SYMPTOMS AND STAGES OF EMOTIONAL BURN OUT

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 22:18

When we are burnt out, we turn off the sensitivity and stop empathizing, we try to avoid communicating with other people, we begin to communicate automatically without taking seriously the problems of other people. This is the defense mechanism of our psyche.

Everyday situations begin to annoy us, for example, a colleague asked the same question twice, you start thinking, “Well, why is he asking me exactly? how much can you?”. This indicates that you are becoming irritable and that your inner resource is running out.

✅ Symptoms of EV:

📌 How our body reacts:

• chronic fatigue, weakness even after a night's sleep;
• no physical and mental strength;
• reactions become dull, you can hit and not notice;
• decreased activity and energy, lethargy, apathy;
• insomnia or waking up in the morning and unable to sleep;
• you think badly, forget or confuse the names of objects;

📌 How our psyche reacts:

• there are nervous breakdowns, outbursts of anger at loved ones;
• become indifferent, life is like an automaton;
• depressive notes appear, a state of depression;
• often experience feelings of guilt, resentment, shame, suspicion;
• constantly worry and anxious, feeling "something is wrong";
• fear that you will not be in time or will not cope with anything;

📌 What happens to the relationship:

• you want to close, communication with other people is exhausting;
• avoid meeting friends and acquaintances;
• you pay less and less attention to your loved ones;
• move away from your partner, become picky;
• constantly quarrel, relations with a partner become cold;
• emotional and physical intimacy disappears from relationships.

✅ Stages of EV:

1️⃣ Stage of enthusiasm

At this stage, we are full of strength and energy, captured by the idea and making plans for its implementation. High spirits, euphoria, full dedication to what you love, a feeling of omnipotence. It is at this stage that we inadequately assess our strengths, for example, we take another project or sit down to write an article at 10 o'clock in the evening.

2️⃣ Lack of strength

Fatigue, apathy appear, sleep worsens, emotions dull, we already feel “something is wrong,” but we persistently continue to do our own thing. It seems that you need to try a little, pull yourself together, and everything will work out. We become irritable, the sense of humor disappears. We understand that everything is not going according to plan, but we cannot stop.

3️⃣ Stage of exhaustion

We carry out our plans, but more slowly and without enthusiasm, it is often necessary to make efforts to force ourselves, we act on the machine. There is not enough time for anything, lack of sleep accumulates, fatigue turns into chronic, irritability appears, you want to distance yourself from other people, there is not enough strength to communicate, nervous breakdowns occur.

4️⃣ Crisis

The body's resources are running out, you cannot sleep, you lose your appetite, a cold easily clings, an exacerbation of chronic diseases may occur. The meanings are lost - why is all this? Suicidal thoughts appear - it would be better if I weren't. In fact, the fourth stage is depression. Panic attacks may start. Divorce decisions are often made at this stage.

Noticing the symptoms in time and determining the stage, you can take timely measures and prevent exhaustion.

Try to notice the very first stage - the stage of enthusiasm. By calculating your strength correctly, you can prevent the development of emotional burnout.

Take care of yourself and follow the publications ❤️

From a series on Burnout