Guest Author - Jim Lowrance

I can personally relate to people who experience the onset of thyroid disease and believe they are having a nervous breakdown. This is what happened to me and the first doctor I went to in listing my symptoms, told me I was experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I demanded blood tests through a different doctor's office and autoimmune thyroid disease was revealed. I realized then, that there are very likely a large number of people with thyroid symptoms who believe they are simply stressed-out, depressed or having anxiety problems. As I searched on this subject I also found information on the subject of "nervous breakdowns" and found that in reality, these type emotional and stress issues are exactly what people are experiencing who are termed by those around them as having had a nervous breakdown. In this article I will go over the facts I have learned on this subject.

A nervous breakdown in reality means you have been limited in carrying on daily activities due to the onset of severe stress or an emotional disorder. Medical doctors and mental health professionals seldom use the term nervous breakdown but will give a more specific diagnosis.

The term "nervous breakdown" is actually not widely recognized by mental health professionals or by those in the medical profession. The term became popular in modern culture as a type of catch-all phrase describing a condition experienced by people who were suffering from the aftereffects of traumatic events or who were emotionally distraught or experiencing an overwhelming level of stress. Many times these people were coined as having a nervous breakdown in order to avoid disclosing the personal details of their lives. Hollywood actors and actresses who were overworked and became overwhelmed by their schedules, requiring them to take time off were often described as having nervous breakdowns.

People who experience anxiety disorders and clinical depression were at one time described as having nervous breakdowns. As mental health and medical professionals have gained more knowledge of anxiety disorders and clinical depression over the years, they have been able to give a diagnosis of these disorders specifically to people who were once thought to be suffering a nervous breakdown. The aspect of limitation to some people with emotional disorders that leaves them unable to continue normally with daily activities is what brought the belief to others around them that they were suffering or had suffered a nervous breakdown. In reality however, nerves and the nervous system cannot break down or burn out unless they are being destroyed by a neurological disease process. Stress, anxiety and depression are not in the neurological disease category but are chronic and severe disorders involving the mind and emotions. Emotional disorders that were at one time commonly thought of as nervous breakdowns include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and Major/Clinical Depression.

There are methods for helping to avoid emotional disorders that might be perceived as nervous breakdowns. Avoiding chronic emotional problems means you are preventing the onset of severe anxiety and depression from setting in and bringing limitations to your life. Stress is directly linked to both anxiety and depression and methods for reducing and avoiding stress are important. Relaxation and meditation techniques, such as the stretching type exercises found in Yoga, Tai Chi and Deep Breathing can be helpful in reducing stress, as can simple mild exercise of any type. Taking short relaxation breaks at home and at work can also help bring down stress levels and getting enough sleep and rest in general can also be beneficial in reducing stress. Practicing these methods helps in avoiding emotional problems that might be seen as a nervous breakdown to those around you.

If you experience an emotional disorder, there are treatments to help you recover. If stress overwhelms you or if you experience a traumatic event in your life that results in severe emotional problems, it is very important to see your doctor about treatment options. An emotional disorder is serious in that it can continue to restrict your life, as was the case when they were referred to as nervous breakdowns in the past. Your doctor can prescribe you medications to help control your anxiety and/or depression symptoms but may also refer you to a mental health practitioner. Most mental health professionals are called psychiatrists or psychologists and they have many different therapy methods to help people with emotional disorders cope and regain the normal activities of life. Some people may be treated with both medication and emotional therapy. One highly successful method of therapy is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and has had a very high success rate for people with both anxiety and depressive disorders.

If you feel you are heading toward an emotional disorder (nervous breakdown) or believe you have already experienced the onset of one, do not delay in seeing your doctor for treatment options.