Bulletin Board Post

Feelings

I Break Down Every Night

<div class="ExternalClass4E8A1AE54413446684F7775709893042">I don't really know what's going on I know this doesn't seem like much but I don't know why but at 9 o'clock every night I break down no matter what I'm doing. It may not seem like a big deal but I was wondering if you had any tips for ways to not break down if I'm in an area that I may not be able to? </div>

<div class="ExternalClass2C96B6167A1A459DAD3D70FD0BF631DA">Thanks for emailing in. It's great that you are reaching out and asking for help. Emotions can get the best of anyone at any time. Since you've had a pattern of breaking down at the same time each day as of late, you might want to take a closer look at why this might be happening, especially if it is starting to interfere with what you are doing at that time or starting to worry you.It could be happening for a number of different reasons. Take a look at your activity during the day. Are you getting enough sleep? Do you have a schedule that you follow each day? Are you doing good self care? Sometimes we push ourselves until we are both physically and emotionally exhausted. When then happens, your body and mind would need a release and crying and breaking down gives it this release. Ask yourself if you feel better after you get it all out. If so, maybe you need this natural release in order to regroup or bring yourself to a calm at the end of a long day.Ask yourself what happens right before you break down. Could a certain person, activity, or event be triggering these breakdowns. Maybe it's not the 9 pm time, but what happens right before it, so it just seems to be tied to time. If you can identify what might be triggering it, then you can go into problem solving mode and take steps to stop that stressor or manage it so that you don't break down. In some cases, it can be tied to time. A student who finds out they failed a test at 9:00 am one morning, suddenly starts to feel anxious at 9:00 am every day or a teen whose boyfriend broke up over the phone at 8:00 pm the night before, suddenly happens to look at or notice the clock at 8:00 pm every night. So you might think about taking a look at your days to see what might be causing this.Calming strategies could be helpful for you. Taking very slow breaths in and out through your nose with your mouth shut may help. Focus on controlling your breathing, keeping an even heart rate, and slowly it down to help with any anxiousness. Try doing some positive imagery in your mind. Close your eyes or even just look away from what you are currently focusing on and think of a peaceful scene. It might be an ocean with wave sounds or a church or even just lying on a blanket in a park, but it can take you away from your immediate stress for a moment. If you are unable to calm yourself and you have to excuse yourself from a social situation that is ok too. Maybe even share how you are feeling with a friend or someone in your family, so they understand when you need to step away for a few minutes. You can find more tips in our tip section here on YLYV to, so check back every so often, ok? Know that the crying may have just turned into a habit, and habits can be broken. Hopefully this gives you a few starting points.Laura, Crisis Counselor</div>

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