":How do you process grief?
: By running away from it until it finds me in the middle of a sunny street on a beautiful day."
The line above is collected from a re-social media post by Katia Gonzalez, where she agrees with the original writer's take on what grief feels like. Netizens have shared their affinity to it by sharing it with their thoughts. But this is just one post; social media is flooded with likenesses to this kind of posts that express the user's feelings in words, sometimes late at night or amid a bright day.
One can claim this phenomenon to be normal, attention-seeking or pretension to be a part of the melancholic aesthetic trend. Not excluding them from being some possibilities, there is a far more concerning pattern. As social media is one of our representations, posts like this can also be a cry for help from a friend reaching out or a familiar stranger sharing little glimpses into what stresses them on a park bench. Or, it can just be you, suffering from overbearing stress with something in your life, suffocating you to a level where functioning to do daily chores feels like an Olympic game.
Whatever the situation is, the overwhelming overt of emotions, plunging into your senses and taking up the space for control, is known as an emotional breakdown -- also known as a nervous mental breakdown or mental health crisis, is a period of severe emotional distress, where a person may feel paralysed and entirely incapable of coping with life's challenges.
Though it is more of a mental health condition and not a disease or anything one may need to be separately diagnosed, it can be just as serious, and it can be very frightening. If one suffers a nervous breakdown, they may feel extreme anxiety or fear, intense stress, and as if they simply can't cope with any of the emotional demands they feel. This crisis leaves them unable to function normally, go to work or school, take care of children, complete daily chores, socialise, or do any of their usual activities.
Emotional breakdowns may feel like a dark pit of a well, and the feeling of being trapped with pours of emotions numbs the mind from thinking or acting rationally, instantly, or in the long term.
There is no one cause of having an emotional breakdown. Every individual has their own backstory of what may lead to it. Still, some common causes can be listed as the death of a loved one, heartbreaks, a bad breakup, family turmoils, financial difficulties, loss of job or business, personal tragedy or setback, discrimination, experience of molestation, verbal abuse, relationship difficulties, such as a fight, divorce, separation, severe injury or illness, trauma, exposure to violence, failure, lack of self-confidence etc.
There are some of the thoughts that one may have if they're experiencing an emotional breakdown, such as, "I'm losing control", "Everything is going wrong, and I don't know what to do", "I'm mentally, physically, and emotionally overwhelmed", "I'm stuck and cannot function", "I can't do this. I give up." etc. known as intrusive or triggering thoughts.
An emotional breakdown may be accompanied by physical symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, nightmares, insomnia or hypersomnia, muscle tension, difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, poor eating habits, shaking and tremors, stomach cramps or, an upset stomach, etc.
Coping with emotional breakdowns is not as easy as it seems. It does not come with a fixed prescription, and every individual has their own symptoms, and coping can be equally individualistic, on their own time.
Being kind to 'Self'
When a dear friend is in distress, a person first offers their kind company and understanding and comforts them with validation, motivation, hope, and compassion. The first step to dealing with emotional breakdowns is to channel that kindness towards one's life. Being kind to self means reassuring yourself that the problems, the emotions, the hurt - all are valid. There is nothing wrong with feeling emotions; expressing or admitting them is never a sign of weakness - one must always remember. This kindness opens and gently preps the wound for necessary healing to come.
Stopping an emotional meltdown
To prevent an emotional meltdown, one should recognise the signs of acute stress, such as a hot face, cold hands, or shallow breathing. It's important to pause and acknowledge the overwhelming emotion without judgment. Experts suggest grounding techniques like focusing on sensations in the feet or touching fingertips together, which can be helpful in this situation.
Following a five-step deep breathing routine - inhaling for four seconds, holding for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and pausing before the next breath - can help induce calmness. While these steps won't undo the difficult situation, they allow for a more composed response, helping in coping from a thoughtful perspective.
Focusing on yourself
This method includes several ways to reconnect with one's sense of self. Such as,
Journaling: Practicing purge writing when something feels overwhelming or triggering to the nerves. One may journal about what they're feeling; it helps to come to terms with the mental issues or overwhelming thoughts. Going back over the journal at the end of the week can help you see the patterns in your behaviours. This will help determine what thought patterns lead to feeling in certain ways.
Reach out or rebuild relationships: Reaching out to loved ones or friends and sharing what someone feels may seem tough initially, but it is necessary. Reframing the experience with someone who cares about you and getting a fresh perspective may help shift the negative emotions and feelings. Avoiding isolation is important, too. It is good to start socialising again, even with one or two loved ones.
Finding an active hobby: An excellent way to move towards recovery is to be more active and find new interests. Try new hobbies, such as bike riding, hiking, running, gardening, collecting coins or stamps, dancing, or anything your younger self wanted to do - turning it into a hobby. Just being creative and pouring out some passion will do - no pressure to be the best. This will give the mind something to focus on instead of recovering and releasing tension.
Reducing stress: Stress is a major cause of mental breakdowns. Meditating can help reduce and manage stress. One may start with brief meditations and try music meditations as well. Practising breathing techniques, yoga or another calming exercise, sleeping enough (8 hours), and taking breaks throughout the day - are helpful.
Taking care of the body: Exercise helps release endorphins, a hormone which stimulates happiness in the human brain. A daily routine of simple workouts or doing physical activities like jogging, walking, and playing outdoors for a while are all beneficial in keeping the mind organised, as well as the body fit.
Mood and mind can be better by improving nutrition intake. Eating more natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy ingredients, is beneficial. One should also avoid fatty foods, take-out, processed foods, and other unhealthy foods. It is important to feel one's best inside and out so one can devote energy to a swift and healthy life. The journey will hardly be as smooth, but the healing begins the day one decides they are willing to, and the healing era begins.
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