From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnervous breakdownˌnervous ˈbreakdown noun [countable] MPa mental illness in which someone becomes extremely anxious and tired and cannot deal with the things they usually do Colin came close to having a nervous breakdown last year.COLLOCATIONSverbshave a nervous breakdownMy mother had a nervous breakdown after my father's death.suffer a nervous breakdownAt university, Jan suffered a nervous breakdown and was treated for depression.be heading for a nervous breakdown (=be likely to suffer one soon)She should slow down a bit - I think she's heading for a nervous breakdown.adjectivesa complete nervous breakdownHe had a complete nervous after leaving university.phrasesbe on the verge/edge of a nervous breakdown (=to be very close to having a nervous breakdown)These events left her on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Examples from the Corpus
nervous breakdown• He said she acted erratic, got the shakes one evening, almost had a nervous breakdown.• Male speaker I had a nervous breakdown at Frankland Jail and suddenly discovered feelings about my childhood.• Shortly after her marriage, she had a nervous breakdown and had to be institutionalized.• In my nineteen years I've had three women, a nervous breakdown and some poor education.• Do not give yourself a nervous breakdown trying to prepare and cook three courses on the day perfectly and on time.• At twenty, in Budapest, he suffered a complete nervous breakdown, which he conquered through a gruelling program of callisthenics.having ... nervous breakdown• I wasn't having a nervous breakdown but I was unable to operate or function efficiently.• And remember, no job is worth having a nervous breakdown over. 