Emotional burnout – what is it?
The devastation of the emotional resource, the lack of internal strength, moral fatigue are signs of emotional burnout. Often it happens in young mothers because of the need to be concentrated 24/7, to care for the child, to do housework and many other things at the same time.
As simply as possible, emotional burnout is moral fatigue. Just as our body gets tired physically, it gets tired and mentally. A state of moral fatigue is a state not in the resource when apathy appears, there are nervous breakdowns due to the slightest trifles and, in general, emotional instability.
What takes away the resource of mothers?
- Constant contact with the child, empathy, praise and all other emotional interactions.
- A large number of emotions that you have to live with every day – several times you have to comfort, calm, encourage the child, experience sadness, anxiety, resentment together with the baby.
- The need for resistance to children’s resistance and defending their own position on the established rules.
- Work with your own emotions.
- A huge responsibility for the life and health of the child – even when everything is fine with the child, the mother has excitement, so to speak, “in the background”: so that the child does not fall, does not drink household chemicals, does not swallow something inedible, etc.
- Organizational work: study, leisure, trips, games, hobbies, recreation, food, clothing and much more are usually organized and supervised by mom.
This is just a small list of what my mother’s resource is spent on. Often such work is invisible – mom does not receive payment for it, praise or support often also, so there is resentment and a feeling that “no one needs it.”
The danger of such a situation is that a woman can begin to reward herself – with candy, cake, some kind of purchase – if you control such “self-innocences”, then they have nothing bad. However, they often develop into addiction.
The best cure for emotional burnout is gratitude and help from loved ones, primarily from a man. It is important for mom sometimes to have the opportunity to take a break from everything, to delegate her “duties”, at least temporarily. And the usual “thank you” gives an understanding of the importance, understanding of significance, awareness that daily work is noticed.
