Mental Illness Poem

Poem: Experiencing A Mental Breakdown

This poem is about breaking down after you hold onto pain for way too long and then it finally just escapes you.

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Thanks for writing this touching poem! I have struggled my way through so many things that nobody ever cared to ask me about. I had a very troubling childhood and I still suffer from it. The...

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Another Breakdown

© more by Shaydee A. Ault

Published by Family Friend Poems April 2018 with permission of the Author.

It's hard when you're always lying,
Always hiding the way you feel.
Losing your sight on truthful words,
Forgetting what is real.

It's hard when you forget to laugh
And you're scared that someone might see.
Hoping no one saw your face,
As you struggle to remember how to breathe.

It's hard to pretend you're happy,
And you're terrified someone might ask.
It's becoming harder every day;
It's becoming quite a task.

You feel when your body shakes,
As it searches for something to hold.
Though the temperature feels hot,
Your heart and mind feel cold.

Your throat feels like it's closing,
And your legs feel like they're weak.
You try your hardest to grasp a breath,
But there's not even enough to speak.

Your hands remain unsteady,
And your heart pounds like a drum,
And even though you can barely walk,
You fight the urge to run.

You scream as the world starts spinning,
And your knees drop straight to the ground.
You realize in that moment
You're just having another breakdown.

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Has this poem touched you? Share your story!
  • Kelly M by Kelly M
  • 1 year ago

Wow! I felt every word of what you wrote. I've suffered with ill mental health since being abused at 14 years old. I'm 42 now. Some days I just want to scream and shout, but I can't. I have responsibilities, so on goes the fake smile and out comes the fake laugh. Life is hard. I hope things get easier for you.

  • Taylor Chancy by Taylor Chancy
  • 1 year ago

Thanks for writing this touching poem! I have struggled my way through so many things that nobody ever cared to ask me about. I had a very troubling childhood and I still suffer from it. The people who took me in never realized how much it affects me still. I am almost 17 and I still struggle with my childhood trauma. My "parents" who took me in are not my biological ones, and after losing my biological father to a drug overdose 5 years ago, I haven't been able to stop being depressed. They only hospitalized me once, but I feel like it didn't help at all. I tried everything: antidepressants, medications, self-harm, and nothing worked. So now I smile my way through everything, feeling like I need to escape out of my own mind somehow. I know I can't kill myself because there are so many people who actually do care but don't understand. I really thank you for writing this poem because it has helped me realize that I am not the only one breaking down every moment of my life.

  • Kenzieperkins315 by Kenzieperkins315
  • 2 years ago

I find this poem absolutely amazing. This hits really close to home, as I am a teen. The author states how you are feeling horrible and are falling into a breakdown. They describe every little emotion you feel when in a breakdown. Reminding us how us teens go through problems and breakdowns just as the older people do. The author describes the mental illness extremely well. The poem itself is written amazingly and the rhythm is amazing. I love this and look forward to reading more from this author!

  • Susan Mills by Susan Mills
  • 4 years ago

Thank you for writing this poem. I am an adult who has smiled my way through many struggles. Until recently I thought something was wrong with me, not like mental illness but something really wrong like being too weak to handle the everyday difficulties that so many other people seemed to handle without breaking down. With the help of you and others who are sharing feelings and experiences of those with depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses, I'm finally learning that there is nothing wrong with me. I am not defective, lazy, or melodramatic. I struggle with mental illness and have learned to speak openly about it without shame.
Thank you,
"Smiley"

  • Dr Sreedevi by Dr Sreedevi
  • 2 years ago

Dear Susan...
Greetings to you. Always think positive. Then you will be all right. Where there will be the problem there will be the answer. Be strong. Read, write, and cultivate a habit of doing something which is interesting. You will do wonders. Give strength to your capabilities/skills. Good luck.
Dr Sreedevi Sreekanth
Clinical Psychologist

  • Anonymous by Anonymous
  • 4 years ago

People want to belong in a world of no belongings. That is what I tend to think a lot of nights. You know, nights are so hard for me. I have a lot of breakdowns at dusk, just to realise that I gotta wake up to the new dawn. And all I can say is, I am coping the best I know how to. I can relate to this poem so much. Thank you for helping me put my feelings into words.

  • Adriana R. Clark by Adriana R. Clark, Locust,North Carolina
  • 4 years ago

My name is Adriana and I'm 11 years old. I am from New York, but I live in North Carolina. I can relate to this poem. I have had multiple breakdowns in just a month. Some adults don't understand us. It is hard to pretend to be happy all the time when you have mental health issues. My story is a a interesting one; at least that is what my family says.

I wrote a note saying I was going to commit suicide and that I had other mental health problems. My mom does rescue to help save dogs/cats. I didn't mean to leave it in the Petsmart bathroom, and I guess a worker found the note and called 911 and I had to talk to a police officer, which wasn't what I wanted. So I was did in-patient treatment in Stanly Hospital in Albemarle. I was in the hospital for 6 days. I learned that there is hope for people who have mental health problems. People need to know that they are not alone. I have learned in the past 3 years that there is hope. People need to know that they are NOT ALONE.

  • Kiara T.G by Kiara T.G
  • 4 years ago

Thank you so much for writing this touching poem. It brought me to tears. As a teenager living with really strict, overprotective parents, I often find myself having multiple breakdowns a day. Knowing I am unable to do things every teen should experience honestly shatters me. This poem represents my breakdowns and how I feel very well.

  • Kayla by Kayla
  • 2 years ago

I also live with overprotective parents, but I always keep in mind whatever they are doing for me is in my best interest and that I can't have what my other teen friends have. I live with what I have, and I am proud of it. I don't compare myself with other people and whatever they own. I focus on ME. Hope this helped.

  • Himani Yadav by Himani Yadav
  • 5 years ago

Hey! I just loved the poem as it is the replica of human emotions and the reality behind several smiling faces. I appreciate the way the poem highlights the depth of feelings and the quest to hide them.

  • Paul  J. O'Brien by Paul J. O'Brien
  • 5 years ago

Oh my, you made me cry. My son was like this the last year before he died. The coroner said it was suicide. His mom and I are shattered and broken knowing that he can never be woken. Please be strong and talk to people. Don't be another statistic. Help is there, so just reach out. We'll all support you; just give us a shout.

I am so sorry for your loss. And I will keep you in my prayers. I hope you and your wife keep your heads up. Everything is gonna be ok. You're strong and there are brighter days coming.

This is a wonderful poem that really provides such a descriptive insight into what a person suffering from mental illness endures. I love the rhythm and rhyme of your poems and the simplicity with which you express yourself. I had to read the rest of your poetry because I liked this one so much and you have a truly amazing talent. I love the form of your poems, and each one tells a different story in that simplistic but truly powerful way that clearly expresses that particular feeling. I look forward to reading your other work.

Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me. I try to write my poetry in a way that the readers feel as if they're really feeling what the person in the poem feels, as if you can put yourself into their shoes and see things as they see and feel it in the poem. My poetry is always written as if it's through another person's eyes, and I like to read them and feel what they feel. It's like I'm their reflection in a mirror and I really feel and understand what they're doing and how they see everything. Almost like looking through a looking glass into someone else's emotions.

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