When I heard my friend say they were “crashing out” I responded, “Maybe you need a yerba.” Turns out, that crashing out doesn’t mean being tired anymore. It means you are acting recklessly because of an event in your life.
The term originated in AAVE and according to Dexerto.com, “The term gained predominant usage on TikTok in early 2024, but its roots can be traced back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was popularized by several local rappers, including NBA YoungBoy.”
‘Crashouts’ are often caused by a period of high stress or emotional turmoil. Your environment can severely impact your mental health. For senior Lela Broughton, she usually finds herself “crashing out” around finals season.
“I am in a big crashout right now,” Broughton said.
She said it’s because two of her closest friends “crashed out” due to a decision she made to “better herself.”
“I told them I could no longer put my energy into our friendships anymore,” Broughton said.
Broughton said that close-knit friend groups often go through a “domino effect” of crash-outs.
“Your friends [reflect] your own self and your morals,” Broughton said.
When she is going through a crashout, Broughton likes to make a list of her priorities and works out to blow off steam.
“Being with myself and being with my thoughts helps the crashout” Broughton said.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Devin Penner has similar advice.
“Notice the ways you are trying to cope with it in the short term, try to be compassionate to yourself,” Penner said.
An overwhelming situation can make you want to run away or distract yourself, but according to Penner, it takes courage to stay in the discomfort.
“One of the ways to address that long term is to regain a sense of balance in your nervous system with regular practice of mindfulness or cognitive behavioral skills that can help reduce your anxiety to help change your thinking,” Penner said.
Cognitive behavioral skills allow you to evaluate what you’re struggling with and look at it from a different perspective. Some common practices include journaling, identifying your negative thoughts, and trying to end your day by writing about something positive.
“It’s okay to notice without judgement, and to start there,” Penner said.
Hopefully, this advice helps anyone crashing out, and for any further information visit neverabother.org or call 988 for support.
