--- title: "Nervous Breakdown vs. Acute Mental Disorder | Sutter Health" description: "What are the symptoms of a nervous breakdown? How does it differ from depression or anxiety?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/nervous-breakdown-vs-acute-mental-disorder-1051061123" --- 1. Home / 2. Nervous Breakdown vs. Acute Mental Disorder # Nervous Breakdown vs. Acute Mental Disorder * * * Medically reviewed by - Daniel Becker, M.D. ## Question What are the symptoms of a nervous breakdown? How does it differ from depression or anxiety? ## Answer Nervous breakdown is a slang term that does not have a precise medical or scientific meaning. Even as slang, it is presently used infrequently. It was perhaps in more common usage during the middle part of the last century. Even then, it had a diffuse meaning that referred to a broad range of mental disorders. In general, though, "nervous breakdown" was taken to mean an acute mental disorder severe enough to result in problems with everyday functioning (such as work, school, homemaking, or other social obligations). Also, the term implied that the acute mental disorder was occurring in relation to environmental stress (such as may occur at work, at school, within interpersonal relationships, or as a result of a catastrophic event). This concept encompassed a broad range of specific psychiatric conditions - including depressive episodes, manic episodes, psychotic episodes, panic attacks, adjustment disorders, acute stress disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although, colloquially, people may still refer to a "nervous breakdown," it is more helpful to define specifically the type of acute psychiatric disturbance. That being said, those who consider themselves suffering from a "nervous breakdown" are likely to be in significant distress, and are also likely to have some form of acute mental disorder. Therefore, these individuals should see a physician as soon as possible. ## Explore related topics Mental health ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis Is there a test to confirm if you are bipolar? And would you have symptoms from birth or does it develop? - Health Q&A ### Depression and Stress I'm 33, with two wonderful kids, but my life is falling apart when it comes to my relationship with my husband. I don't want to be around him because he's so controlling. I cry a lot, my head pounds, I'm dizzy and I have body pain. Is this depression? - Health Q&A ### Emotional or Behavioral Problems in Adolescence I can't tell if my son (age 14) is just being a teenager or if his symptoms might be early signs of a mental health problem. 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View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/nervous-breakdown-vs-acute-mental-disorder-1051061123#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Nervous Breakdown vs. Acute Mental Disorder"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/nervous-breakdown-vs-acute-mental-disorder-1051061123#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/nervous-breakdown-vs-acute-mental-disorder-1051061123","name":"Nervous Breakdown vs. Acute Mental Disorder","description":"Nervous breakdown is a slang term that does not have a precise medical or scientific meaning.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/nervous-breakdown-vs-acute-mental-disorder-1051061123#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/nervous-breakdown-vs-acute-mental-disorder-1051061123#question","name":"Nervous Breakdown vs. Acute Mental Disorder","text":"What are the symptoms of a nervous breakdown? 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This concept encompassed a broad range of specific psychiatric conditions - including depressive episodes, manic episodes, psychotic episodes, panic attacks, adjustment disorders, acute stress disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although, colloquially, people may still refer to a \"nervous breakdown,\" it is more helpful to define specifically the type of acute psychiatric disturbance. That being said, those who consider themselves suffering from a \"nervous breakdown\" are likely to be in significant distress, and are also likely to have some form of acute mental disorder. 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