Embracing the Breakdown: Finding Growth Amidst Stress with Your Anxiety Therapist in Cincinnati
/Update in 2024: Although the pandemic has improved, many of us feel like there’s a constant stream of urgent stressors leading to a crisis. I hope this information can help you process your experience if you’re struggling.
A global pandemic, racial injustice, the election... and winter’s coming. If you’re feeling like this year is a never-ending avalanche of stress, you’re not alone. Even those of us who are professional stress managers are falling apart. It might sound silly to say there’s anything good about overwhelming stress, breakdowns, and burnout, but hear me out. There are good things that can come from 2020, even when it feels like the world is burning down around us. We can see this as an opportunity for growth as people, families, and communities.
My definition of a mental breakdown is an event or series of incidents in which you experience overwhelming emotions, physical symptoms, and/or relational conflicts that reach a crisis point where you can’t function normally. It’s truly awful to experience. But I want to share some of the good things that can come from completely losing it:
The Wake-Up Call: Insights from Your Anxiety Therapist
We are busy. We get into routines and ruts, and we have a lot of blind spots. We don’t often see the stress creeping up. You might be irritable and snapping at your partner or kids, and think it’s just a bad day. However, a full-on breakdown can really wake you up to how bad you’re feeling. And don’t underestimate the power of your body to scream that something is wrong! This can look like back pain, headaches, fatigue, or even more serious health problems. Sometimes you have to get to rock bottom to realize that you’re at a crisis point.
Breaking Down Barriers: Building Connections with Your Anxiety Therapist
Your family, friends, or co-workers might not realize you’re struggling. Even if you tell them you’re stressed, or they see you drinking more and more, or plowing through bags of chips after work, they might not think it’s that bad. It’s easy to assume that someone is just having a bad day or week, or that it’ll get better on its own. The 2020 stressors are not letting up, and sometimes a meltdown is super helpful in showing others just how bad you’re struggling.
Navigating Change: Practical Steps from Your Anxiety Therapist
The end of your rope is a great place to make big changes. When you feel that bad, you’re pretty motivated to get relief. This is a great time to start problem-solving. Does this mean a job change? Getting more help with your kids? Committing to a self-care routine that used to seem self-involved, but now is essential? Look at everything that’s overwhelming you, write it down, determine what’s in your control and what isn’t. If it’s not in your control, explore how you can change your reaction to the stressor, or work toward influencing change. Ask for help determining how you can change the things within your control, because during a breakdown you might not be able to think of all the possibilities.
Self-Discovery Journey: Understanding Yourself with Your Anxiety Therapist
Breakdowns usually come when stress has been bottled up and we haven’t acknowledged it. You may not have told your family, friend, or partner what’s going on. When the floodgates open, it’s a wonderfully vulnerable place to be (as long as they’re a good support). When you let someone into the darkness, and they meet you where you are, bonding happens. Your relationship deepens. Trust is built when someone sees you at your lowest, and gets down with you to start digging out. You also connect deeply if you share your struggle with someone who has been there, or who is there right now (hello, support groups). A mental breakdown also builds relationships if you ask for help. Whether it’s helping with emotional support or something tangible, that builds a bond with the helper.
Gratitude in the Chaos: Finding Strength with Your Anxiety Therapist
For most of us, 2020 is not the first year we’ve been overwhelmed by stress. The reality is, we might have breakdowns several times in our lives. If this is you, then it’s a great time to reflect back on these points of crisis and pull out the themes. What led up to each of those? How were they similar? When you can see the patterns, you can take an honest look at yourself and see what needs to change long-term.
For example, you might look at various times of overwhelm in your life and see common themes of perfectionism, lack of boundaries with others, or trying to prove your worth through achievement. This gives you more concrete problems to start working through. You can also look back at the times you’ve been more calm and stable, and sort out what it was about those times that is consistent. This might be that you had a regular yoga practice, you were seeing friends every week, or you had a good sleep schedule. Plan to implement those things in your routine as non-negotiables. And because your partner or family has seen what happens when you don’t prioritize these things, they will probably be on board with you taking care of yourself.
Having a mental breakdown can feel scary and defeating. You might even be frustrated with yourself that it’s happening. But if you look at the benefits, you can start to appreciate and even feel gratitude toward the breakdown. By allowing the feelings to come, and acknowledging what your brain and body are trying to teach you, you can take the opportunity to make long-term changes in your life.
Ready to find growth amidst the chaos? Click here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with an online anxiety therapist in Cincinnati to explore how therapy can support you. Or call/text 513-461-2045. Online therapy in Indiana and Ohio.
