Question: Recently, I’ve been feeling physically and mentally drained from the demands of work, caregiving and other responsibilities. I struggle to find motivation and have trouble concentrating on tasks. Are there strategies to help me find emotional balance? Answer: Turning on the news or opening a newspaper to see local and world events can bring out strong emotions and stressors.
In addition to the social unrest happening around the world, you may face personal challenges from a high-pressure job, financial stress, being a caregiver, parenting, grieving the death of a family member or friend, or a chronic illness. You may wonder what’s next or what else you can endure. With the sense of relentless struggles, you may begin to feel unwell and irritable, and struggle to concentrate and lack motivation.
You may not even know what is causing these feelings. You can feel trapped or stuck. You’re emotionally exhausted.
What is emotional exhaustion? When stress from adverse or challenging events in life occur continually, you can find yourself in a state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained. This is called emotional exhaustion. For most people, emotional exhaustion tends to build up slowly over time.
Emotional exhaustion includes emotional, physical and performance symptoms. Emotional symptoms include anxiety, apathy, depression, feeling hopeless, powerless or trapped, irritability and lack of motivation. Physical symptoms include fatigue, headaches, lack of appetit.
