In today’s world, where we must be constantly active and resilient, stress can build up to the point where it leads to an emotional breakdown. Although “emotional distress” is not an official medical diagnosis, the term is used in everyday life when a person reaches a “boiling point” and is unable to control their emotions.
What is an emotional disorder?
It can manifest in different ways, from uncontrollable crying to an outburst of anger or a panic reaction. According to Robin Stern, PhD, a licensed psychoanalyst at the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence, even healthy people experience single breakdowns. This does not mean “something wrong” with you, but it does signal an excessive workload or a lack of satisfaction with critical emotional needs.
Common triggers
- Chronic fatigue
- Lack of sleep makes us more vulnerable and irritable.
- Hunger
- If you don’t eat for a long time, your blood sugar levels drop, which can cause irritability and difficulty concentrating.
- Excessive workload or a busy schedule
- Too many tasks or even social activities can lead to feeling overwhelmed.
- Major life changes
- A wedding, the birth of a child, a dismissal or the start of a new job – all these events increase emotional vulnerability.
- Unresolved conflicts in relationships
- When disagreements accumulate, it increases the pressure and the likelihood of an emotional explosion.
How to stop an impending breakdown
If you feel like you are about to “explode”, try this:
- Stop and become aware of the emotions. If there is no urgent need to act (to save someone or solve a critical problem), pause.
- Focus on your breath. Try the 4-4-4-4 breathing exercise.
-
- : Breathe in for four seconds.
- Hold your breath for four seconds. Breathe
-
- out
- for
- Four seconds.
- Pause for four seconds.
- Try grounding techniques, such as focusing on your feet, feeling them touch the floor, or rubbing your fingertips.
These steps will not solve the problem instantly, but they will help you calm down and examine the situation more objectively.
How to recover from an emotional breakdown
- Analyse the causes. If you have reached a breakdown due to an excessive workload, you should consider the distribution of responsibilities and priorities.
- Be kind to yourself. Feeling ashamed or embarrassed after a public expression of emotion is common, but these feelings only increase stress. Try to accept the fact that everyone can be overwhelmed.
- Apologise if you have caused harm. Although feelings always have the right to exist, if you have offended someone during a breakdown, you should apologise and think about how to express your emotions more constructively in the future.
- Seek help: If such breakdowns occur frequently, you should consult a psychotherapist to develop better coping strategies.
Prevention: how to reduce the risk of breakdowns
- Practice active stress relief. Regular exercise, yoga, meditation, laughter and hobbies can help to “release” accumulated stress.
- Listen to your body. Frequent headaches, muscle tension and exhaustion can signal that you are overwhelmed.
- Don’t ignore negative feelings. Acknowledge your sadness, irritation or anger. When you “name” your emotions, they become easier to manage.
- Seek support: Talking to family or friends who can listen without judgement can often reduce feelings of isolation.
- Spend time outdoors. Walking in the woods or park can help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
- Allow yourself to relax. Fun activities and a healthy sense of humour can help you to relax.
- If necessary, seek professional help. A psychotherapist will help you understand complex emotional states and find specific tools to work for you.
Conclusion.
Emotional distress is not a “sentence” or an indicator of weakness. Rather, it is a natural reaction of the body when stress exceeds a person’s adaptive capacity. Knowing how to recognise the warning signs, stop in time, and ask for help can help reduce the frequency and intensity of breakdowns. Remember: being attentive to yourself and being able to talk openly about your feelings is an important step towards emotional health.
