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Anxiety Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to generalized anxiety, anxiety and eating, anxiety and sleeping, mood swings, and phobias.
bad nerves
by BRAZZY3, Dec 12, 2006 12:00AM
Is there such a thing as nervous breakdown? If so, what are the symptoms and what parts of the body does it affect? I wonder if I have had one. Earlier this year I was diagnosed Dilated Cardiomyopathy. After 5 months of meds my heart got better. At the time of my hospital stay the cardiologist asked me a lot of questions about being stressed out. I did tell him I was under an extreme amount of it and had been since last year. I have read that there is a condition that mimics mine but it is called cardiac "stress" myopathy. They seem to think it my condition was the latter. I see a neurologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist and a neuro-psychiatrist, along with talk therapy. I am on meds but no longer for my heart. Although at times I physically feel fine if I get worked up over things (not upset) it seems like my nerves go out of whack. Before all this I was a great multi-tasker and had energy to conquer the world. But now I've notice that my body does not like when I get in the swing of things. Could I have suffered a breakdown of the nerves. I've dealt with depression, panic/anxiety, Dr. has me on Lamictal for Bi-polar and Klonopin for the anxiety. I just need to know because I am not the old me. Also, for the record I am female, 38 yrs old, 3 kids (girls) 16,14, & 9. Also I have been in an unhappy marriage relationship almost 20 years, with lots of issues mainly on hubby's part & (his family) in-law interference. That's probably enough to wrack anyone's nerves. But if I can get some feed back I would greatly appreciate it.
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Mental illness is a complicated, layered, multifaceted illness which is unique to each individual. It cannot be summed up by the term nervous breakdown, or mental exhaustion. At one time, in polite society those were the terms used to communicate that someone was suffering from mental illness. The stigma behind depression and anxiety was that they stemmed from a character flaw or a weakness in the individual. Hopefully in our more enlightened times we can say out loud that depression is an illness, anxiety and bipolor disorder are diseases, every bit as serious as cancer or diabetes, and that those who suffer from them are in need of treatment. There is no shame in having an illness; you did not ask to be this way.
That is also why in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), a step in the path of sobriety is to stand up and say "I am an alcoholic, I have an illness which I am powerless to control". Nobody asks to be an alcoholic, and most people now recognize it to be a real disease which needs lifelong treatment. I only wish persons with depression and anxiety will be afforded the same dignity of society acknowledging in full that they have a disease beyond their control and need treatment, support and understanding.
You sound like a sensitive and dynamic person. Your situation is very dynamic with three kids and a husband. That is a real handful. I think to survive and function in a home with three teenagers and an unhappy marriage requires a certain amount of creativity, intelligence and great strength. Your situation may be tapping out your energies at the moment, hence, you don't feel like your old self, but you will never really feel like your old self. Apply your creativity where you can and create new dimensions for yourself. It is the human condition that we are constantly re-inventing ourselves. You need to find a way to do it so that you don't feel like your world and your thoughts are flying apart. There is an old saying in psychiatry. If you feel like your losing you mind, then your not. People who are really losing it are often unaware and tend to think the rest of the world is crazy and that they are fine.
Keep on your meds; talk to your doctors, be very frank and honest with them. Do you feel the Lamictal is working properly? If not, talk to you doctor. Is the Klonopin controlling your anxiety? If it isn't then perhaps your doctor needs to increase your dosage. Talk to them, make sure they know what you are going through.
I can assure you that your nervous system cannot breakdown. You may grow tired of dealing with the things that are part of your life, you may feel that your on the edge and your going to crack. With help from your doctors you will go over the edge and you will come back strong from this bad time.