First off, what is a mental breakdown? Well for starters it is an acute, mental disorder that manifests primarily as severe, stress-induced depression, anxiety, paranoia, or dissociation in a previously functional individual, to the extent that they are no longer able to function on a day-to-day basis until the disorder is resolved. Sound familiar? Great! Then you’re definitely a college student, but overall, having a mental breakdown is all part of being human. You ache, you get stressed, you burnout… welcome to the where the semester starts to take a toll on you. A mental breakdown can last for years at a time (take a look at your parents, but they still get through it!) While these time periods can vary between different people, their reactions to the mental breakdown may also vary. Also consider your atmosphere, if you’re one of those super humans that are working while they’re still in school and are somehow still involved in extracurricular activities, families, etc., well I could only imagine how they might burn out a little faster than the rest of us, but that’s the thing, no matter what crazy schedule you find yourself in, chances are you have or will have a mental breakdown and there is nothing wrong with that, it’s part of life. Lucky for you, here are 5 things that can help you with your mental breakdown.
Meditation
Meditation can be interpreted in a number of ways; for some, they write to express their feelings – sometimes having something written down helps one organize themselves and understand what’s going on. Others just go for a drive and some do yoga. Whatever meditation you decide on, make sure you take the time to reflect on yourself and what you need and don’t be afraid to ask for help :)
Exercising Regularly
As our favorite blonde Elle Woods, from Legally Blonde says, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.” Well, minus the shooting your husband, but exercising might just prevent you from blowing up at your professor or the TA…
Getting Adequate Sleep Every Night
This one kind of goes without saying, but getting enough sleep is so important. As is stated in a study by Stanford University, the average sleep requirement for college students is well over eight hours. However, realistically between 6-7 should be just as accommodating, as long as you do not overwhelm yourself, prioritize your homework and actives to make sure you give your best in everything you do.
Taking Enough Time Off To Do Enjoyable Activities
Make sure you take the time to do things you enjoy, whether it’s spending time with family, watching movies with friends, going out on date night, making dinner for everyone whatever it may be, do it!
Spending Time Alone
A mental breakdown varies on the person and the circumstances but ultimately it evolves from overwhelming factors such as stress and poor coping skills. The stress may come from responsibilities at home, caring for a loved one, a traumatic experience, work stress, or many different factors that all add up to cause a great deal of unmanageable stress, or as I call it, the difficulty or inability to function “normally.” Every once in a while is good to take a breather and realize that sometimes the biggest obstacle can be ourselves and giving ourselves the love and care we need will make us better overall and ready to conquer the world one day at a time.