Anyone ever have a nervous breakdown? What were some of the signs leading up to it?

See a doctor immediately. If you have to go to the emergency room of your local hospital, go.
If you feel this can wait until tomorrow, call and get an emergency appointment with a psychiatrist.

I have. It started with really bad panic attacks. I didn’t know what it was at first and thought it was some allergy. I was put on medication, which stopped working, led to a really bad drug addiction, loss of everything including almost my life. I got out of the situation, after some years, and had NET therapy. It took me 10 years to get my life back. Seek help now, don’t wait, and don’t try to manage it yourself (like I did ). Good luck to you I sure know what your’e talking about.

When I was getting ill, after being robbed at my convenience store midnight job… I started avoiding people and hiding from the customers and wishing that they would go away… when I was crying in the back office I called the hospital and told them that I am walking to emergency ward. I got a two weeks time off note and I gave two weeks notice… and I went to work for KFC and I noticed that I wasn’t recovering so I went to the hospital for 14 days and went on disability. It’s been 12 years and I am slowly getting back to normal.

Signs? You just know when you are about to break, I’ve had it happen. It isn’t pretty. Do exactly like @chyna said, you’ll regret it if you don’t.

@yankeetooter Take deep slow breathes and exhale slowly do this 8 times. Also get out of your head. Try going for a walk. You are emotionally and mentally stressed if you are going to have a breakdown. Also what helps me just take my mind off things is drinking a glass of cold water. Find a peaceful area in your home or outside and just talk to your self. Slowly chant a mantra, say, “Relax….. relax….” While taking deep breathes. If you have problems, write them down in a journal this literally gives relief to your memory and won’t trigger any mental breakdowns because you know that the problem is written down and will be taken care of later on. If this is stress because of kids you need to consider working out regularly even bringing your child with you while you walk. I do 3 mile walks every other day (except this week because it’s been toooooo hot!) It helps my anxiety greatly. Blood pressure needs to be worked out. Check yourself out at a hospital.

Yes, I’ve had a couple of nervous breakdowns. I gently yet firmly suggest that instead of asking us, you go to the nearest ER.

Now.

Is there anyone with you, @yankeetooter? or anyone who can come over and stay with you? If you’re not taking the advice to go to the ER, will you at least please not stay there alone?

Oh I didn’t answer the second part of your question.

What lead to it…

my son was crying and I kept telling myself, “I’m about to freak out, im about to freak out” And it was like a feeling of intense annoyance but I was trying to control it. Like handling nails on a chalk board but really intense!

It’s my job…they just keep demanding more and more from me…and this has been going on for months. We are short-staffed, and they literally are now asking me to do the job of two teachers…and only giving me a small stipend over my assistant teacher pay. For a while I was fine…I just kept coming up with ways to be more efficient, but now I have literally run up against a wall.

It’s affecting everything I do. I don’t sleep well any more…and, sorry @Jeruba, but I can’t stand to be around anybody once I leave work. I just want to go home and shut myself in away from everybody. My cats are the only “people” whose presence I can stand. Today I had to go over my mom’s and mow the lawn after work…and even during dinner I sat in a separate room in the near dark, because I couldn’t bear talking to anybody. I thought if my dad said one wrong thing to me I would explode. I barely go to church any more…it’s too much effort. My choir director doesn’t understand why I don’t feel like singing any more (since last spring).

Even my class is no joy to me this semester, and I usually love learning, but right now it’s too much. I’m supposed to transfer to a four-year school in the spring, and I haven’t even started page 1 of the application. I have no money saved up, and no vacation time, so I don’t see how I can take off (even if they would allow me to. It’s just me paying the bills. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I feel like I have nobody I can talk to.

Yep, when going through a long term divorce.
It is never a nervous “breakdown”, it is always a nervous “breakthrough!”
My coined saying.
Nervous “breakdowns” are your friend, they are a signal that all is not well in paradise and you need to find a new island. lol

Well, I know how that feels, @yankeetooter. It hasn’t been that long since the last time I just wanted to isolate completely and couldn’t think of a soul in the world that I felt like being in the same room with.

If you have a way of getting a referral or going through an agency in your area, you might want to consider seeking out a marriage, family, & child counselor (MFCC) rather than a psychiatrist. A trained professional who can listen and offer some guidance might be able to help in a different way from what an M.D. can do.

It sounds to me like you really do need to speak to someone in the helping professions, and sooner rather than later. I think you knew this when you posted the question.

You get more anxious amd irritable than normal. You feel like you want to smash something, mainly yourself, like you want to rip yourself to pieces. It’s indescribable. You just know.

It sounds like you need to get a medical leave and get yourself in a safe, therapeutic place. I am really sorry you are in this place.

My symptoms are quite physical oily hair, metallic taste in my mouth, skin wrinkles and dry, racing thoughts (of grandiose and spiritual). when these occur my quest is to apply distraction, talk to my Carer (wife) AND not to isolate or rely on my own resources. Get help as quick as possible, medication or counseling. If I do that, the episode does not escalate or last very long. As this is a lifelong condition the more I can recognize the early signs the easier it is for me to handle. As a hint the first distraction I use is just to pass my hand across my face it slows down my mind by watching it LOL.
Talking is a must Talk talk talk eg. one of my “episode” I wanted to go and be a monk in the woods sounded like a great idea I had myself convinced when I mentioned it to my wife
said SHE “what are you going to do about sex?” straightened me right out!

@yankeetooter Are you an adjunct? Full time? My advice is could you possibly just keep writing out a diary to relieve the stress if not able to bring this up with Human Resources?

Oh, I’m an assistant teacher at a middle school/high school…not a college professor. @pleiades.