I think I may have just had a nervous breakdown tonight. I have had some hard times before in my life and have never before thought that I have had a nervous breakdown, so I think it may have been one. I'm not sure though. I'm in my mid-life, so maybe it's just a midlife crisis??

I am a board regular and this is a little bit on topic because my stress is related to the church. It's also related to having cancer. Things just feel like they have been building and then I started crying and crying and it just feels like something snapped. I don't know how else to explain it. I feel numb and weird.

Have any of you experienced this before? If you have had a nervous breakdown, what did it feel like? What did you do to recover from it and feel "normal" again? This is out of my comfort level and I don't understand the emotion or really, rather, the complete lack of emotion that I feel right now. I feel distant and fuzzy. I really am not articulating it very well, but it feels very unlike anything I have ever felt before. Any thoughts?

What happens after a nervous breakdown? How hard is the recovery process for one? What can I expect, if I did in fact have one? How can I know if I had one?

What really helped me is practicing a form of meditation called Kunlun.

http://www.amazon.com/Kunlun-Max-Christensen-Chris-Tittle/dp/B00262XMVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289027799&sr=1-1

I just followed everything in this little book religiously and it really helps you deal with stress and get control over your mind and life. It really helps hone self discipline as well.

I had a good old-fashioned "nervous breakdown" about 7 years ago. It was several months before I felt like I was "in the world" with other people again. It was, as you have indicated, a strange and difficult to describe experience. I basically felt like a total stranger in my own life, I couldn't remember familiar things and forgot people-- I was just a total mess.

It ended up being a very good thing for me-- a new start with revised expectations for my life and a new understanding of my personal needs as well as a renewed respect for them. It also helped me ask the questions that I needed to in order to get free from the church.

I was fortunate to have good access to counseling and psychiatric help and I really can't imagine how the 'rebuild' process would have gone without that help. I strongly suggest that if you think you have experienced a serious episode of mental illness, that you get some professional help asap. I especially think it would be a good idea considering the expected emotional toll of dealing with cancer, and the treatment process.

Best Wishes :0)

Don't know what medications you are on for your cancer but many meds have strong psychotropic effects.

Someone close to me recently went through an episode much like you describe and after talking to the doctor and pharmacist, it was concluded that a remedy for nausea was to blame.

Be sure to tell the doctor about all meds you are taking and ask if they might have those effects.

I think I for all intents and purposes suffered what you are talking about 3 years ago. Almost lost one of my children, and had hit middle age. I had always been a strong person taking care of everyone around me. After the crisis past, I collapsed. I figured a summer of rest and quiet would put me back the way I was.

3 years down the road I find for me it was like a circuit in my nervous system was fried. After much research and finding a good doc, I have to take care of myself now.

It 's seems as if the adrenals glands are a big part of what gets broken. And they are slow to recover if you can't or don't remove any kind of undo stress.

You may also find that any physical issues you have will magnify. Put anything you dont need to do on hold, and get people out of your life who are takers or drain you.

The mormon church is a major taker.

I don't know the mechanics of it, but after a trauma, really as part of it, there can be a period of exhaustion and mental dullness. You may want to read the poem by Emily Dickenson that begins:
After great pain a formal feeling comes -
The nerves sit ceremonious like tombs;

Unfortunately I've had more than one serious mental breakdown in my short life, due to some underlying psychiatric issues.

Mine have always begun with what feels like a sudden disconnect from reality - everything from work to fun to relationships is instantly meaningless. Even going to the store or preparing food was foreign to me. Between this surreal depressed feeling and serious case of anxiety I would lose the urge to eat or sleep (which of course only makes things worse). I would also have strange thoughts like wanting to jump in the river or smash all the dishes in my house.

The first step is to get help. Tell someone close to you what you are feeling right away (this goes double if you feel like you want to hurt yourself or someone else). Then go see a doctor. As previous posters noted mental health issues can often stem from a medication or a physical illness. Even if this is not the case, if you are hurting to the point that you think you are having a nervous breakdown then you should have it looked into sooner rather than later. Don't let anyone brush you off or minimize what you are feeling - you deserve to feel well.

Make sure you are taking care of yourself. If you need some time off work or from other responsibilities then take it. Try to eat and sleep as often as you would normally, even if you don't feel like it. Don't underestimate the power of comfort foods or routines like a hot bath. Talk to friends or family if they are supportive.

As for how long it takes to recover, that depends. One time I was basically incapacitated for a week, followed by a moderate depression that lasted many months. I don't think I really felt like myself for close to a year. Then the last time it happened the 'acute' phase was more like two weeks, but I didn't feel depressed afterward so I was back to what I call normal in less than a month. The two things that helped me the most were making sure I was getting 8 hours of sleep a night, and setting a goal for myself each day (at first it was only to do the dishes every day, and by the end I was actually going to work on modified duties).

Hang in there. You aren't alone!