Emotional Exhaustion: What Is It & What Can You Do About It?

First, what is emotional exhaustion?

Emotional exhaustion is pretty much just what it sounds like. It happens often in periods of prolonged or intense stress, and in general makes you feel an inescapable sense of fatigue. Because it’s an emotional or mental exhaustion, it’s not the kind of tiredness that will go away with a nap. And it’s tricky because it’s the kind of thing that can sneak up on you–you might not realize you’ve been in the midst of a long period of intense stress until you’re already overwhelmed. 

When you hit that point of emotional exhaustion, it doesn’t just impact your energy level or mood. It also can impact things like your relationships, your ability to engage in your hobbies, your professional performance, your patience level, your self esteem, and even your problem solving skills. 

When you’re emotionally exhausted, pretty much every area of your life is impacted. Some mental symptoms you may experience can include: 

• Cognitive difficulties: You’re not able to think as quickly, problem solve as effectively, and your imagination, concentration and memory all suffer. 

• Mood unpredictability: Emotional exhaustion means you’re not able to regulate your own emotions or self soothe as well as when you have rest and balance in your life. That means small things which normally might not upset you may now send you over the edge, causing big changes in mood or a sense that you can’t control your feelings. 

• Relational problems: Emotional exhaustion can also impact your ability to have patience, to be an active listener, your enthusiasm for your social life and relationships, and your strength in connecting with others. Overall, your social energy is extremely depleted. 

But that’s not the only way we can recognize emotional exhaustion! It also shows up in our bodies. Some physical symptoms of emotional exhaustion you may experience can be: 

• Trouble sleeping: periods of intense stress often cause sleeping difficulties. Emotional exhaustion also frequently is felt alongside a feeling of “brain fog” which can make getting out of bed in the morning difficult, which helps create an irregular sleeping pattern, and still often leaves you feeling unrested.

• Trouble eating: Emotional exhaustion can cause digestive issues, as well as big changes in appetite. The two combined and the impact they have on your body can also lead to weight loss, another physical symptom of emotional exhaustion. 

• Frequent aches: Whether by headaches, stomach pains, muscle aches, etc. frequent aches and pains can be a sign that you are not getting the physical or emotional rest you need. 

Can you prevent emotional exhaustion?

Preventing emotional exhaustion is all about balance and boundaries. Some common things that can lead to the intense stress that sets off emotional exhaustion are things like: 

• A demanding work environment

• Poor work/life balance

• Lack of self care

• Lack of personal resources (money, food, support) 

• Perfectionism 

• An unexpected life event

• Living with a chronic illness

While some things that cause emotional exhaustion are out of our control–like our access to resources, living with a chronic illness, unexpected life events or the demands of our workplace–there are some ways we can work to prevent emotional exhaustion before it happens. 

Finding where you can enforce firmer boundaries is the first step.

What is it that’s getting you exhausted? What’s overwhelming you? When are you noticing these symptoms come up? Are there people you could turn to for support? 

The next step would be finding things that help to rejuvenate you.

You need both relaxation as well as revitalizing rest. That means take time to do nothing so you can get a break from the pressure, and find ways to fill your time with things that bring you joy to help balance out any emotional drain you may be feeling from other areas of your life. 

Establishing routines that help you keep your time balanced, and seeking the support of a mental health professional can also help you to find ways to cope with emotional exhaustion when it happens, as well as to take proactive steps to avoid it. 

If you need support coping with emotional exhaustion, we can help. Our clinicians are trained in evidence-based treatments that can help change the way you treat yourself. Get in touch today to book a session!