lot of crap, but I'm at my wit's end! I know it's wrong but I want to jump over the desk and beat the tar out of some of the people above me or just yell back at how stupid they are. I know I'm close to losing it but I feel that if I go to mental health then I'll jeopardize my clearance and I can't have that. Any advice?

A nervous breakdown isn't a medical term so HR can't do anything for you if you just tell them you had a nervous breakdown. But if you go to the doctor and get diagnosed with depression or anxiety or something, that's a medical condition and then the company can't mess with you because you have a medical condition!

I was told by my Human Resources department today that I had not experienced a nervous breakdown. What does he know? I was bullied by my senior management and I felt so low that I cried everyday at work. I had dreams that I was ending it all and felt the pressure of everyday life so hard. Now with anti-depressants I am starting to feel a bit better although I am still frightened to walk out of the door in case my manager sees me and want to hurt me. Does this sound normal to you?

The HR guy said he needed a doctor's report to tell him if I had had a breakdown.....What!!!!! I know that I did and that life is starting again for me

My stepdaughters mother has said she was "crazy" and had a nervous breakdown. Her daughter knows all about it and even tells her mother that she is crazy. Everyone has always thought that the mother was a little off, but how safe is the environment for her kids?

Everything happened so fast....4 days ago my 19year old brother(a college student, a part time grocery clerk)and I were having our typical days-end discussion..

Fast foward...>>he has since been to the psych department, hears voices, sees celebrities, thinks everyone is conspiring to kill him, wont eat or drink and has absolutely no idea who I am.....

This wonderful young man..never smoked, drugged or drank...never cursed, confronted or fought, now has spent the last 2 nights sedated and oacassionally strapped down to his bed...

It started as what appeared to be an inability to focus during a conversation, ramped up to seeing and hearing voices and finally to threats of killing myself and the rest of his family...This all transpired in 72hours as we watched in horror at the transformation..

As of this writing the care facility is in the process of getting court ordered documents allowing them to force(if necessary)him to take medication..

I pray that this is short-lived...I keep asking myself Why? How? We never noticed any signs prior to that, that there was anything wrong and its simply ripping us apart emotionally......

If your wife is in the midst of a nervous breakdown, first reaffirm her and your devotion to her. She needs to know that she has you to fall back on. Understanding that no one would ever desire to be in the state which leads to and then culminates in a nervous breakdown is important. It would be helpful to do some research so you understand what she is feeling. It can be one of the most terrifying things you can experience. Help your wife seek counseling and a physician to talk about her problems and find relief. She obviously may not be able to do a lot of things she use to, be patient she needs time. And, yes, I have been through this before and can say without a shadow of a doubt, that you need support - both husband and wife. Further, if you don't already know God it is a good time to turn to HIM and ask for help. He can help bring peace into a situation which seems at the time hopeless. Plus, reading the Bible can bring peace too - especially the Psalms.

How does one deal with a wife who has symptoms of a nervous breakdown?

hello,i am wondering if anyone can give me advice.10years ago my 17yr old was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer,he beat it twice but the 3rd time it came back he was 14yrs old,he has been on palliative care ever since,for the last year he has withdrawn from friends and schooling,his health remains stable,but mentally i am not so sure ,after 4yrs we have finally got a counselor for him,but our relationship has taken a lot of knocks,he refuses to go on holiday even,he wont go anywhere he says he feels like he has nothing in common with normal people,lately i have changed,i saw the gp who said that pills wouldn't help as i need to be focused on my sons other health conditions,he also said that because of our circumstances,there might not be the right help out there for me,so i came out even worse than i went in, i feel different too,i used to be content,and focused on life,now i couldn't give a damn,i have recurring suicide thoughts, and i pray that when i go to bed i wont wake in the morning,but i do,and so the day starts again,i forgot to mention that i am a single parent,as his dad walked out the day he was diagnosed because he said i could cope better,i could, but this last year i have found things increasingly difficult,am i depressed or going mad or having a breakdown.

Nervous Breakdown is the old term for dissociative mental break.

Many causes are claimed for these sudden mental events. But in the 1960's designers found a problem with the physiology of sight relative to the vision startle reflex that could cause such an episode. The office cubicle was designed to deal with the phenomenon. These events do not happen where cubicles are used.

One of the first symptom of Subliminal Distraction exposure is hearing voices. You do not have to be mentally ill to hear voices and victims usually have an explanation that involves paranormal sources or magic.

These events happen around the world as Culture Bound Syndromes. Each ethnic group explains the event in terms of their culture and belief set.

The Virginia Tech shooter had created the "special circumstances" for SD exposure. When he had the expected mental event he acted out the psychotic delusions by killing 32 people.

L K Tucker

Yes there is help fot a nervous breakdown.

I have been seing a herbalist, she is restoring my health, you have to be paitient.

I TOTALLY AGREE with the Psychic medium...I work with people who have disabilities and mental health issues...who is to say they are NOT seeing and hearing things?

what are the best medicine for the nervous breakdown?

To the above. You are not psychic you are delusional, you have never been properly diagnosed. You create the fantasy of it, what you experiance is not real. Your imagination is just so fluid that you can cope with it.

You can't assume that people who see people who aren't there and hear voices are having any sort of mental illness. I, for example, am a medium. Spirits talk to me and I hear them. I've never been diagnosed with mental illness, have a graduate degree and own two businesses, am as sane as the average person. What makes me different is that I'm psychic. The medical profession should research this area so that they're not unnecessarily medicating people.