I was already headed in an unhealthy spiral and her death just exacerbated everything. i could use a bit of a toast. I have made my immediate boss aware numerous times that we as a store, and myself as an individual, are struggling - I have emails to prove this - and I have been repeatedly ignored/fobbed off. Some may not realize how severe their illness is or that they have an illness at all. Stress and anxiety also account for 45 per cent of sick days. she replied she has no one to call she was having a family day and was not going to break her plans and come and cover me. In reality, however, a mental breakdown is when a person slowly or suddenly stops participating in day-to-day activities of life. You may know at some level that it’s not your fault, but emotionally, you feel like you’ve failed, and if you’re not the ‘successful, capable’ one anymore, then who are you? A nervous breakdown is a period of crisis that demands out awareness and opens the door to discovering underlying pressures and potential mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or complicated grief. ".....It's time for action! Underlying these feelings is often a fear of getting it wrong, a symptom that you’re operating in a constant state of self-doubt, questioning your ability to do even the simplest things. Talk to a higher level leader, an HR manager, or someone who is in a position to talk to your manager and take action. Confronting your boss isn’t easy, especially if they’re unpredictable. At the same time, they may withhold information in an attempt to hide their problems and keep their issues out of the office. Skyline is revolutionizing the leadership development industry with the C4X coaching platform. If your boss is focused on results, think about how the project, concern, or question you will be discussing relates to the bottom line. But I’m still so wound up by the time I get to bed that I lie awake for hours. For example, if they freak out over a typo, their main motivation may be presentation. Having been there myself and having crept out of that chasm of depression back to life and love, I share some thoughts on how to survive a nervous breakdown and emerge out of it with confidence. It’s not an easy journey, but if you’re brave, and enlist the help of a good therapist (find one at counselling-drectory.org.uk), you can emerge stronger, more resilient and with a more authentic sense of self, the foundation for a happier life. If you are looking for a label, I’d suggest you’re suffering from burnout rather than a breakdown. I am a manager of 2 busy hairsalons and I am a single mum to 2 children, my eldest son has Dyspraxia and ADHD. i was having a nervous breakdown and some physical problems on sunday. If your boss does suffer from a mental illness, they may be unpredictable, irritable, and difficult to work with. This way, if your boss does change their mind, go back on their word, or claim they meant what they said, you have the record to show you did your best to follow their directions. If you are looking for a label, I’d suggest you’re suffering from burnout rather than a breakdown. I went to a shrink who said I suffered from anxiety and put me on meds. The same goes for your boss -- they might not realize their behavior or mental health is impacting their work performance. Healthista Expert Therapist, Sally Brown, answers our reader’s question about whether she is having a breakdown. Speaking to their priorities is a start, but you also need to speak the same language as your boss. Withdrawing from those who love and care about you is possibly the single-most undermining thing you can do when you’re struggling. Do they prefer face-to-face chats and lengthy descriptions? Like Kathryn, … Then psychiatrist and therapist didn't feel I was ready. Ditto feeling overwhelmed by every day tasks. These are all normal and treatable signs of a nervous breakdown. But it’s also the ideal time to ask what ‘yourself’ means. Then, summarize what they said and ask if that’s what they meant. Toxic bosses are, unsurprisingly, the top cause of unhappiness in the workplace. But once you understand their motivations, you can have more effective conversations with your boss. Some of the symptoms are similar to depression, anxiety, and dissociation. They may find it difficult to communicate effectively or accurately explain what they want. Your fantasies about running away are part of this innate defence system. If you suffer a nervous breakdown you may feel extreme anxiety or fear, intense stress, and as if you simply can’t cope with any of the emotional demands you feel. And 20 per cent of anxiety sufferers have panic attacks. I released a sigh of relief … Understanding how a nervous breakdown works is the first step in recovery, whether you choose medication, cognitive behavioural therapy or a combination of both. In reality, however, a mental breakdown is when a person slowly or suddenly stops participating in day-to-day activities of life. Yes, life is not fair and someday every one of us has to go through an inevitable nervous breakdown phase, which can put life on a 'pause'. Difficulty making decisions, even minor ones like which breakfast cereal to buy, can be one of the earliest warning signs that all is not well with your mental health. He was okay with it, and apparently, he had seen it coming. When you are having a nervous breakdown, your heart will pound or beat irregularly. You’re never really sure how they will react, what they want, and why they do the things they do.Instead of focusing on how bizarre or inconsistent their behavior seems, try to understand their motivations. For the first time in my very controlled life, I had no control at all. This is my struggle. Close. Happiness, excitement and laughter were replaced by anxiety, apathy and desperation. These are the best ways that they have been able to come up with in order to bring us back from the edge of a nervous breakdown.