Emotional exhaustion
Emotional exhaustion is a chronic state of emotional and physical fatigue because of accumulated stress. Emotional exhaustion, the core dimension of burnout, is identified with fatigue, irritability, frustration and feeling overextended, and depletes the resources of the person. Burnout comprises of three different and separate dimensions which are depersonalisation, emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal achievement.
The person is losing interest to work and life. Emotional burnout is a psychological syndrome characterised by feelings of cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal accomplishment.
The symptoms of emotional exhaustion can be both emotional and physical. People experience emotional exhaustion differently, but on bold terms, symptoms include:
- headaches
- change in appetite
- nervousness
- difficulty concentrating
- irrational anger
- increased cynicism or pessimism
- sense of dread
- depression
- lack of motivation
- trouble sleeping
- irritability
- physical fatigue
- feelings of hopelessness
- absentmindedness
- apathy
If you feel emotionally exhausted and need help, please contact Crisis helplines
In general, the toxic consequences of emotional exhaustion include mental and physical health problems, deterioration of social and family relationships, and, at the professional level, dysfunctional outcomes in the individual’s relationship with their supervisor (Soderlund, 2017).
Some more common triggers 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 to treat emotional exhaustion
Treating emotional exhaustion highly depends on the person themselves. Its about sticking to healthy routines. Take time off work, excite your life and aim not just for the good emotional balance but also your work-life balance. Take care of your mental and emotional health. If you're unable to manage your emotional exhaustion, you’re experiencing anxiety or depression, or suicidal thoughts, visit our crisis helplines page. Creators at emotions.market are not here to give medical advice or treatment, however you can find lots of free listings of people offering their time and support.
Emotional exhaustion can be prevented too - with healthy emotional regulation one can avoid emotional suppression - the cause of many emotional issues people have. By suppressing negative emotions, people do not give themselves the emotional release and suffer from emotional imbalance and emotional overwhelm. Emotional experiences, offered by creators on emotions market can help to release the emotions, and achieve better life.