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Experiencing a disturbing mental illness can often feel “out of this world.”

You never know what to expect, how long the episode will last, or how to hide your symptoms from others if you are not alone during the attack.

Reminder : You aren’t alone & you don’t need to feel ashamed .

Symptoms of mental illness can vary from person to person. Everyone experiences situations differently, so it can be difficult to explain to others how you feel when you experience a disturbing mental illness episode. It is even more difficult to understand or explain if you are unaware that you are actually experiencing an episode that triggers your mental health.

Below, I will discuss five disturbing mental health episodes that you might experience without knowing, and what you can do to overcome them.

#1 A Psychosis Cycle

When you experience an episode of psychosis, you can feel in the dark.

In many cases, the delusion itself can prevent you from interpreting what is real from what is not.
Psychosis can vary from level to level, often causing one to lose contact with reality.

The most common symptoms associated with psychosis episodes are the following,

  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions

Psychosis episodes can have a strong impact on everyday life. It is important to seek medical advice as soon as possible to alleviate the symptoms associated with an attack.

But what if you’re not sure?

Let us give an example of what it might feel like going through an episode of psychosis.

When Lilly realized she had lost touch with reality, she lost all control

Lilly, age 24

Lilly sat in her room staring at the walls in search of comfort. She did not participate in dinner at 6 p.m., she hid from her family as she felt extremely depressed. She told her boyfriend she had a headache and had to lay down.

But headaches were the least of her worries.

As she sits in her room, she locks the bedroom door and awaits what she knows will eventually occur, a psychosis episode.

Screaming her name, the voices seem to call her from different angles. She does not know which voice to listen to.
The voices become louder, and they voice negative scenarios, such as hurting herself or others.

It is not long before her vision begins to become cloudy and pushes her to feel like she is now in another dimension.

She can’t help but rock back and forth while trying to scream, but nothing comes out.

She looks over and sees a figure approaching her, causing her to hide under her covers.

This episode lasted only 40 minutes, but for her it seemed like 24 hours.

Lilly does not take drugs or drink alcohol.


She developed schizophrenia, a mental disease that causes such psychosis episodes.

Note: It is important to understand that schizophrenia exists in different types. This is not a mental illness with which you have to be born, in fact it is uncommon for a diagnosis to be made under the age of 12.

If you experience similar symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice from a professional.

#2 When PTSD Triggers Reality Of The Past

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, can cause disturbing mental health episodes for people who have experienced a traumatizing event.

Common symptoms associated with a PTSD attack are the following,

  • Flashbacks
  • Nightmares
  • Fearing Thoughts

Many who experience PTSD often relive the trauma during their present phase, even though the trauma derived from the past.

Once triggered, the brain is alert to a sense of danger, even if there is no danger.

PTSD can be triggered by anything that brings a memory to the trauma of the past.

This can include, but are not limited to triggers such as,

  • Sounds
  • Smells/Scents
  • Places
  • TV shows/ Movies
  • Thoughts
  • People
  • Tastes

& the list goes on.

You may even feel like your PTSD symptoms sometimes come out of the blue.

It is crucial to know that many triggers can go unnoticed, so it seems that PTSD symptoms come out of the blue, but in reality there may be an unknown trigger that causes symptoms.

Let us give an example of what it may feel like to go through a PTSD episode.

Shayla Relives Everyday What She Desperately Wants To Forget

Three years ago, an intruder broke into Shayla’s house and raped her.

Every day and every night after the unfortunate incident, Shayla continues to relive every horrifying moment of it.

Recently, she was in her room with her boyfriend, and they planned to watch a movie together.

About half way into the film, there was a scene in which glass was broken.

Immediately Shayla had a PTSD outbreak from the sight and sound of broken glass.

In that moment, she was no longer in the present form. Her brain changed her thinking to believe that she was back in the moment she was raped.

The flashbacks were so intense that she started trying to fight off her boyfriend, who tried to comfort her.

Shayla’s PTSD is triggered by sounds, scents, movies, and places.

If you experience similar symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice from a professional.

#3 Severe Anxiety With A Dose of Panic Attacks

Anxiety is normal for everyone at some point in their lives. But if it becomes extreme and out of control, it can take its toll on everyday life.

Extreme anxiety can contribute to panic attacks, causing physical sensations such as the following,

  • Nausea
  • Rapid heart beat
  • Trembling
  • Chills
  • “Loss of control” feeling
  • “I think I’m going to die” feeling
  • Not able to calm down
  • Choking and/or out of breath

There are many types of anxiety disorders that can lead to serious panic attacks.

Panic attacks can cause strong physical attributes that could become so intense that you may feel like you are experiencing a heart attack.

Let us give an example of what it may feel like to experience a panic attack with extreme anxiety.

Erica Ended up In the Hospital, She Thought She Had a Heart Attack

Erica suffers from extreme anxiety, which often leads to severe panic attacks.

Recently, just before Erica was about to get ready for bed, she began to feel anxious, which disrupted her normal night routine.

As her hands began to tremble, she suddenly lost control of her breathing. She suffered severe chest pain and felt worried.

The feelings then became so intense that she cried and clung to every breath she could take.

About 5 minutes later, her symptoms were even more intense, she felt as if she were dying.

This led to an emergency room trip.

The hospital performed an EKG on her, along with chest X-rays, to eliminate any underlying problems. All her test results came back normal, and it was obvious to the doctor that what she was experiencing was actually a serious panic attack.

If you experience similar symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice from a professional.

#4 Severe Depression With A Dose of A Happy Face

Depression can be associated with a variety of symptoms.

It is important to note that depression differs from normal sadness or grief. It is normal to feel sad or to grieve when life throws an obstacle at you. Depression, however, is much more intense and lasts longer than the typical grief phases for an individual.

In fact, it can be difficult to say when someone is actually depressed. A happy face can be present to others, while a person is fighting depression internally.

Want to know what depression looks like?

This is What Depression Looks Like

In many cases, you would never even know that some of your closest friends and family are fighting a battle of depression internally.

Let us explain what a person with Depression may experience.

Sania bottles her emotions inside, she doesn’t want anyone to know how she is feeling.

She holds the weight of the world on her shoulders, she cannot let people see the emotions she experiences.
Every night, when Sania is alone, she is disturbed by an emotion that is deeper than the typical sad feeling.

Her emotions have been bottled up for so long that she constantly has suicidal thoughts screaming at her.

But you would never know it.

Sania is so loving and caring, and shows nothing but a smile when you see her out in public.

But inside her home, it is difficult for her to get out of bed in the morning. It’s difficult to take a shower everyday. It’s difficult to eat and take care of herself. It’s difficult to do anything.

If she could, she would sleep the days away.

But you would never know it.

If you experience similar symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice from a professional.

#5 Paranoia Strikes Again – This Time For The Worse

Paranioa can feel very frightening. It’s a feeling that makes you feel that everyone and everything is out to get you.

Paranioa has symptoms such as, but not limited to,

  • Easily offended
  • Difficult in trusting others
  • Defensive
  • Feels like everyone and everything is out to get you
  • Frightened emotions
  • Isolation from others

Paranioa can lead to a person struggling with their everyday functioning.

Let us explain what a person with Paranoia may expereince.

Paranoia Strikes Again – This Time For The Worse

Layla always feels like someone is out to get her. She constantly looks out her window in distress, that someone or something will take her.

When she answers the phone, she does not talk. She listens to who is on the other line and hangs up quickly, because she believes the phone line can be traced.

A typical Wal-Mart shopping trip for Layla is much different from many who visit the store.

For Layla, it is a whole different experience. As soon as she steps out of her vehcicle, everyone around her is in the red.

Everyone to her gives her a “bad vibe”.

When she walks into the store, she is extremely cautious about her surroundings, as she does not feel safe. Everyone, including the workers, is dangerous in her eyes.

If you experience similar symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice from a professional.

How To Overcome Disturbing Mental Health Episodes Right At The Spot of One

Before I go on, it is important to note that I am not a doctor or psychiatrist. Any advice I give is based solely on my personal experiences and the experiences of others I know. Blooming Mama 101 is not a substitute for professional advice, and I encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. You can read our full disclaimer here :).

If you feel that an episode is coming along, the best thing you can do in that moment is to try to get yourself to a calmer state. Getting yourself to a calmer state before an episode gets out of hand can help to keep symptoms to a minimum.

This can be done through the practice of aromatherapy and meditation. Aromatherapy can be applied in many ways. It is a good practice to integrate into your daily routine, even if you are not experiencing an outbreak of an episode.

It is as simple as lighting a candle or spraying your favorite perfume so that you inhale soothing scents lifted in the air. Be sure to practice with scents that make you feel calm and safe. NEVER practice with such scents associated with a bad memory or that trigger an episode.

You can even buy an essential oil diffuser (#ad) that fills the room with a scent of your choice.

My preferred essential oils are from Lagunamoon. The scents are everlasting, and the prices are affordable. You only need a few drops, so this box (# ad) from Lagunamoon lasts you a long time.

Monk & Llama Meditation Mat

This mat is a bit pricey, but I wanted to mention it as a comfort add on for those who want to use a mat while meditating. This is optional, you do not need it to meditate. #ad

Learn more

You will want to go to a room in your home that is a safe zone for you. Whether it’s your bedroom, living room, etc., you’ll want to get to a room that brings you a little joy. This can be difficult to do every time you experience an episode, but try to make a daily routine of it.

Fill the air with your choice of aromas. Take a gentle breath and close your eyes. From time to time, I love to practice with this self-warming steam mask (#ad) from Popmask.

Let your gentle breaths gradually form into deeper breathing, clearing your mind from all thoughts. The goal is to keep yourself away from all the good and bad thoughts. Take “clearing your mind” to heart with this process. You don’t want to think, just breathe.

When you inhale and exhale, remember that you inhale positivity and exhale negativity. Try to practice this for 15 minutes everyday and if you feel comfortable, extend it to longer periods if necessary.