Nervous breakdown

[Mooieminnie21]

Hi all,
I am wondering if anyone can help me. My mum has recently been to the Drs and he has said she is having a nervous breakdown and put her on anti depressants. All of the family used to go round there on a Friday night for a get together and this has now stopped. The dr has told her she does not make time for herself and needs to say no more. She works full time and I can totally understand why she'd want Friday nights to herself however she has proper distanced herself from me (we were very close) and I feel so awkward around her. Everyone says to be normal but I find it so hard....I feel like I am tip toeing around her yet she is ok to say some quite rude things. One day she's fine and the next doesn't wanna chat and is very short. I am struggling to understand what causes a nervous breakdown and how to deal with it....does anyone have experience of this? It's making me really not want to see her. Please help me deal with it. Also....I know she's probably having a harder time than me. Thanks.

Having a nervous breakdown is a sort of general way of describing what happens when someone is overwhelmed to the point of not functioning fully or properly for a time in their lives. It's not a diagnosis as such as more a description of overwhelm and could be due to serious mental illness, or simply a lot of stress causing emotional overwhelm.
Is it possible to ask your mum what's happening with her and can you help ease any of her stress, or tell her that you are there for her. Things that may help are her having a close friend to talk to, talking therapy, seeing the doctor regularly for review, exercise, easing of stress, eating well and rest.

Well I believe all of the things which are leading her to be overwhelmed are in her control and this is why I get frustrated. She works full time mon-fri then looks after my niece Friday night and all day Saturday. My sister in law has recently gone back to work and so she will be having both my Brice and nephew from this week. I have said she can say no and she always says she's going to but is now doing it anyway. I have tried to ask how she is but she simply won't answer and changes the subject. Last night we all went to my brothers for my nephews birthday and she was very rude to my other half when he got in from working late she said hello then ignored him for the rest of the time. He hasn't seen her for 2 months as she asked for space and he works shifts but when we left he said what have I done to upset your mum. I feel like we all tip toe around her but she can treat people and act how she wants. I am finding it hard to even spend time with her.

She’s probably depressed as well as anxious.
All of this hasn’t just happened, it’s been building up for probably ages and it’s just come out.

When your anxious and depressed you don’t know why you feel like you do, just getting up is a chore in itsel. She may also not be sleeping
So sleep deprived
She won’t feel good at all.
Also if she’s just started AD’s she may be getting horrible SE from them, and may not want to tell anyone because she may be embarrassed
If you can’t understand what’s she’s going through, imagine having to deal with them and not being able to explain
Maybe because she thinks you’ll be
Worried or make a fuss (she doesn’t want you to)

It is a horrible illness, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worse enemy

Is she still managing working? Or been signed off?

It does sound like she's really stressed. Can you ask her to have a quiet proper chat on your own not at a social event to see what's going on for her ?