7 Signs You’re Headed for a Nervous Breakdown

Aleli Dezmen/Getty Images

What exactly is a nervous breakdown?

“Nervous breakdown” isn’t an official medical term or mental illness, but everyone has some idea of what the phrase means. Although there’s no precise definition, it generally describes the feeling of being under so much prolonged stress that you feel like you’re reaching a breaking point, says David A. Merrill, MD, PhD, a neurologist and psychiatrist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Feeling you’re having a nervous breakdown can be indicative of an underlying mental illness and you need to talk to your doctor about it right away if it’s impeding your ability to live your normal life, he says. “Nervous breakdowns need to be treated both medically and psychologically,” he explains. “There are lots of new treatments available, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

Justin Paget/Getty Images

You can’t concentrate

In the short term, stress can boost your brainpower by releasing hormones that enhance memory storage and improve concentration. But in the long term, chronic stress makes it difficult to block out external distractions, which affects your ability to focus on work projects (bad) or your surroundings while driving (really, really bad), Dr. Merrill says. In extreme cases, excessive amounts of the stress hormone cortisol can lead to memory loss, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Stress can be a symptom of a nervous breakdown.

Here are three simple ways to boost concentration.

rez-art/Getty Images

You can’t stop eating

Do you reach for a pint of ice cream or a candy bar after a long day (or week or month)? There’s a good reason for that. Stress causes the brain to release hormones, including adrenaline, which energizes your muscles for a “fight or flight” response. Once the adrenaline wears off, cortisol tells the body to replenish its lost energy stores with food, Dr. Merrill says. The problem is, when you’re stressed for reasons that don’t involve crazy levels of physical activity (say, running from a sabre-toothed tiger), you’re biologically wired to eat when you don’t really need to. High-fat and high-sugar comfort foods increase pleasure chemicals in the brain to trick you into temporarily feeling better, he explains.

Food can also be a source of stress relief. Learn about these surprising health benefits behind stress-baking.

hsyncoban/Getty Images

Your stomach is upset all the time

Sometimes stress and anxiety can manifest as stomach aches and cramps, Dr. Merrill says. But if you notice a cluster of symptoms that includes abdominal pain, constipation, bloating, gas and diarrhea, you could have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which some research suggests is linked with long-term stress. IBS could be triggered by the immune system’s response to stress, though researchers are still studying this. According to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, 40 to 60 percent of people with IBS experience psychological symptoms, like anxiety disorders or depression. If you suspect you have IBS, talk to your doctor about options for physical and emotional relief before it contributes to a nervous breakdown.

Here are the 10 stomach pains that you should never ignore.

Kristina Strasunske/Getty Images

You stop caring about how you look

“Neglecting basic self care is a clear sign of serious mental distress,” Dr. Merrill says. Skipping basic hygiene practices, like showering or brushing your teeth, or not caring about things you used to, like your clothing style or makeup, can signal you are having an episode of depression or an emotional breakdown, he says. Stress taxes the mind and body, leading to fatigue and apathy, which can cause a loss of happiness or lack of motivation for activities you used to enjoy.

Make sure you know the 8 signs of stress you might be ignoring.

druvo/Getty Images

You have a defensive posture

Have you ever looked at someone and thought: “That person looks depressed?” We communicate a lot through our posture and non-verbal gestures, including our mental state, Dr. Merrill says. “When people adopt a ‘protective stance’—arms crossed, slouching, looking down or facing away—it shows they are feeling very stressed and defensive,” he explains. This can become a vicious cycle, with your stress making your feel and look defensive and then your posture keeping people away—which then makes you feel more upset, he says.

Discover the meaningful ways to use body language to get what you want.

demaerre/Getty Images

You can’t sleep through the night

Chronic insomnia goes hand-in-hand with chronic stress and could be a warning sign of a nervous breakdown. “Stress leads to anxiety, which makes it so you can’t relax, which then makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. That means you don’t get the rest and rejuvenation your body needs to recover from stress, which then leads to more fatigue and stress symptoms, causing a vicious cycle of stress and sleep problems,” Dr. Merrill explains.

There could also be a medical reason for why you can’t sleep.

Russell Johnson / EyeEm/Getty Images

You’re overwhelmed with a feeling of dread

Constantly worried about something—but don’t exactly know what? Overwhelming stress can blow normal worries out of proportion, triggering a nervous breakdown, Dr. Merrill says. “People under a lot of stress often interpret benign things as negative, causing them to feel constantly worried even when there is no obvious cause for it,” he explains. “This feeling stems from a loss of control and a sense of hopelessness. People headed for a nervous breakdown have lost the confidence that they’re going to be okay.” These natural remedies may help relieve anxiety, but it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor to see whether he or she recommends medication or other treatments to help you feel better.

Next, read about one woman’s experience using CBD to treat anxiety, chronic pain and stress.