Question:
I had a nervous breakdown late November 1995 that triggered my panic disorder. Now I guess I should describe my nervous breakdown. I had been under a LOT of job stress for two years. Three years earlier my husband and I had built a new home and got screwed by the builder. This cost us thousands of dollars and ongoing stress. Plus there were other challenges in my life during this 2 to 3 year period that I had to deal with. I was always the "tough" one in my family. I could listen to anyone’s problems, burden their sorrows, and give the devil to anyone who was being a bully. My coworkers always came to me with their problems–personal and work related–and I always tried to find answers for them. I guess I reached a point where I found out my shoulders couldn’t carry anymore. I crashing down into a depression so deep that if it hadn’t been for my religious beliefs, I would have considered ending my life. I cried constantly and found no joy in anything. I couldn’t deal with anything, couldn’t cook, couldn’t pay bills, couldn’t work, couldn’t carry on conversations. During this crash, I had my first panic attack. Then I had another and another. I got help from my wonderful doctor and the therapist he referred me to. They called my "crash" a nervous breakdown and then diagnosed my panic disorder. They said the breakdown was definitely what triggered the panic disorder. (In looking back on my life, I remembered times that I would have one panic attack. At that time I didn’t know what it was. By the time I would get to the hospital, I would be feeling some better and would turn around and go home.) Once the PD was triggered, I suffered daily, nightly, multiple, terrible panic attacks. Oops–I’m rambling. sorry. Bear Hugs, Jo
Response:
I was wondering if there is any difference between a Panic Attack and a Nervuos Breakdown? I suffer from PA’s and had heard of a guy from the town I live in having a "breakdown". Just got me thinking if these are the same thing.
Hi, Bernie. I’m not sure if they ever did put down on paper exactly what constituted a ‘nervous breakdown’ – and it’s a term you never hear professionals use these days. But, yes, it could very well be. It was, as far as I can see, a blanket term used to cover just about any seriously dysfunctional condition which stopped someone leading a normal life. Presumably that needn’t have been anxiety (acute depression would qualify too, I suppose?) but in a lot of cases it must have been acute anxiety disorder. Hope that’s some help. — Gary Cooper
Response:
Hi, I was wondering if there is any difference between a Panic Attack and a Nervuos Breakdown? I suffer from PA’s and had heard of a guy from the town I live in having a "breakdown". Just got me thinking if these are the same thing. Cheers
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