Have you ever experienced an emotional burnout? When we are constantly embroiled in emotionally charged situations, we might find ourselves getting sick. Emotional burnout is often brought about by persistent stressful conditions. In Filipino, we say, nakakapagod maging pagod. It is unfortunate then that the very people we care about could at times be the source of this burnout.
Here are the three signs of emotional burnout:
#1 Emotional exhaustion: Do you find yourself feeling drained, frustrated, or perhaps uncontrollably crying? Well then, you are probably emotionally exhausted. You might find it difficult to think clearly as you are overwhelmed with emotion.
#2 Depersonalization: Do you find yourself not caring much about things that used to matter so much? You might like preparing meals for your family during weekends. When burnout creeps in, you simply cannot be bothered.
#3 Low sense of personal accomplishment: Nothing can lift your spirit; not the fact that you’ve helped others or accomplished something worthy of a celebration.
There are certain types of people who are more prone to experiencing emotional burnout.
#1 People whose workload have grown significantly since the work-from-home situation
#2 People in the helping profession like frontliners and caregivers
#3 People in the education sector like teachers who have had to make many adjustments with the shift to online learning.
#4 People who live with chronic illness and/or going through life changes
#5 People experiencing financial difficulties
Emotional burnout is not the same as depression, nor is it a sign of mental health illness. However, failure to successfully deal with it can affect mental and physical health. It may cause insomnia, migraine, among others.
Once you see the signs, ask yourself, “Is this my body’s way of telling me that it is absorbing too much stress?” May mga bagay tayo na dapat tinatayuan. Tumindig at tumunganga. We need to take ourselves away from our worries at times. Make an effort to restore yourself and your sanity. – WITH PAU DE VERA
Photo by Hernan Sanchez on Unsplash