In the past I've lightly used the term 'nervous breakdown' to describe what it feels like to go through perimenopause. But according to what I've read on the net today, 'nervous breakdown' (though an old fashion term) is a general term for many mental health issues such as anxiety, depression etc., brought on by various things, as stated in the article below. I've always thought 'nervous breakdown' was more serious, like a break from reality or psychosis, yet so many of the perimenopause/menopause symptoms fall into the 'nervous breakdown' category!? Whats the difference?

What is a "nervous breakdown"?

In the Middle Ages, it was called melancholia. In the early 1900s, it was known as neurasthenia. From the 1930s to about 1970, it was known as a nervous breakdown. "Nervous breakdown" is a term that the public uses to characterize a range of mental illnesses, but generally it describes the experience of "snapping" under immense pressure, mental collapse or mental and physical exhaustion.
"Nervous breakdown" is not a clinical term. There is no psychiatric definition of a nervous breakdown, and it has nothing to do with nerves. "Nervous breakdown" is an inexact and unscientific term that is no longer used in psychiatry. Much as modern medicine breaks down diseases into more specific definitions (not just "cancer," but "stage 1 ovarian cancer"), modern psychiatry is breaking the term "nervous breakdown" into more precise diagnoses.

The diagnosis that most closely resembles what the public calls a nervous breakdown is major depression. Depressive episodes may be caused by genetic and biological factors and are often triggered by social and environmental circumstances. Depression is defined as the "loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities" and "sustained fatigue without physical exertion." Depression is characterized by a lack of energy and motivation along with feelings of guilt or hopelessness. It is often brought on by stressful situations, such as relationship difficulties, health problems, the aftermath of an accident or the death of a loved one.

The mental illness known as a "nervous breakdown" may also be something like panic attacks, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder.


Source: Howstuffworks

Dear Jalyn
I too have often used the phrase, 'nervous breakdown' to describe when I am feeling completely overwhelmed to the point of 'breaking down'. I read the definition that you posted, and I have several thoughts on this topic.

Through my own personal experience with a family member, I can tell you that a person can have various degrees of a 'nervous breakdown'. In the case of my family member it was a life threatenning experience. Within a week this family member became psychotic (was unable to distinquish reality from fantasy).....was incapable of sleep, (did not sleep for 5 days), became irrational, confused, disorientated, and hallucinated.

This was a rare case of a 'nervous breakdown' in the most extreme.

Having dealt with an 'extreme' case.......I STILL refer to my own meltdowns, (at times of high anxiety, palps, tremors.....)....while working 8 days a week.....as " I am HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN!!!!

My nerves are breaking down. my nerves are a train wreck, my nerves are shot!

You ask what the difference is between being in peri and having a nervous breakdown........I think in many cases these two 'beasts' walk hand in hand.
As in any situation there are mild, moderate, and extreme cases.

So hold my hand....as we walk these beasts together.

~ Hugs ~

Neurotic or neurosis was another term usually associated with women and mid life!!! ~ Women displaying symptoms such as those associated with menopause where labeled "neurotic" ! ~ The women suffering what we now know as a normal transition went through midlife unsupported and misunderstood and thousands where whisked off to asylums, disconnected from their families, sedated and forgotten ~ an embarrasment to society....The term "nervous breakdown" was usually the reason given.
Thank goodness for Power Surge! ~ at least now we know WHY we are mad!

Hi All ~

Nervous Breakdown and Menopause?????

I feel like I have to put in my tuppenceworth here, because........ I have been there...... and I am there!!!

At the tender age of 23, I had a "Nervous Breakdown" - this was a nice way for my family to explain to people what was wrong with me..... instead of saying "Anne's gone off the rails", or "Anne's gone crazy" or "Anne can't cope with life any more" ... they would say "Oh poor Anne..... she's having a nervous breakdown"!!!
At the time, I was coping with two small children, taking care of my father (since my Mum died two years previously) who was in the mid-stages of Altzheimers, AND an unfaithful husband.
I do agree that there are varying degrees of Nervous Breakdown. In my case it was a severe mental and physical depression that I had fallen into gradually over a period of 18 months. I did not "snap" suddenly .... it was a long process which culminated in my being totally incapable of coping with my life as it was. The physical symptoms did slightly resemble what I am going through now in menopause (at 46), but only slightly, as in the insomnia and constant tiredness. However, the mental symptoms were much, much worse, and often included suicidal thoughts. The only thing that prevented my doing something 'drastic' was the thought of what would happen to my babies. I had absolutely no interest in anything that was going on outside of my own little world - I had "withdrawn" from life. My saviour came in the shape of a nurse who came to monitor my father once a month - she was the only form of assistance I had in dealing with him at the time. She came to the house one day, talked with me for a bit, and by the time she left, she had arranged for temporary hospital care for my Dad and Doctors appointments and councelling for me - she seemed to know that I could deal with the babies by myself and the councelling would eventually help me with my marital problems - and so my healing began - Florence Green saved my life - after that, I used to call her my Florence Nightingale!!!!! She later told me that she had suspected for some time that I was on the verge of destruction (so to speak) even though I always "seemed" to have everything under control in the home, and what prompted her to take action that one day, was when I burst into tears when she asked how "I" was doing instead of asking how my Dad was. I guess I had been feeling that no one cared about how I was doing, as long as I took care of Dad, and the babies and cleaned the house and cooked and made elastic out of very little money to feed us and did pretty much everything else that needed doing!!

It took about six months for me to recover from that awful time, so in my opinion, if you have a 'Nervous Breakdown', you can pick yourself up from it once the cause has been unearthed and dealt with. Menopause, on the other hand, is a horse of a different colour!!! This, we have to deal with until it passes in it's own sweet time!!!!

Take care everyone,

Anne

Thanks Dot, Jimi and Anne,
I never thought about a nervous breakdown having varying degrees of severity, but it makes sense. The time I had heard of someone I knew having a nervous breakdown they had really lost touch with reality, so what I read on the web was seemed pretty broad.
Thanks so much guys!!

Hugs to all!