Nervous Breakdown

Factual Questions
1

What exactly does it mean to have a “nervous breakdown”? Is this an actual medical condition, or is just a generic term for “freaking out” under stress?

If it is a real medical term, what are the symptons? How do I know if I am having one?

For instance, after spending three straight days fighting mall traffic Christmas shopping last week, I broke down in tears, pulled my car over, stripped naked, put on foam Rudolph ears, and started singing Christmas Carols in traffic.

Did I have a nervous breakdown? Or did I have too many No-Doz again???

2

A nervous breakdown is a general term used by laypersons to describe any sort of mental illness where exhaustion is one of the prinicpal symptoms.

Someone having a “nervous breakdown” could be clinically depressed, schizophrenic, anxious.
Usually the patient can’t cope with everyday life as a result of the “breakdown”.

3

Isn’t it now called having a “psychotic break”?

Carpe diem - Seize the day

Carpe noctem - Seize the night

Carpe cerevisi - Seize the beer

4

cus: nervous breakdown would apply to a perfectly normal person who is unable to face a stress or stresses such as the death of a mother or child and is crying for help. They may have fainting spells or talk in gibberish or function abnormally. It is a generic term and has no particular measurement or degree of abnormal behavior.

cry and the world cries with you; laugh and you laugh alone

5

Where did you get the foam Rudolph Ears?

6

I borrowed them off the woman talking to herself in tongues at the side of the road. I guess she was Xmas shopping as well.

7

For those scientists amongst us who prefer to rely on empirical evidence rather than on hearsay and anecdote, ar’ye postin’ any photos?

It only hurts when I laugh.

8

Just last week someone at my office (no, not me) was bundled off to the hospital with a “panic attack.” Is this “nervous breakdown lite?” I figure I was born with a panic attack and it’s pretty much been that way ever since . . .

9

Nervous breakdown is a lay term, not a clinical one. I have not seen it used for panic attacks, or 30 minute episodes in which someone needs to retreat & recharge, but for weeks-long episodes in which someone is incapable of meeting their obligations. A widow not going to work for a few weeks would NOT be classified as a nervous breakdown; one who was unable to attend the funeral would be.

Sue from El Paso

Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

10

It just means the person can’t mentally handle things anymore & need some mental rest, drugs or whatever. Like way too much pressure on them or something. Im sure there is a medical term for it.