SECURITY blanket
Are you stressed or overwhelmed at the workplace? Did you get a grade of 5 in a major subject when all along you were vying for academic honors? Are you being threatened by a litigious business rival? Are you one of the heirs of a vast parcel of land where one of your relatives appears to be so greedy and scheming that he files suits as a way to discredit you and manipulate you to agree to his terms? Has your marriage reached the point of no reconciliation? Are you now feeling so stressed to the point of tears, panic and hysterical outbursts?
Don’t wait to reach your “melting point.” I will share with you some tips to abort a meltdown. But first, let me clarify the term “nervous breakdown.”
Actually, a nervous breakdown is not a clinical diagnosis. In layman’s term, a nervous breakdown refers to the point of extreme exhaustion that is attained after a prolonged period of anxiety over a broken relationship, financial, health, occupational or academic problems or a combination of these issues. The extreme anxiety, sadness and stress reach the level of hopelessness, helplessness and overexhaustion with an accompanying feeling of inability to deal with the situation, finding difficulty with the day-to- day routines or even with just simply getting out of bed.
A triggering stressor like being terminated from work because the call center where one is employed has packed up its operations, or a sudden loss of a significant loved one because of a fatal heart attack or vehicular accident may act as the spark in building up the immense stress. The feeling of helplessness usually renders a person to develop a disturbance in eating and sleeping patterns, further cont r ibuting to the individual’s physical and psychological weakness.
Other signs of nervous breakdown are the following: 1. Loss of energy in doing things that used to give pleasure or gratification, like loss of interest in food and engaging in intimacy with the spouse; 2. Loss of happiness in activities that used to result in joyfulness, like one’s hobbies; 3. Severe guilt feelings over trivial mistakes; 4. Feelings of being alone and inability to reach out for help; and 5. Feeling that a simple task may be too difficult to accomplish.
Feelings of doom may set in and subsequently make the person lose his self- confidence.
Here are some tips to help you pick up the pieces of your shattered selfesteem and help you realize that life can go on.
You can lessen the pressure on yourself by talking to someone who will be able to empathize with you like your best friend, a trusted family member or a professional like a psychologist, counselor, priest, pastor or psychiatrist. Your mental wellness is of utmost importance. You must be able to unload your emotional turmoil