, 1935-04-16
Real Reasons Behind
Nervous Breakdown
By Or. MORRIS FIsHBEIN

Uy Ohs MOnhA0 AonnEAN
Editor. Journal Of the American Medical Association.
and Of Hygeia. the Health Magazine
II you have never known the feeling Of being ner-
vous or mentally i'll. and you always feel adequate 70
every situation in which you find yourself. you may
discover Il Is difficult to understand the significance
Of the condition called nervous breakdown"
In fact. you may even argue with the person who
suffers with this condition and may try to make him
feel that It is al his own fault. You may say II he
will only buck up" or Just think right, he will feel
right.
Actually. however, the combination Of physical and
mental circumstances Is such that the person with
the nervous breakdown simply cannot get his powers
together for the purpose Of ~"bucking up" and think
ing right.
Today we know that DEVELOPMENT OF such situation
demands q complete study Of the physical condition
Of the person concerned, Of his personality. OF the en-
vironment in which he lives. and Of the people who
surround him.
A nervous breakdown represents a variety OF condi-
tons. II may be just q case IN which the person Is
unable 10 sleep. gets tired easily. and is unable to con-
centrate.
Next it may be a form Of hysteria. with inability to
perform various functions. simply because the person
concerned Ia convinced in his own mind that he can
not do so.
Third. II may be a nervous condition in which
anxiety is the chief symptom. with fear, palpitations
Of the heart. restlessness. ana q lack Of power TO
make decisions.
Beyond these forms Of rsrvous conditions. there are
various forms OF insanity and. finally, actual changes
in the nervous system. with paralysis, inflammation Of
the brain. and such disorders
The average man who talks about nervous break
downs usually means the conditions first described, in
which loss Of sleep, easy fatigue. inability 70 concen-
trate. and lack Of power to make decisions are the most
significant factors.
Nervous breakdoVns are not limited altogether 70
high powered business men, TO ciubvomen under Sc
we're strains with activities, 10 social leaders. or 20
statesmen. A child In school may have a nervous
breakdown. as may also a retired millionaire with
nothing TO do.
poor health or the eccentric musical genius, As well
as the tramp. the drunkard or the drug addict. may
be victims OF nervous breakdown.
Ordinarily all these cases represent what one lead
ing authority in diseases OF the mind has called hui
man nature working undrr difficulties"
Most parents don't spank right. They let their emo
tons run away with them. The parent who tells me
spanking hurts him more than the child. ! always tell
to stop spanking. That parent doesn't know how
Or. Miles Murphy, U. Of Pennsylvania psychologist.
In 1914 there was one nation whose ambition to
expand served to create var. In 1888 there are two.
one in the west, the other in the eaSt.-Joseph Stain
Soviet dictator.
No national has the right to 70 into the trouble zone
and expect his nation to back him # he gets into
difficulties. Bernard Baruch.
Never since the World War have there been such
-. - -. - - HEo~t~r
Litvinov, Soviet commisSar for foreign affairs.
Why shouldn't women demand political recognition.
not for personal advantage. but for the opportunity
to serve? = Madame Secretary Perkins.
Americans spend more for cigarets each year than
II costs to maintain the army and navy combined
Mrs. William A. Becker. D.. A. r. executive.