Broken and worn out? Signs that you are emotionally drained

Broken and worn out?
Signs that you are emotionally drained

© Rafa Elias / Getty Images

Not only does our body come to its limits every now and then. When we’re feeling mentally exhausted, it’s time to take a break. Our author explains what signs indicate that it is the highest railway.

“You know, it’s not that I feel so physically limp, but rather totally exhausted. So burned out. And that although I don’t actually have that much to do apart from home office at the moment.”

Sentences that I have heard very often at the moment, from friends, colleagues, people at the supermarket checkout and while eavesdropping on other people’s phone calls in the subway. I secretly call this corona aftermath. And I know it too, this strange mixture of tiredness and inner emptiness. When you sit at the kitchen table in the evening and stare at the dishes for half an hour because you just feel too exhausted to do it now. The last year had a lot in store for us, but little to recharge and recharge.

High time for a break

We function in our everyday life. Our lives have routines that repeat themselves every day, to-do lists that want to be done, jobs that we want to do, and families and friendships that we want to take care of. It can easily happen that sometimes we simply do not even notice how broken we actually are and urgently need to press the pause button. It is all the more important to keep an eye on the signs.

Emotional exhaustion, what is it?

It is quite normal to feel tired after a busy day. But what if you are constantly tired and exhausted? Then you should check your emotional resources at the latest, because emotional exhaustion is a characteristic of burnout.

Signs of emotional exhaustion

  • You have difficulty falling asleep and / or staying asleep
  • unforeseen occurrences can easily upset you and make you feel like you are losing control
  • you’re constantly distracting yourself so you don’t have to deal with your problems
  • you feel tired and drained, but you still cannot calm down when you lie in bed in the evening
  • you can no longer enjoy things that you used to enjoy
  • you drink alcohol excessively, exercise excessively, or have binge eating to come down
  • you are a lot more negative than usual
  • Criticism throws you off track
  • you develop anxiety or have panic attacks
  • you are tense, irritable and quickly fluff out of your skin
  • you have trouble concentrating because your head is stuck in thought spirals all the time
  • you feel helpless in your situation and have the feeling that you cannot find a way out

Don’t panic, but be careful

These symptoms are of course quite unspecific. If you have a bad day and treat yourself to a glass of wine with chips and chocolate in the evening, that doesn’t mean you are at risk of burnout. Nevertheless, these symptoms also indicate more severe mental illnesses that we absolutely want to prevent. If you are often not feeling well, it is high time for the rip cord. Take care of yourself and seek help from friends, family or professionals if necessary.

Sources: Instagram / schnupfen.im.kopf, ratgeber-energie.de

Barbara