7-step nervous breakdown treatment plan for a faster recovery

Choose the best treatment for your nervous breakdown to speed up your recovery

Thank goodness you’re reaching out to find the best nervous breakdown treatment. Having a nervous or mental breakdown is such a frightening experience. I’m so glad you’ve landed here because I suspect you’re feeling pretty lousy right now.

(‘Nervous breakdown’ is not a term that mental health professionals typically use. However, I use it here because it helps visitors land on this page.)

Let’s work together here so you’ll feel better sooner rather than later. 

I will show you the best resources to help you recover from your mental breakdown and stay well.

Instead of focussing on that overwhelming tiredness, tension, panicky feelings, etc., we’ll now focus on your recovery.

Let’s get cracking…

New research: stress isn’t necessarily harmful

I sooo understand if, right now, you don’t agree with that statement!

Nevertheless, I’d like you to watch Kelly McGonigal’s TedTalk (opens in a new tab). She explains that your body releases not only lots of stress hormones but also the neurohormone oxytocin to help you cope with stress.

I’d like you to trust that your body/mind want you to recover and will do all it can to help you!

How to recover from a nervous breakdown

7-step plan to treat your nervous breakdown

I have designed this nervous breakdown treatment plan to help you feel better sooner and inoculate against further episodes.

Just think how long you’ve managed to keep going, knowing you weren’t well and that you run the risk of some sort of crisis!

I suspect you had no choice. However, you now have to put yourself first regardless of whatever else is going on in your life.

I understand, though, that it’s more easily said than done. So, I’m offering very doable, practical options, and you’re free to take your pick.

Now allow yourself time to recover and build yourself up again with love and compassion for yourself.

Your nervous breakdown treatment plan

Step 1 in treating your nervous breakdown

Why you ideally need to see a doctor

I’d really like you to get a medical checkup first to rule out any other health problems.

As you’ll learn in my article about anxiety for no reason, there are a ton of reasons why your body/mind can become overwhelmed. In fact, I have listed 26 reasons, including the side effects of medication. So, for example, your anxiety could be a side effect if you’re on antidepressants.

The US Food and Drug Administration knows that certain behaviours can be associated with SSRIs (a class of antidepressants), including the following symptoms: anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, and severe restlessness.

You may also just need some short-term medication to help you sleep.

Hence, I urge you to see your doctor as the first port of call.

If you’re at all suspicious of what your doctor might prescribe, talk to them about alternatives.

I’d love you to feel you have some measure of control in your treatment. So, it’s essential you feel happy with whichever remedies and treatments you take to get over your nervous breakdown.

Step 2 – track your recovery from your nervous breakdown

Firstly, start by tracking your mood on a day-to-day level. (I would love you to do it morning, afternoon and evening, so you can see that an ‘awful day’ isn’t necessarily an awful 24 hours. However, I suspect you’d baulk at the suggestion!)

Evaluate how you’re feeling, grading your mood between 0 and 10.

So, take a journal, a notepad or set up an excel sheet – whatever works for you. Fill in numbers zero to ten. 0 = suicidal and 10 = ‘deliriously’ happy. Decide on the ‘in-betweens’ moods yourself.

Secondly, take a little time to write in your journal about how you’re feeling. Don’t worry about grammar and spelling – just write and get it off your chest. Penzu (a free online journaling tool) is excellent for this if you don’t want to use paper and pen.

Step 3 – treat the symptoms of your nervous breakdown

Treating the immediate symptoms of your breakdown will help you feel a little more in control of your mind and emotions.

Only once those whirring thoughts begin to calm down can you think straight, start to solve problems and take effective action – when you feel you’re ready.

I’ve found some excellent resources to help you reduce the signs and symptoms of a nervous breakdown and deal with the underlying problems.

No one treatment is necessarily suitable for everyone – you choose what you think is most helpful in your situation.

5 tips to help you deal with those nervous breakdown symptoms

1. Accept that it’s okay to be vulnerable

Ohhhh, that’s a tricky one, isn’t it? Naturally, you don’t want to be vulnerable, feeling a mess and out of control of your thoughts and feelings!

However, it is what it is and fighting it will only cost you more energy.

Watch Brené Brown talk about what happens when you try to numb your feelings.

If you’re short on energy and time, move the slider to 15.00 min and start watching there.

What is pushing you over the edge?

It’s confidential, and there’s no need for an email address.

Just tick the boxes, and see what is causing other visitors’ breakdown.

2. Stop those constantly whirring thoughts with meditation

Meditation helps you stop worrying about the future or getting stuck in the past saving a ton of energy.

Meditation is also a great way to get over depression which often goes hand-in-hand with a nervous breakdown.

3. Hypnosis to recover from a nervous breakdown

From my practice and personal experience, I know hypnosis is an excellent treatment to help calm a stressed-out mind/body.

Hypnosis with the aid of an expertly produced audio download is a user-friendly, effective and affordable way to treat your symptoms and underlying causes. Why not hop over to my article Hypnosis FAQ and downloads to discover if and how it would suit you.

4. Take care of yourself

Yes, you need kindness and compassion, not only from people around you but most of all from yourself. You’re ‘with you’ 24 hours a day!

It’s too easy to ‘not bother’ with taking care of yourself, bemoaning the fact that you’re feeling so unwell, being cross and pushing yourself.

But, I’ve got you!

I have included a special worksheet for you. It will help you focus on nurturing yourself even during the most challenging time…

5. Don’t keep it to yourself

Let people you trust read my articles:

• Signs and Symptoms of a Nervous Breakdown
• How to help someone with a breakdown
• How to help your partner or spouse overcome a mental breakdown.

Warn them that you may not be the best company right now and are at risk of being irritable and even angry over nothing.

Let them know that it has nothing to do with them but that you may have no spare capacity to deal with anything that requires you to even think beyond simply putting one foot in front of the other.

And let your loved ones also read the following contribution from my friend.

Step 5 – accept whatever help you can get as part of your treatment

Firstly, people who say, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do” often do mean that but don’t know what to do.

Ask them to help with a specific task or chore. I’ve also written an article specifically for your partner or spouse, so they know what to do and avoid. See: How to help your spouse beat that burnout.

Secondly, avoid people who sap your energy. Don’t try to be polite by agreeing to visit or attend a function when you know you can’t face it.

Step 6 – changing your lifestyle to improve your resilience

Oh, I know how difficult it can be to make the required changes!

Firstly, I just want you to stop feeling guilty. I know it’s easier said than done, but guilt and shame are for you to realise only when you truly have intended and done harm to others. In which case, it’s a signpost – time to make amends and take a different route. Other than that – guilt and shame waste energy.

Secondly, know that you’ll have to do the work and make changes to increase your resilience and prevent a recurrence. Know that if you carry on doing the same – the outcome will be the same.

I suspect you’re not quite ready yet to take this on board, so I’d love you to bookmark this article and return to it when you feel ready.

Step 7 – dealing with the causes of your meltdown

What happened before you became so poorly?

I suspect it was anything from personal-, relationship- or family problems to work-related stress or any type of trauma. Or perhaps it didn’t appear to be anything specific at all.

If you’re in the early stages of your breakdown, you’re unlikely to be ready to start dealing with its causes just yet.

In that case, coping with not coping is probably the only realistic expectation for now.

When you’re ready:

• Look at my category map to find the articles that cover what’s troubling you.
• Consider getting the help of a professional, licensed therapist. It’s straightforward to set up an online session, as you’ll see on my page on mental health counselling.
• Read on for further tips and advice…

How to recover from a nervous breakdown and prevent another one

Dealing with general stresses and strains when treating a nervous breakdown

I recommend again the two effective methods to help you recover faster: Hypnosis with the aid of a professionally produced download and meditation. You might want to learn from Jon Kabat-Zin, Professor of Medicine Emeritus and creator of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, how meditation can help.

3 tips to help prevent overload

1. When you’ve already got enough on your plate, stop adding more
   i.e. always thinking you can add the next thing and the next to your already full diary.
   Whether that’s because you want to be liked, can’t resist an ‘exciting’ offer, are dealing with constant criticism at work, or are being bullied into taking on more work than you could ever manage.
   There really is a limit to what you/your body can take. And that’s okay!
2. Learn to say: “NO”. Start with saying that you need time to think about a request because you always want to be able to give 100%, and you’re not sure you can at the moment. (Yup, I know that’s easier said than done!)
3. Improve your resilience and deal with stress. Winding yourself up about all kinds of things isn’t doing you any good. It’s understandable and expected if it concerns something that has happened relatively recently. But if it involves stuff that happened way back, it’s time to take a fresh look at your map and choose a different road! See also my article Tips to relieve stress.

Dealing with relationship or marital issues

Significant relationship problems can be a major factor in the development of a nervous breakdown. And now that you’re in crisis, I’m pretty sure you’re facing some difficult decisions.

As part of your nervous breakdown treatment, get detailed information, advice and tips on how to deal with your particular problems, in the following articles:

•  25 common relationship problems
• 18 common marital problems

However, I suspect you might need:

• How to tell your partner or spouse you need a break
• How to end a long-term relationship

If you’re not sure your relationship or marriage can survive:

• 3-step plan to decide to stay together or break up
• When to end a relationship
• Relationship compatibility test

Overcoming existing anxiety and panic

Have you always been a bit of a worrier? Do you live with the constant presence of anxiety and perhaps even panic?

In that case, do visit Dr Kelly Brogan’s website (https://kellybroganmd.com/) to learn how you can begin to tackle your anxiety without any medication. I promise you, her advice will be an excellent addition to your nervous breakdown treatment plan.

See also my articles: 

• The Best Treatment for your Anxiety Symptoms
• How to stop anxiety attacks.

Dealing with trauma

It’s easy to think of a terrorist attack, a house fire, a mass shooting or getting injured in a road traffic collision as a traumatic event.

However, there are so many more ways in which you could have been traumatised. And you don’t have to have the diagnosis of PTSD to suffer significantly.

I cover all this in more depth in my articles:

• A checklist of PTSD symptoms
• Coping with PTSD
• Helping someone with PTSD
• FAQ about PTSD
• How to heal after a traumatic birth

How long does it take to recover from a mental breakdown?

How long your recovery is going to take depends on too many factors to be specific.

Usually, the worst feelings subside within one to three months. Don’t hold me to that, though – it can happen sooner or, unfortunately, later. 

Then there comes a relatively long period of gradual overall recovery with lots of ups, downs and periods of stagnation. After that, a possibly prolonged return to normal.

For more precise information, see my article How long does it take to recover from a breakdown?.

What to look forward to when you’ve recovered from your nervous breakdown

Know that however unlikely it may seem now, trust that with a good recovery:

• you’ll be better able to balance work, family and time for yourself
• you’ll be more grateful for the small pleasures in life
• you’ll be able to enjoy the simple things in life
• you’ll be generally more relaxed
• you’ll get less worked up about things you can’t change anyway
• you’ll choose more carefully who you spend your time with
• you’ll know and understand yourself better
• you’ll be kinder to yourself
• you’ll be much clearer about – and able to set – your boundaries.