Mental breakdown (also known as nervous breakdown or snapping) is a non-medical term used to describe a sudden, acute attack of mental illness such as depression or anxiety.

Definition

Like the term "sanity," the terms "nervous breakdown" and "mental breakdown" do not have any medical definition and are not used in a clinical sense. They therefore do not necessarily have a rigorous or static definition. They can be used colloquially to describe anything from a momentary fit of anger to the onset of a permanent psychological disorder. In almost all cases, however, the "breakdown" is the result of high stress.

A similar, more rigorously defined phenomenon is Transmarginal Inhibition, which might be seen as a kind of mental breakdown in response to harsh conditioning.

A mental breakdown is not the same as a panic attack, though mental breakdowns can trigger panic.

Specific cases are usually described as a "breakdown" only after a person becomes unable to function in day-to-day life due to mental illness.^[1] The person's condition is then advanced, and seeking professional aid is advisable.

Causes

Causes of breakdown might include:

• bullying
• chronic and unresolved grief
• chronic or newly discovered illness/ailment
• unemployment
• academic problems
• employment discrimination
• career burnout
• social stress
• unresolved sexual identity crisis
• post-war trauma
• chronic insomnia and other sleep disorders
• serious or chronic illness of a family member
• divorce
• relationship breakup
• death of a family member
• pregnancy
• a traumatic, violent, or near-death experience
• deception by a loved one
• unrequited love

The sudden, acute onset of the following mental illnesses might be classified as breakdowns:

• clinical depression
• bipolar disorder
• schizophrenia
• schizo affective disorder
• psychosis
• dissociation
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• severe stress
• anxiety

See also

• Causes of psychiatric disorder
• Mental health
• Sanity

References

1. ↑ Hallowell, Edward M & John Ratey. 2005. Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder. Ballentine Books. ISBN 0345442318

• Mayo Clinic Mental Breakdown
• Mental Breakdown Info

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