Contributed by: Healthians Team

Introduction

Daily stress and worry are normal, but chronic stress can be harmful to your body over time.

Emotional tiredness is produced by a long period of continual life stress, whether from personal or work-related problems. 

You may be emotionally exhausted if you can’t catch your psychological and physical breath and feel like you don’t have enough time or energy to recover organically.

Emotional exhaustion can be quite challenging, and impact all areas of your life. If left untreated, it can take a serious toll on your emotional and physical well-being.

The reasons for emotional tiredness vary from person to person. What is distressing to one person may be entirely manageable for another.

Causes of emotional exhaustion

Many people become mentally and emotionally fatigued, resulting in a variety of unpleasant symptoms.

Some of the more typical causes of emotional weariness include:

  • High-stress employment
  • Working long hours 
  • Having a baby and raising children
  • Financial difficulty or poverty
  • Homelessness
  • Becoming a caretaker for a family member
  • Death of a family member 
  • Living with chronic illness
  • Domestic or marital issues

Signs of emotional exhaustion

If you experience the below tell-tale signs, it is possible you’re on the verge of emotional exhaustion.

Physical symptoms

When a person goes through a mental collapse, it naturally manifests physically as well.

This is especially true if you are the type of person who carries stress in your stomach or clenches your muscles instinctively to brace yourself against whatever is causing you pain.

The consequences of stress can be long-lasting, and paying attention to your physical well-being is critical to your overall well-being. 

Emotional challenges can cause physical symptoms, including:

  • Headaches
  • Weight gain or weight loss
  • Lack of appetite
  • Fatigue
  • Heart palpitations
  • Sore muscles/muscle tension 
  • Changes in appetite

Mental symptoms

While it’s normal to become frustrated at work or home, constant forgetfulness and confusion can be a warning signs of burnout.

Working yourself to the point of complete exhaustion can create changes in thinking and memory.

Because your thoughts are rushing at breakneck speed and you are unable to break the loop.

Just as you begin to drop off, some worry will invade and jolt you.

This is similar to depression, except that instead of being dragged down by emotion, you are weighed down by the absence of it.

Possible symptoms include:

  • Forgetfulness
  • Confusion
  • Memory loss
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Lack of imagination
  • Frustration

Emotional symptoms 

Nothing indicates emotional weariness more than your mood. If you see yourself on an emotional roller coaster, it may be time to assess your emotional stability.

Emotional exhaustion can seriously compromise your emotions and mood.

It may lead to you vent your frustrations on those closest to you, who most likely do not deserve it. 

Emotional symptoms include feelings of:

  • Pessimism
  • Apathy
  • Hopelessness 
  • Anger or irritability
  • Lack of motivation 
  • Anxiety and/or depression
  • Feelings of failure 
  • Feeling drained

Final thoughts

When you lack the energy to go about your day with enthusiasm, it could be an indication that your energy cup is slowly running out.

Eventually, you may lose motivation to socialize, work, or even perform simple tasks. 

The above symptoms are indicators that you need to rest, which should be your top priority.

These things happen because you are so stressed out that your body can no longer handle it and is breaking down.

Certain lifestyle adjustments might help ease the symptoms of emotional tiredness.

These tactics will be difficult to use at first, but they will get easier as you develop healthy habits.

Making minor changes to your daily routine can help you manage your symptoms and avoid severe emotional burnout.

Remember, you deserve to live a happy life- and not a life that feels depressing, and exhausting!

Also, If stress is keeping you unsettled, it’s best to opt for a stress test to identify the markers and consult a doctor for proper consultation, medication and sound professional advice to manage and slowly overcome stress, completely.