- [Narrator] Hey, Psych2Goers
and welcome back to our channel.
Thank you so much for all the love that you've given us.
Your ongoing support has helped us make psychology
and mental health more accessible to everyone.
As a quick disclaimer,
this video is for educational purposes only
and is not designed to self-diagnose signs
or symptoms of emotional exhaustion.
If you can relate to any of the signs in this video,
we encourage you to speak to your doctor
and seek medical advice if necessary.
With that said, let's continue.
Do you get overwhelmed by the stresses of life?
Do you wind up feeling anxious
when you get stressed out like this?
Experiencing some daily stress and anxiety is normal,
but over time,
chronic stress can take a toll on your body.
Emotional exhaustion is caused
by a long period of excessive stress.
Whether from personal stress at home
or stress related to work or school.
The American Psychological Association's, David Ballard,
describes burnout as, "An extended period of time
"where someone experiences exhaustion
"and lack of interest in things
"resulting in a decline in their performance."
Emotional exhaustion will differ from person to person.
And it's important to note that what might be stressful
for one person may be more manageable for somebody else.
If you've been dealing with burnout
and emotional exhaustion,
understanding what your triggers are,
will help you manage them.
Here are eight things that can lead to emotional exhaustion.
Number one, high-pressure environments.
Are you dealing with parents
or teachers who have high expectations?
Or perhaps you're working with a boss who is too demanding.
Those with demanding parents,
workplaces and school environments
and those who work as police officers,
nurses, social workers, and teachers may be more at risk
for emotional exhaustion and burnout than others.
For example, medical professors
in the early stages of their career show higher indicators
of emotional exhaustion and burnout risk.
According to a 2014 study from the Netherlands,
research shows that people with high performance demands
and those who are preoccupied
with thoughts about work and school during leisure time
are more at risk of emotional exhaustion.
Two, working and studying for long hours.
How many hours do you work or study a day?
Working and studying long hours may have some perks
in terms of financial or intellectual gain,
but that does not mean
that it does not impact your emotional wellbeing.
If you are overworking or over studying,
you're sacrificing the quality time
you could have with friends and family.
You also miss out
on your personal hobbies and time to relax.
Not having a balance can tip you
towards emotional exhaustion
rather than maintaining a proper study life
or work-life balance.
Number three, financial stress or poverty.
Are you often worried about having to pay for bills,
housing, running a car, and groceries and food?
These are all vital needed provisions
and they often don't come cheap.
If you worried about money,
this can be a big factor
that leads you to emotional exhaustion.
This is especially true if you have to work longer hours
or work an extra job to make ends meet.
You might be stuck
feeling that you have too few personal resources
such as status, money or support.
Number four, living with a chronic illness,
medical condition, or injury.
Dealing with illness or injury
can be exhausting in and of itself,
especially if it hinders your daily life
and ability to function as you would like to.
Some conditions can have a significant physical impact
on you, which can cause emotional exhaustion,
especially if it's hard to manage that condition
or if you have little support.
Number five, perfectionism.
If you're someone who strives for perfectionism
then you may experience emotional exhaustion and burnout
in one or more areas of your life.
Numerous studies have shown the perfectionism
puts you at risk for burnout
because of the extreme amount of pressure
you put yourself under.
You may be dealing with excessive stress
by taking on more than you can comfortably manage.
Number six, loneliness.
Are you surrounded by people in your life,
but you still feel lonely?
Loneliness may increase feelings of emotional exhaustion
because when you don't have many close relationships
you don't have anyone to share your feelings with.
Research suggests that fostering social relationships
may help potentially less than the harmful effects
of burnout by promoting resilience
and a sense of greater wellbeing.
Number seven, poor self-care.
Do you get enough sleep at night?
Do you exercise and eat healthily?
If you struggle with your personal wellbeing and self care,
this can also play a factor in emotional exhaustion.
For example, some reasons search
links insufficient sleep with a greater risk of burnout.
Excessive use of alcohol
or drug use may also increase this risk,
especially if you use these instead
of more constructive coping techniques.
And number eight, significant life changes.
Have you dealt with a breakup or divorce in your life
or the death of a loved one?
Significant life changes can throw you
into a whirlwind of emotions and situations,
some of which you may never have experienced before.
You may turn to harmful coping strategies, such as drugs
or alcohol to deal with your high levels of stress.
Periods of excessive stress can cause emotional exhaustion.
So looking out for some of the symptoms
can help you take steps to improve them.
Lifestyle changes in stress reduction methods can help.
According to one research study,
people who practice mindfulness
report significantly less emotional exhaustion
and more job satisfaction
than those who do not use mindfulness techniques.
Did you relate to any of the signs of emotional exhaustion?
If you did, share your experience with us
in the comments below.
Please like and share this video if it helped you,
and you think it could help someone else too.
The studies and references used
are listed in the description below.
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Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time.