Mental breakdown (also known as a nervous
breakdown) is a largely depreciated and colloquial term
for an acute, time-limited psychiatric disorder that
manifests primarily as severe stress-induced depression ,
anxiety and/or dissociation in a previously functional
individual, to the extent that they are no longer able to
function on a day-to-day basis until the disorder is
resolved. It is defined by its temporary nature, and often
closely tied to psychological burnout , severe overwork ,
sleep deprivation and similar stressors , which combine
to temporarily overwhelm an individual with otherwise
sound mental faculties. It also shares many symptoms
with the acute phase of post-traumatic stress disorder