Improving Your Mental Health After A Breakdown

A mental breakdown can be a terrifying experience. It can feel like you are losing control of your mind and body. You may feel overwhelmed, scared, or out of control. A mental breakdown can lead to intense feelings of anxiety, panic attacks, or even thoughts of suicide. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency seek help right away! Do not face the battle alone!

A mental breakdown is, in fact, not a diagnosis or a condition. It is a general term describing the cases when one has trouble running their day-to-day life. The reasons and symptoms vary between individuals depending on the root cause and one’s own personality. It is important to note that having a mental breakdown does not make one “crazy” or “insane”, words often used colloquially. It is a reaction to prolonged or sudden intense stress.

Mental illness is not a choice

Having a breakdown is not under one’s control. You cannot snap out of it, and neither is it attention-seeking. It is deep distress that needs medical evaluation and treatment. It should not be ignored. Believing that time will heal is suboptimal, too.

Take your time and explore yourself

About a month ago, I decided to start blogging about topics that interest me and such that have been affecting me. I have previously kept a tech-themed blog but now I am exploring a completely different world. Without pouring my heart and soul and consciously or unconsciously asking for pity, I tried summarising my observations.

For starters, answer three simple questions.

• What is the best thing you want in life?
• You are not really stuck; there is something else
• Cognitive overload, overwhelm, and burnout

Everybody wishes for something. Even if you are so confused that you have no idea how to reply, you still have some dreams. If you are reading this story, then you probably want to get at least unstuck. That is a beginning. You will not magically come to realise your life purpose at this very moment. And you do not need to!

Ask yourself, what is it that makes you feel stuck? Work, relationships, some other limitations? All of the above? Are you being controlled by a relative/loved one/colleague? Are you bullied, but no alternative relocation to a new city or a new job has been possible so far? Being stuck is internal unrest, a clear sign that your wishes and obligations do not match.

Are you drained at work or because of many consecutive negative experiences beyond your control? Sometimes there is little to do about those situations, but it is critical that at such moments you first identify your struggle on time, and second, you give yourself the chance to rest and take a breath. I know the feeling of “oh, but it will just pass, just one more thing to push through, and I will rest” … No. This is a recipe for disaster. You will burn out and break down.

What next?

• Create a vision
• Look for a change
• Detach from unrealistic expectations

My personal experience

I made the mistake of pushing too hard for too long. Of course, I broke down. Recovery is slow, though I have been focusing on finding out the causes of my problems. Then I started thinking about what would make me truly happy in life. What do I need to achieve in order to feel satisfied with myself? I am a fortunate person. And this time luck was on my side again. I decided to do art to distract myself from the root of my problems. It felt good, and my mind was focused entirely on something enjoyable that was producing results. I started feeling good. I started sharing my art online. Then I found the inspiration to write and share what I have found out. I found a future direction, something to look forward to. It is very different from my day job. Yet, it is empowering, and I started feeling alive again. I see myself pushing towards my dream. Consistency is what will take me there.

If you feel stuck, free yourself. You deserve it.

This article is reposted on my other blogging and social profiles.

https://linktr.ee/neurodivergent_ai