5 Signs You Are Experiencing Emotional Exhaustion
Why Knowing and Acting on These Can Prevent Serious Long-Term Health Issues
Those who know they are experiencing emotional exhaustion and take steps to deal with it will prevent serious long-term health issues.
As we manage our daily experiences and cope with the pressures of life, it can affect us mentally and emotionally. Therefore, the ability to recognise the signs early is an advantage.
1-Minute Summary Video
What is Emotional Exhaustion?
Emotional exhaustion is a state you can find yourself in that makes you feel drained or run down. It’s when you believe you cannot handle any more stress in your life.
When you experience emotional exhaustion, you may feel overwhelmed and stuck, have no personal power, and think you do not have control of your life. You feel stressed and do not cope well with your regular demands.
What Causes Emotional Exhaustion?
The causes of emotional exhaustion include:
- A significant life change that can include the end of a relationship, death of a loved one, or a job loss.
- Financial stress.
- A high-pressure job or career.
- Dealing with a serious health issue.
- Being a parent.
- Experiencing a significant emotional event.
- Being homeless.
The Dangers of Emotional Exhaustion
If not dealt with appropriately, the risks of emotional exhaustion can include:
- Lack of energy.
- Decreased motivation.
- Poor quality of sleep which can lead to insomnia.
- Suffering anxiety or depression.
- Weight gain.
- High blood pressure.
- Premature ageing from prolonged stress.
Your ability to manage emotional exhaustion will prevent these risks and its long-term health implications.
5 Signs You Are Experiencing Emotional Exhaustion
Everyone deals with events in their lives differently. Sometimes, the signs can be subtle, and other times, they’re obvious.
Here are five signs that indicate you are experiencing emotional exhaustion, which can cause serious long-term health issues if they’re not addressed.
- You lack motivation and are physically fatigued. Lack of motivation can show up as feeling tired or finding it difficult to just get through your day.
- You cannot concentrate well. Your mind may wander a lot when you are doing something, which can also cause you to take longer to complete it.
- You are irritable and don’t have a healthy attitude. You may snap at others, and display pessimism or cynicism through the words you use.
- You isolate yourself a lot, which adds stress to your relationships. You may wish to be left alone and not want to associate with people you normally do. This can cause feelings of separation or isolation.
- You experience physical symptoms such as headaches or a change to your appetite. The physical symptoms you may suffer can add extra stress, which can also lead to feelings of anxiety or depression.
Ways to Deal with Emotional Exhaustion
Suffering in silence will not serve you. It’s your responsibility to do something about it if you know you are experiencing emotional exhaustion.
Here are steps you can take whenever you feel emotionally exhausted.
- Identify the areas contributing to your situation and get to their root causes.
- Change your habits to support a healthier lifestyle.
- Eliminate addictive substances, which can include alcohol, cigarettes, recreational drugs, or other toxic substances.
- Connect with supportive people and talk about what you’re going through.
- Focus on getting better quality sleep.
- Apply stress management techniques, which can include taking regular breaks when working, and avoiding negative conversations.
- Take a break from what you have been doing.
- Speak to a health professional if you know you need additional support.
- Use mindfulness techniques such as meditation, releasing and breathing to better manage your emotional state.
- Learn more about your triggers and beliefs, so you have greater self-awareness.
Final Thoughts
Allowing yourself to remain emotionally exhausted without taking preventative steps will cause serious problems later on. If you can identify the signs that suggest you are experiencing emotional exhaustion, you can deal with them a lot quicker.
If you can design your environments to reduce the risks of experiencing emotional exhaustion, it will have a positive effect on your life.
Action Step: If you are experiencing any of the signs mentioned, a simple step you can take today is to talk to someone about it. Getting other perspectives can make it easier to get yourself back to a healthy emotional state.
Question: What are other common signs that suggest a person is experiencing emotional exhaustion?
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