Emotional Exhaustion: When The Emotional Backpack Becomes Too Heavy To Carry

Emotional exhaustion occurs when we exceed the psychological limit of what we can handle , control and channel. We are, of course, talking about all kinds of emotional universes that exist. It can be stress, everyday worries, tensions that others inflict on us, fear, bad memories of the past, fear of the future or existential anxiety.

We all know very well what physical exhaustion is; we recognize the symptoms and what we should do in that state, where the body has no more to give and needs rest.

But while it may seem strange, it is not as easy to identify emotional exhaustion . We also do not know how to respond effectively to this, or how to deal with it psychologically.

What we often do is “swallow” one emotion after another . They gather one by one in our emotional backpack without us realizing how heavy they are and how they affect our well-being and our quality of life.

Every day everything goes slower, we become less enthusiastic and lack motivation.

In this article we will ask you to be aware of this type of exhaustion. If you can identify it and deal with it properly, it can change your life.

What is emotional exhaustion?

Emotional exhaustion is more than just stress or anxiety . It most often occurs in people who either through work or in special situations are highly emotionally stressed.

• For example, there may be responsibilities that rest on doctors, nurses, firefighters, teachers, etc. Intense emotions can often build up, emotions that you do not have time to process in everyday life.
• This can also apply to people who have to take care of sick or disabled people , or who live in a very demanding environment. This can also lead to high emotional exhaustion.
• On the other hand, there may be common situations such as having experienced a loss, a betrayal or a traumatic event in the past. If you have not been able to move on, this can also lead to progressive wear and tear that leaves deep scars in the mind.

Symptoms associated with emotional exhaustion

As mentioned earlier, most people know how to identify physical exhaustion. But the emotional is not as easy to be aware of. Here are some current symptoms that you should be aware of in your daily life.

• Hypersensitivity. Sometimes we allow ourselves to be influenced by every little thing. We are often more sensitive , cry for nothing or get angry for little things…
• The level of attention decreases, we struggle with concentration and experience small holes in the memory.
• Feeling of unreality. Sometimes we feel that the world is moving in one direction, while we are moving in the opposite. It is almost as if we are not living in the moment or are part of what surrounds us.
• Negative thoughts and low motivation. If we fail to control these two dimensions, they can lead to depression.

• Emotional exhaustion in turn leads to physical fatigue. Regardless of whether you have rested for 10 hours at a time, the feeling of physical exhaustion and lack of energy is constant .

Learn to deal with emotional exhaustion

As soon as we do that, we become aware that “something is happening”. After focusing on physical symptoms and experiencing that medication has not helped, we often realize that the root of the problem must lie deeper.

Learning to exploit, deal with and heal our emotional problems is not easy . It is not something we learn either at home or at school. Nevertheless, we have our own resources that everyone can use.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is in vogue now. But instead of just looking at it as meditation, we should also understand that it is about a kind of philosophy.

• It helps us to become aware of what is happening in the body and mind.
• It allows us to be present in the moment. The most important thing is here and now.
• It is also very helpful in stopping the flow of negative thoughts , stress and negative emotions.
• Mindfulness helps us understand the importance of promoting dialogues with ourselves, in peace and harmony.

Quality time for ourselves

When was the last time you took time for yourself? We talk about quality time to relax, realize dreams, disconnect everything to get in touch with our own inner self… Sometimes something as simple as taking a walk or a chat with friends can be just as healthy and healing.

Learn to let go of emotions

Letting go of your feelings or emotions makes our backpack lighter . It feels good to get rid of some of the heavy stones that prevent us from moving forward.

But how can we get out of these feelings that have accumulated inside?

• We can seek professional help.
• It can help to talk to colleagues, good friends or people who are in the same situation as us.
• Writing a diary can also be very liberating.

• Exercise, painting or any relaxing activity we enjoy will help release tension and negative emotions.

Finally, we must mention that in order to deal with our emotional exhaustion, it is not enough to just follow one of the mentioned options. It is best to perform all, and not exclude professional help.

Start today. It is possible to get rid of the weight in your emotional backpack.