Emotional exhaustion: Symptoms, causes, treatment

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In life, it is difficult to avoid negative impacts on the rhythm of daily life. Problems of social unrest, high work pressure, financial stress or poverty, having to care for and raise children... can all push us to emotional exhaustion.

1. What is emotional exhaustion?

Emotional exhaustion is a state of feeling emotionally disturbed due to accumulated stress from your personal or work life, or a combination of the two. Emotional exhaustion is also one of the signs of burnout.
People with emotional burnout often feel like they have no power or control over what happens in life. They often feel "stuck" in everyday situations.
Causes of emotional burnout usually stem from any source in life such as:
High pressure work, such as nurses, doctors, police and teachers Stressful schools, such as schools y Working long hours, especially in a job you hate Having children, raising children Financial stress or poverty, homelessness Protracted divorce proceedings The departure of a family member or friend Friends Living with a chronic illness or trauma In addition, lack of energy, poor sleep, and reduced motivation in life can make it difficult to overcome this emotional burnout. Over time, this chronic state of stress causes permanent damage to your health.

2. What are the symptoms of emotional exhaustion?

Emotional exhaustion can have emotional and physical symptoms. Everyone experiences emotional turmoil differently depending on the particular circumstances, but in general the symptoms include:
2.1. Emotional symptoms Anxiety Apathy Depression Feeling hopeless Feeling helpless or trapped Irritability Lack of motivation Anxiety Emotional, tearful 2.2. Physical symptoms Fatigue Headache Loss of appetite Muscle pain or tension 2.3. Performance symptoms Failure to meet deadlines Lower responsibilities in the workplace More absences Perform work tasks more slowly Employers with overworked and emotionally drained employees can began to notice changes in overall team morale and performance.

3. How is emotional exhaustion treated?

Maybe many people think or don't care too much about their emotions, so when they encounter emotional exhaustion, they don't have the right judgments to treat. However, this mistake is extremely dangerous, when the consequences of psychological diseases are becoming more serious and increasing in the current period.
To treat emotional distress, you should learn how to make certain lifestyle changes to help ease the symptoms of emotional burnout. These techniques won't be easy at first, but they will get easier as you begin to form healthier habits.
Once you recognize the signs of emotional burnout, try the following:
3.1. Eliminate the stressor While it's not always possible, the best way to treat stress is to remove the stressor that's causing it. If your work environment is the cause of your mental burnout, consider changing jobs or companies. If your manager or boss is stressing you out, you might also consider moving to a new department.
3.2. Eat healthy Eating healthy means choosing a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, while avoiding sugary snacks and fried or processed foods.
We should learn to eat healthy all the time. Not only will it help you get the vitamins and minerals you need, but it will also improve digestion, sleep, and energy levels, which can have a domino effect on your emotional state.
3.3. Physical activity Any type of physical activity increases levels of endorphins and serotonin. This can improve your emotional state. Exercise also helps clear your mind. Try to get 30 minutes of exercise a day, even if it's just a long walk.
3.4. Limit alcohol Alcohol can temporarily boost your mood, but the feeling wears off quickly, leaving you more anxious and depressed than before. Alcohol also interferes with your sleep.
3.5. Get enough sleep As you know, sleep is very important for mental health. It will be even more effective if you schedule your bedtime at roughly the same time each night:
Try to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Building a healthy bedtime routine can help you relax and ensure better quality sleep. Limiting caffeine can also have a positive effect on your sleep schedule.

3.6. Mindfulness practices Mindfulness is a term you've probably heard a lot about mindfulness, but mindfulness techniques aren't just a fad. They are scientifically recognized to reduce stress and anxiety and may be the key to emotional balance. This can help direct your attention away from negative thoughts. There are many ways to practice mindfulness. Examples include meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, going for a walk, journaling to record your feelings and thoughts
Recent researchers even found evidence that a mindful meditation session can help reverse the effects of stress on the body.
3.7. Chat with close friends Talking to a friend face-to-face is a great way to relieve stress, even though the listener doesn't necessarily fix your problem. A trusted friend or family member can listen without judging you.
If you don't have anyone close to you to talk to, check to see if your employer has an employee support program with counseling services.
3.8. Get enough rest Everyone needs rest to recuperate, Whether you're on vacation or simply looking for time to go to the movies, everything works for you.
3.9. Talk to a psychologist or family doctor Along with making lifestyle changes, it's important to seek professional help to treat emotional exhaustion. Some of the techniques used by professionals include: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy also known as applied relaxation technique talk therapy. In some cases, your doctor may recommend certain medications to help control your symptoms.
Antidepressants, such as selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Anti-anxiety medications or prescription sleep aids have been used to help treat emotional exhaustion. Medicines such as benzodiazepines can be addictive and should only be used short-term to reduce the risk of dependence or addiction.

4. Health risks if emotional exhaustion is not treated in time?

Emotionally draining stress puts you in danger of total burnout. Over time, it can lead to health problems. Chronic stress can affect your immune system, heart, metabolism, and overall health. Emotional exhaustion puts you at risk:
High blood pressure, increases your risk of heart disease Frequent colds and infections Weight gain Insomnia, premature aging Anxiety, depression Emotional exhaustion is one the condition is treatable before it leads to serious consequences. With the above information, hope you find a treatment method that is right for you and improve your health.

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Reference source: webmd, healthline