Emotional exhaustion is a state in which you feel emotionally exhausted and drained as a result of cumulative stress from your personal or professional lives or a mix of the two. One of the symptoms of burnout is emotional exhaustion.
People who are feeling emotional exhaustion frequently feel as though they have no authority or control over what happens in their lives. They may feel “trapped” or “stuck” in a scenario.
Emotional exhaustion can be difficult to overcome due to a lack of energy, poor sleep, and diminished motivation. This prolonged, stressed-out condition might have long-term consequences for your health.
Anyone who has been subjected to long-term stress might feel emotionally drained and overwhelmed. Emotional exhaustion can creep up on you during challenging times, but it’s never too late to get help.
What are the Symptoms of Emotional Exhaustion?
Emotional exhaustion symptoms can be both emotional and physical. Emotional exhaustion manifests differently in various people, but common symptoms include:
- Lack of motivation
- Trouble Sleeping
- Irritability
- Physical Fatigue
- Feelings Of Hopelessness
- Absentmindedness
- Apathy
- Headaches
- Change In Appetite
- Nervousness
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Irrational Anger
- Increased Cynicism Or Pessimism
- Sense Of Dread
- Depression
Employers who have overworked and emotionally drained their staff may observe changes in job performance and overall team morale. For example, they may begin to observe that their employees:
- Failure To Meet Deadlines
- Lower Commitment To The Organization
- More Absences
- High Turnover Rate
What are the Causes of Emotional Exhaustion?
It is natural to feel some stress and worry on a daily basis, but persistent stress can have a negative impact on the body over time. Emotional exhaustion is produced by a lengthy period of continual life stress, whether from personal or work-related stress.
What causes emotional exhaustion varies by individual. What is distressing to one person may be entirely tolerable to another.
Some of the more typical causes of emotional exhaustion include:
- High-pressure jobs, such as nurses, doctors, police officers, and teachers
- Intense schooling, such as medical school
- working long hours or working at a job you hate
- Having A Baby
- Raising Children
- Financial Stress Or Poverty
- Homelessness
- Being A Caregiver For A Loved One
- Prolonged Divorce Proceedings
- Death Of A Family Member Or Friend
- Living With A Chronic Illness Or Injury
How can you Treat Emotional Exhaustion?
Certain lifestyle adjustments might help ease the symptoms of emotional exhaustion. These tactics will be difficult to use at first, but they will get simpler as you develop healthy habits.
Making little modifications to your daily routine might help you manage your symptoms and avoid emotional exhaustion.
Once you’ve identified the symptoms of emotional exhaustion, attempt the following:
Eliminate Things That Give You Stress
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While this is not always possible, the best strategy to alleviate stress is to eliminate the source of the stress. Consider changing jobs or organisations if your work environment is the source of your emotional exhaustion. If your manager or supervisor is giving you stress, you may want to consider shifting to a different department or requesting to be assigned to different management.
Try To Eat Healthy Food
Eating healthy is consuming a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats while avoiding sugary snacks, fried meals, and processed foods.
We’re always urged to eat well, but it may make a huge impact when you’re stressed. It will not only help you obtain the vitamins and minerals you need, but it will also enhance your digestion, sleep, and energy levels, all of which may have a knock-on effect on your emotional state.
Exercise Daily
Endorphins and serotonin levels are increased by any type of physical activity. This has the potential to boost your emotional condition. Exercise also helps to distract you from your concerns. Try to get 30 minutes of activity every day, even if it’s simply a lengthy stroll.
Limit The Consumption of Alcohol
Alcohol may briefly improve your mood, but the effect will wear off fast, leaving you more worried and unhappy than before. Alcohol also disrupts your sleep.
Get a Good Amount of Sleep
Sleep is essential for mental wellness. It’s much more beneficial if you schedule your bedtime at the same time every night. Every night, aim for eight to nine hours of sleep. Creating a nighttime ritual might help you relax and get better sleep. Limiting your caffeine intake might also help you sleep better.
Practice Mindfulness Technique
Mindfulness is undoubtedly a phrase you’ve heard a lot, yet mindfulness practises are much more than a passing trend. They are clinically shown to alleviate stress and anxiety and can be the key to emotional balance.
Mindfulness is the act of paying attention to the current moment. This might help you shift your focus away from negative thinking. Mindfulness may be practised in a variety of ways. Here are several examples:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Breathing exercises
- Going for a walk, especially in nature
- Keeping a journal to write down your feelings and thoughts
Recently, researchers discovered that a single session of mindfulness meditation could help reverse the effects of stress on the body.
Talk To A Friend
Face-to-face conversation with a buddy is an excellent approach to reduce tension. The person who is listening does not have to solve your problems. They might just be an excellent listener. A trusted friend or family member can listen to you without passing judgement.
Whether you don’t have somebody nearby to turn to, see if your company provides an employee support programme that includes counselling services.
Take Breaks In Between
Everyone requires a break at some time in their lives. Every little bit helps, whether you take a trip or simply find the time to go to the movies.
Consult With A Professional
In addition to adopting lifestyle changes, it is critical to get professional therapy for emotional exhaustion. An expert, such as a therapist, can provide you with the tools you need to deal with a difficult situation. Professionals employ the following techniques:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), commonly known as talk therapy, is a kind of psychotherapy.
Consult With Your Family Doctor
In some circumstances, your primary care physician may recommend drugs to help you manage your symptoms. To address emotional exhaustion, antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anti-anxiety drugs, or prescription sleep aids have been utilised.
Benzodiazepines, for example, can be addictive and should only be taken on a short-term basis to reduce the risk of reliance or addiction.
Wrapping It Up
The stress that causes emotional exhaustion puts you in danger of total burnout. It can lead to health issues over time. Chronic stress can have an impact on your immune system, heart, metabolism, and general health. Emotional exhaustion increases your chances of:
- High blood pressure, which increases your risk of heart disease
- Frequent Colds and Infections
- Weight Gain
- Insomnia
- Premature Ageing
- Anxiety
- Depression
Emotional exhaustion is a syndrome that can be treated. The most effective treatment is to eliminate the stressor or stressful event. If your job is causing emotional exhaustion, for example, it may be time to consider shifting careers.
If you are unable to eliminate the stressor, use the coping strategies available to you. Discuss stress and anxiety management techniques with your primary care provider or a mental health expert.