How to Prevent Mental Depression

A mental breakdown (also known as a nervous breakdown) is a temporary mental state associated with stress and a decrease in normal functioning. Depression has similar symptoms to anxiety and depression. ^{[1] X Research Sources} It is important to note that the term depression or nervous breakdown is not a medical or psychological term and does not represent any specific disorder. ^{[2] X Research Sources} Stress management and self-care are key to stress reduction and prevention of acute stress responses.

Table of Contents

Maintain a Healthy Mental Health

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Acknowledge the uncontrollable things in life. Try to distinguish between what can and cannot be controlled. Feeling out of control in your life is stressful, so be aware of what you cannot change and focus on what can be changed. Doing so will help you feel more in control and easier to deal with stress. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Ask yourself a few questions: is this situation inevitable? What control do I have in this situation? What part of the situation do I need to accept because I can’t control it? What is the plan to control aspects of the situation?
Try to see the big picture and ask yourself if this situation will affect in 1 or 5 years? Does this situation determine other things in life? How important is it to control this situation?

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Pay attention to your feelings, worries, reactions, and share them with others. Observe closely how you react and express your emotions and feelings. Personal feelings and emotions need a safe passage. We all have emotional moments, especially during stressful events, but it’s important to realize that not dealing with those emotions will only add to your stress.

Try journaling about how stress affects you emotionally. Journaling has many health benefits such as: promoting mental health, improving ego and reducing stress. ^{[4] X Trusted Source University of Rochester Medical Center Go to the source} Write down what you’ve endured all day and use journaling as a way to relieve emotional stress.
Talk to someone you trust, who listens and supports you. Support from people is important because it helps you feel loved and cared for, and helps relieve stress. ^{[5] X Trusted Source American Institute of Stress Go to Source}

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Be more flexible with your own expectations. Obsession with perfection can lead to mental breakdown. Are you being too hard on yourself or pushing yourself beyond your means? Many people are too hard on themselves because they feel they need to be perfect.

Try to practice self-compassion and set limits for a day, even if you don’t complete everything on your to-do list. ^{[6] X Research Source}
Always remember that no matter what or how you do it, there is always room for improvement.

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Learn to say ‘no’. Over-commitment, the tendency to never say “no” to avoid offending others, can lead to a mental breakdown. Saying ‘yes’ without realizing your limits or setting boundaries can wreak havoc on your own life. It also destroys productivity by making it difficult to focus on the main task, activity or responsibility. Learning to say “no” is the first step in protecting yourself, your productivity, and your sanity.

Remember that saying no is not selfish. It’s just that you care about your health to maintain healthy boundaries for yourself. Saying no means you care about others and want to make sure you have the energy and spirit to fulfill other obligations. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Answer frankly and simply. You don’t have to make excuses, just say simply: “I can’t – I’m sorry, but I have too much work to do this week. I’ll make an appointment with you another time.” ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Maintain Physical Health

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Exercise helps the body produce endorphins that reduce stress. When a person is on the verge of a mental breakdown, the number of brain cells called the hippocampus decreases. But when the body performs physical exercises, the number of hippocampal cells increases. In addition, levels of endorphins (happy hormones) also increase. ^{[18] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to Source}

Exercise produces endorphins and limits the release of stress hormones like cortisone and adrenaline that cause you to have a mental breakdown.
When you engage in physical activity, you’ll forget about tasks, events, and situations that stress you out, giving your mind time to recover from stress.

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Get enough sleep. When you’re stressed, you may have a sleep-related problem, such as insomnia. Lack of sleep aggravates stress and can lead to mental breakdown. ^{[19] X Trusted Source National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Go to Source}

Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Everyone’s sleep needs are different, so you may need more or less sleep, depending on your activity level, age, and other factors.

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Get regular check-ups to make sure you’re not lacking in nutrients. Sometimes stress levels are made worse by health conditions, such as vitamin deficiency. We are often deficient in vitamins D, B6 and B12. Lack of nutrients can increase stress and lead to mental breakdown. ^{[20] X Research Sources}^{[21] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}^{[22] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

If you haven’t had a checkup in a while, schedule regular checkups to make sure you’re healthy and getting enough of the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

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Add amino acids to keep your mental health strong. Amino acids play an important role in managing symptoms of stress and depression, thus preventing mental breakdown. Amino acids make up most of the neurotransmitters in the brain, so they are indispensable for maintaining mental health. The basic structure of proteins also includes amino acids. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

To enjoy the benefits of amino acids, plan a protein-rich menu that includes milk, dairy products, eggs, poultry, meat, beans, nuts, and whole grains.
Dopamine is a product of an amino acid called tyrosine while serotonin is a product of tryptophan. Insufficient synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain will cause a bad mood and become erratic. This is even more significant if the neurotransmitters are dopamine and serotonin.

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Track how much sugar and processed foods your body absorbs. Diets high in sugar can increase the body’s excitability, affecting the normal functioning of the brain. Processed foods such as candy, cookies, soda and many others often contain a lot of sugar. Avoid the above foods to reduce irritation. ^{[24] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

A diet high in sugar and carbohydrates leads to overproduction of insulin, which causes low blood sugar. When blood sugar is low, the brain produces an alarming amount of glutamate, which can cause symptoms of depression such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.

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Choose complex carbs over simple carbs. Both forms of carbohydrates increase serotonin levels (a hormone that calms the brain and improves mood) but with complex carbs (whole grain breads, cereals) the process is slower. as they are digested slowly. Simple carbs (sweets, candy, soda) contain a lot of sugar that is easily digested leading to a sudden increase in serotonin levels. ^{[25] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Avoid or limit processed foods or foods high in sugar and gluten. They are a danger to an already stressed body and can accelerate mental breakdown.

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Increase fpic acid supplementation. Fpic acid deficiency also leads to stress. Please note that fpic acid deficiency can only be diagnosed by a physician, and any supplement regimen should be taken as prescribed by a physician and supervisor. Fpic acid deficiency leads to neurological problems such as depression. Adequate supply of fpic acid to the body improves the effectiveness of antidepressants. ^{[26] X Research Source}

You can get fpic acid from foods such as spinach and citrus in your meals.

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Eat more foods containing vitamin B. Foods containing vitamin B help protect you from depression and mental breakdown. B complex vitamins and especially vitamins B1, B2 and B6 are very effective in improving mood. Foods rich in vitamin B: ^{[27] X Research Source}

Dark green vegetables
Red meat
Whole grains, wheat germ
Green bean
Lentils, nuts like pecans and almonds
Milk, yogurt and cheese
Poultry, fish, eggs
Beans, peanuts
Seafood
Banana
Potato

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Zinc supplements to eliminate stress. There are many studies that have proven that zinc levels in people with symptoms of stress, depression or on the verge of a mental breakdown are quite low. Getting enough zinc in your body through meals or by mouth can improve the effectiveness of medications for depression and neurological problems. Zinc-rich foods: ^{[28] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source}

Seafood
Nuts
Wheat germ
Pumpkin seeds
Spinach
Mushroom
Bean
Meat

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Add foods rich in iron, iodine and chromium. Iodine, iron and chromium play an important role in preventing mental breakdown. Deficiencies in these minerals can lead to fatigue, depression, and mood swings. ^{[29] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}^{[30] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}^{[31] X Research Source}

Iron-rich foods: red meat, dark green vegetables, egg yolks, dried fruits (raises, prunes), poultry, lentils, artichokes
Iodine-rich foods: cow’s milk, yogurt, strawberries, sea vegetables, eggs, soy milk, sea fish and cheese.
Chromium-rich foods: whole grains, meat, brown rice, broccoli, mushrooms, beans, dairy products, eggs, cheese, poultry, corn, potatoes, fish, tomatoes, barley, Oats, herbs.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

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Practice deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing is a relaxation exercise. Deep breathing helps to expand the diaphragm and has a calming effect on the body, while lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels. ^{[32] X Harvard Medical Schop Trusted Source Go to Source}

Practice deep breathing like this: take a slow, deep breath in. As you inhale, expand your abdominal muscles, then slowly exhale. ^{[33] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to Source}
You can practice deep breathing while meditating or doing yoga.

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Try to live in the present by practicing mindfulness meditation. Meditation is the technique of living in the present and forgetting about past regrets and future fears. Meditation can be integrated into many aspects of life. You can practice meditation while exercising, eating, working, or reading a book. Research on mindfulness meditation has shown that meditation helps reduce stress by reducing repetitive thoughts. ^{[34] X Trusted Source American Psychpogical Association Going to the Source} Meditation also improves memory, concentration, and relationship satisfaction. ^{[35] X Trusted Source American Psychpogical Association Go to Source}

To meditate, you need to focus on your senses and let go of your worries or thoughts about obstacles and get rid of your awareness. Don’t hold back any thoughts. Instead, try to observe and let them disappear.

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Try yoga. Practicing yoga helps to change the chemical structure and induce a relaxation response in the body. ^{[36] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Going to the source of} Yoga promotes a state of biochemical relaxation in the body which means an abundance of oxygen in the body, a normal heart rate and blood pressure. ^{[37] X Research Source} In addition to its physical benefits, yoga also helps remove toxins from the body. ^{[38] X Research Sources} The breathing technique in yoga has a profound impact on both physical and mental health. They help to cleanse the system to restore balance in thoughts and emotions. ^{[39] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Try taking a beginner’s yoga class at your local gym or buy a DVD to practice at home.

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Use aromatherapy to relieve stress. Aromatic essential oils have the ability to improve mood, reduce stress. ^{[40] X Research Source} You can relax with essential oils of lavender, valerian, citrus, geranium, clove, camphor, and birch wood to reduce insomnia associated with depression.

Peppermint essential oil can relieve tension headaches and treat nausea caused by stress-related abdominal pain. ^{[41] X Source of Study} Mix a few drops of menthol with another carrier oil such as almond oil and massage into the forehead and temples. Take a deep breath as you massage the oil to help relax.
Recent studies have shown that essential oils like lavender and lemon can also improve mood. ^{[42] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source}

Warning

If you think you’re on the verge of a mental breakdown, talk to someone who can help, such as a parent, teacher, counselor or doctor.

Steps

Maintain a Healthy Mental Health

Maintain Physical Health

Practice Relaxation Techniques

Warning

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