According to surveys of Americans over four decades, more adults reported that they have felt an impending nervous breakdown in 1996 (26%) than in 1976 (21%) and in 1957 (19%).

The survey results show that being white, female, younger, unmarried, having children and not being religious increased the likelihood of feeling an impending nervous breakdown.

In addition medication rates for the treatment of these people is increasing as well. Among those who saw a physician for this problem, more people reported using medications in 1996 (57%) than in the earlier surveys (34.5%).

Divorce, separation and relationship problems were more likely to cause the feeling in the most recent survey.

The authors suggest that teaching coping skills, fostering stress resilience, and strengthening family ties could all help to lessen the feeling of an impending nervous breakdown in today‘s world.

American Psychologist 2000;55.