take care,cathy
difference between nervous breakdown and anxiety?
hi everyone, ive been wondering if anyone can tell me what the differnce is between having a nervous breakdown and having constant anxiety and panic. a huge fear for me is that im gonna have a nervous breakdown or lose my mind but honestley im not sure i havent already. please, if anyone knows if there is a difference and what the difference is please respond. sorry if this question sounds stupid to anyone but im just trying to learn all i can. thanx in advance for any info take care,
cathy
take care,cathy
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Guest
A nervous breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe a sudden, acute attack of mental illness such as depression or anxiety. Specific cases are usually described as a "reakdown" only after a person becomes unable to function in day-to-day life due to mental illness. A nervous breakdown is not the same as a panic attack, though mental breakdowns can cause panic.
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Guest
Jamika is right:). It's not a medical term that's used anymore in the psychiatry or medical profession. I went through what I choose to describe as a "nervous breakdown" seven years ago, but no one in the medical or mental health profession described it that way. I just got really bad with anxiety, and had went through some trauma with my son getting diagnosed with autism, and being in the path of an F-4 tornado, and having a bad reaction to medication. Later my counselor described it as an "acute stress reaction."
I want to share that with you, but at the same time, I don't want you to be afraid because you do have a substantial amount of control over your mental health, and that is something that going through that helped me to see. I really don't believe that depression or anxiety are these diseases that come out of nowhere and get you. I don't know how far you are in this program, but finding that out was a big deal for me. I love that this program does not believe you need to be hospitalized for anxiety and that it is not a mental illness. I think that's really important because if you tell someone with anxiety that they have something such as mental illness, they tend to get worse because they start thinking about how bad they are and how bad they are going to get. Everyone with anxiety has a fear that they are going "crazy" or going to lose their mind. Even when it happened to me, I was still more in control than I thought I was. I have found journals from that time period, and my perception at the time was that I was completely insane, but actually I was very logical-just in a lot of emotional and physical pain.
Here's my advice from having gone through what I consider a nervous breakdown. Focus on getting well, and being "normal" and not on how it would be to go "crazy" etc. Your focus and your thoughts do matter. When I was at the worst of it, I literally had to change my thoughts to get out of it, and it worked. I had to focus on having positive thoughts. I didn't lie to myself or anything, but I chose to give myself a break from negative thoughts so I would literally find things and create experiences to be thankful for. I started really small. If I ate a chocolate chip cookie, I would focus on how good every chocolate chip tasted in the cookie. I literally had to do that to get out of it. Before it happened, I just kept focusing on how bad I was going to get, and I got as bad as I could get. However, I also got out of it. I do believe in God's healing as well just to let you know my personal experience because I do believe that being a child of God is the center of all of our identities and if we "loose our minds" so to speak, we will always be a child of God. That really helped me. At the same time, what I could do to control it was to change my thinking. I do not go so far as to believe that you can't have a feeling without a thought, but I do believe that changing my thinking and focus was a key way to get me out of what I call my "nervous breakdown."
So, please stop focusing on whether you are having a nervous breakdown or just panic and anxiety because you will feel so much better if you shift your focus to doing this program, changing your thinking to more positive thinking, and knowing that no matter what your mental condition, you are valuable because you are a child of God. You just need to shift your focus:). Trust me because I really have been through the worst of it, and I did get out of it. I didn't have this program before it happened or this support board, and you do, so I highly doubt it will happen to you:).
Take Care,
luvpiggy
I want to share that with you, but at the same time, I don't want you to be afraid because you do have a substantial amount of control over your mental health, and that is something that going through that helped me to see. I really don't believe that depression or anxiety are these diseases that come out of nowhere and get you. I don't know how far you are in this program, but finding that out was a big deal for me. I love that this program does not believe you need to be hospitalized for anxiety and that it is not a mental illness. I think that's really important because if you tell someone with anxiety that they have something such as mental illness, they tend to get worse because they start thinking about how bad they are and how bad they are going to get. Everyone with anxiety has a fear that they are going "crazy" or going to lose their mind. Even when it happened to me, I was still more in control than I thought I was. I have found journals from that time period, and my perception at the time was that I was completely insane, but actually I was very logical-just in a lot of emotional and physical pain.
Here's my advice from having gone through what I consider a nervous breakdown. Focus on getting well, and being "normal" and not on how it would be to go "crazy" etc. Your focus and your thoughts do matter. When I was at the worst of it, I literally had to change my thoughts to get out of it, and it worked. I had to focus on having positive thoughts. I didn't lie to myself or anything, but I chose to give myself a break from negative thoughts so I would literally find things and create experiences to be thankful for. I started really small. If I ate a chocolate chip cookie, I would focus on how good every chocolate chip tasted in the cookie. I literally had to do that to get out of it. Before it happened, I just kept focusing on how bad I was going to get, and I got as bad as I could get. However, I also got out of it. I do believe in God's healing as well just to let you know my personal experience because I do believe that being a child of God is the center of all of our identities and if we "loose our minds" so to speak, we will always be a child of God. That really helped me. At the same time, what I could do to control it was to change my thinking. I do not go so far as to believe that you can't have a feeling without a thought, but I do believe that changing my thinking and focus was a key way to get me out of what I call my "nervous breakdown."
So, please stop focusing on whether you are having a nervous breakdown or just panic and anxiety because you will feel so much better if you shift your focus to doing this program, changing your thinking to more positive thinking, and knowing that no matter what your mental condition, you are valuable because you are a child of God. You just need to shift your focus:). Trust me because I really have been through the worst of it, and I did get out of it. I didn't have this program before it happened or this support board, and you do, so I highly doubt it will happen to you:).
Take Care,
luvpiggy
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Guest
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPLIES. I WASNT AWARE THAT THEY DONT USE THE TERM (NERVOUS BREAKDOWN) ANYMORE AND HOPE THAT I DIDNT OFFEND ANYONE. I GEUSS I COULD CALL MY SUDDEN PANIC ATTACKS AND CONSTANT NERVOUSNESS A BREAKDOWN THEN. FOR A WHILE AFTER MY FIRST PANIC ATTACK I COULD BARELY FUNCTION. COULDNT THINK STRAIGHT, OR GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT PANICKING. THANKFULLY I AM DOING THE PROGRAM AND ON SESSION 6 NOW AND FEELING ABOUT 40 PERCENT BETTER THAN I WAS. STILL HAVE ALOT OF SCAREY THOUGHTS AND PANIC ABOUT DENTISTS, DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, AND EVEN THE HAIRDRESSER BUT ATLEAST NOW I CAN FEEL MORE LIKE MYSELF THROUGHOUT THE DAY. LUVPIGGY, I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE DOING SO MUCH BETTER NOW AND YOUR POST WAS VERY ENCOURAGING TO ME BECAUSE NOW I FEEL LIKE WHATEVER THE LABEL IS OF WHAT I HAVE OR HAD IT DOESNT MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS IM DOING MY BEST TO GET BETTER AND WONT LET THIS HORRIBLE ILLNESS TAKE OVER. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL REPLIES. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT IN CALMING MY FEARS. TAKE CARE, CATHY
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Guest
Cat....hey there.....if anxiety brings on nervous breakdowns than Ive been having one for the last 8 years! But in all seriousness I so understand how your feeling. The other day especially I thought this is it. My legs were weak standing on them felt as if they would just collapse under me. I had zero tollerance for my kids I mean zero......and I just wanted to spend the day crying....I thought Iam for sure gonna breakdown from sheer exhaustion. Then of course on came all the scary thoughts and the what ifs and the body sensations that come along with it. I was feeling so trapped like a caged lion.
Having small kids is hard. They dont understand that every moment isnt happy hour and if they arent jumping around giggling they are walking around needing, or whining or fighting and the days are so long.
Ill tell you what helped me. I stood up for me and put my foot down. I told my husband I wasnt going to his families house for Easter....(they are in Wisconsin) I needed the break. I had so much to do and absolutely no energy to do it and I desperately needed to function ALONE. At first I felt a bit guilty like I was letting him and his family down so while I cleand up my house I turned on lesson 9....WOW that was me...I was already feeling the life come back...I had a good 6 hours of peace and quiet I got all my to dos done for our Easter Sunday and I got a bit of a nap in as well.
It wasnt the cure all but it showed me that yes if I get a "break" I wont breakdown. Thats something we as do it all moms and wifes dont consider we just keep going and going and then we feel as if we will explode.
Cat my best advice to you is to take a break even a small one and do nothing if you must no tv just what makes you happy if a nap would make you happy then ask the hubby to take the kids and go out for an afternoon. Or make them a play date with another mom.
Having anxiety is tough when added to the pressures of life but we can and will do this. Take a nice big breath and tell yourself I am not alone and that I can do this. Cuz you can. I do it everyday. PM me if youd like we could exchange emails or numbers if youd like sometimes knowing you have someone to talk to when you feel so desperately scared is a wondercure.
Your gonna be ok Cat. We all will.
Dodger
Having small kids is hard. They dont understand that every moment isnt happy hour and if they arent jumping around giggling they are walking around needing, or whining or fighting and the days are so long.
Ill tell you what helped me. I stood up for me and put my foot down. I told my husband I wasnt going to his families house for Easter....(they are in Wisconsin) I needed the break. I had so much to do and absolutely no energy to do it and I desperately needed to function ALONE. At first I felt a bit guilty like I was letting him and his family down so while I cleand up my house I turned on lesson 9....WOW that was me...I was already feeling the life come back...I had a good 6 hours of peace and quiet I got all my to dos done for our Easter Sunday and I got a bit of a nap in as well.
It wasnt the cure all but it showed me that yes if I get a "break" I wont breakdown. Thats something we as do it all moms and wifes dont consider we just keep going and going and then we feel as if we will explode.
Cat my best advice to you is to take a break even a small one and do nothing if you must no tv just what makes you happy if a nap would make you happy then ask the hubby to take the kids and go out for an afternoon. Or make them a play date with another mom.
Having anxiety is tough when added to the pressures of life but we can and will do this. Take a nice big breath and tell yourself I am not alone and that I can do this. Cuz you can. I do it everyday. PM me if youd like we could exchange emails or numbers if youd like sometimes knowing you have someone to talk to when you feel so desperately scared is a wondercure.
Your gonna be ok Cat. We all will.
Dodger
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Guest
HI DODGER,
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ENGOURAGEMENT, IT HELPS ALOT TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS WHERE THESE FEELINGS ARE COMING FROM AND HOW SCAREY AND EXHAUSTING THEY CAN BE. GOOD FOR YOU, TAKING THE TIME YOU KNEW YOU NEEDED FOR YOURSELF, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT MORE OFTEN WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY ALL THE TIME. SOMETHING I HAVE TO WORK ON MYSELF. WELL ANYWAY DODER I HOPE YOUR EASTER WAS FUN AND CALM AND I WISH YOU A VERY NICE DAY. BY THE WAY I JUST MAY TAKE YOU UP ON THE PM OR EMAIL THING SO DONT BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE ME THERE
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ENGOURAGEMENT, IT HELPS ALOT TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS WHERE THESE FEELINGS ARE COMING FROM AND HOW SCAREY AND EXHAUSTING THEY CAN BE. GOOD FOR YOU, TAKING THE TIME YOU KNEW YOU NEEDED FOR YOURSELF, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT MORE OFTEN WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY ALL THE TIME. SOMETHING I HAVE TO WORK ON MYSELF. WELL ANYWAY DODER I HOPE YOUR EASTER WAS FUN AND CALM AND I WISH YOU A VERY NICE DAY. BY THE WAY I JUST MAY TAKE YOU UP ON THE PM OR EMAIL THING SO DONT BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE ME THERE