Severe mental exhaustion can be debilitating and impact your well-being. It is important to find the help that you need from qualified professionals. You can even get help online at BetterHelp. Long-term stress and anxiety can cause mental exhaustion.
Mental exhaustion colloquially referred to as “burnout,” is often caused by high-pressure or highly stressful professions (especially if the job is not fulfilling or satisfying), long work hours, financial stress, or recent life changes such as the death of a loved one or birth of a baby.
Mental exhaustion drains your mind and makes responsibilities seem overwhelming. This can be terrible for your personal life and impact the quality of your work. But what exactly are the symptoms of mental exhaustion?
Mental Exhaustion Symptoms
Mental exhaustion can cause many symptoms affecting both your physical and emotional self. Everybody reacts to mental exhaustion differently, but it can creep up slowly after long-term stress. If the stress and mental exhaustion last long enough, it may seem like there is no hope for it to end. It is important that you notice the signs so that you can prevent it or find relief.
Someone suffering from mental exhaustion may be more irritable and pessimistic. Mental exhaustion can cause anxiety, depression, apathy, and hopelessness. Apathy, or the feeling of not caring about anything, can severely affect both the individual’s work life and personal life, suffering mental exhaustion. The lack of motivation can cause you to miss work or not see a reason to seek social interaction. It is also not a very pleasant way to live and can destroy your well-being.
In addition to these psychological and emotional symptoms, mental exhaustion can also hurt your physical health. Some of the physical symptoms of mental exhaustion are headaches, nausea, fatigue, appetite changes, aches and pains, insomnia, and weight fluctuation. It can even affect your immune system.
Managing Mental Exhaustion
There are some simple methods to help you cope with stress and mental exhaustion. Some of them may be easier to implement than others, depending on your unique situation.
First, it can help tremendously to remove the stressor. This may not always be possible. However, if you feel overwhelmed by a specific thing, like work, this is probably the best way to relieve your symptoms of mental exhaustion. Even just a short vacation away from work or other stressors can help a lot.
Exercise is important for mental health, and even short breaks from the stress of daily life can help. Taking a walk or working out can provide you with both. Try to take walks during your lunch breaks or in the evening. Exercise and break from stressors can do a lot of good for your mind and body.
It is also important that you get adequate sleep, a balanced diet, and sufficient hydration. Another thing to consider is time spent relaxing. Many of us neglect ourselves for work, family, and a plethora of other reasons. However, it is important that we do things for ourselves. It is also vital that we find time to relax our minds and bodies. You may want to try a relaxation technique as well. Try to incorporate yoga, meditation, or a massage into your weekly routine.
In addition to these simple techniques, you may benefit greatly from seeking the help of a qualified therapist. A mental health professional can help you by giving you the necessary tools to cope with stressors healthily.
Conclusion
Mental exhaustion is caused by a long period of heavy stress. It can affect our psychological, physical, and behavioral wellbeing. It may be worth it to take a break. Finding a relaxation technique is another way to prevent severe mental exhaustion. It is important to incorporate exercise and nutritional options into your routine as well.
The effects of mental exhaustion on motivation and productivity can just make your stress worse. This can lead to even worse mental exhaustion and even a feeling of hopelessness. It is important that you find the relief you need and learn prevention methods to avoid mental exhaustion in the future. If your mental exhaustion is severe, if you feel hopeless, or if your wellbeing or work and personal life are impacted, then it may be good to seek the help of a therapist.
Featured Photo by Anna Tarazevich from Pexels
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
