Warning Signs You’re Exhausted of Life

End of the line stress. Life is not easy to manage for anyone. Some seem to be able to cope with it easily. Still others break down because of it. There are times that demand everything of us, and then there are times when we can reap the fruits of our labor. If the effort and the reward for our efforts are in balance, then everything is fine. However, if at some point we find that we are tired and simply can't do it anymore, it's high time to pull the emergency brake. The term "burnout" describes this state all too well. We were once on fire for something, but now we are burned out and at the end of our rope. Most often, this state relates to the professional side of our lives. But there are also states of exhaustion that make life as a whole an impossibility for us. In this article, we'll introduce you to 10 signs that you're in dire need of a break from the daily grind.

Where's the joy gone?

The difference between being fired up and being driven is joy. If you still enjoy your work and your many other responsibilities, you won't feel overwhelmed anytime soon. However, if every time we get up in the morning becomes an agonizing exercise in duty and on Friday we already feel the dreaded Monday blues, our motivation is on the rocks and there is not a spark of joy left in sight. This condition does not have to concern only the job alone – single parents for example, who are exposed to double duty, break down under the mental load, formally known as a "Mental low". At some point, someone in their life has decided that they are responsible for everything – it seems they are the only adult in their life, and everything is dumped on their shoulders.

You feel abandoned.

This aspect of exhaustion can also affect life in particular or in general. If you are always the solution to all problems at work and in your private life you have to keep ten balls in the air at the same time, the thought of being the only person, far and wide, can already start to arise. The problem is that there are certainly people you could ask for help. Maybe it's hard for you, because it hasn't been necessary so far. Maybe you're too proud to do it. In any case, the Robinson Crusoe feeling will not go away on its own. Besides, the feeling of isolation is a first step towards depression. Once you feel attracted to this dark side, you will succumb to its siren song faster than you would like.

Your thoughts won't come to rest.

Your body couldn't even begin to cope with the chaos in your head, your thoughts are constantly circling around all your obligations. Is it worst in the evening before you go to sleep, when you are supposed to relax and calm down? This is also typical of a state of exhaustion, which is not just a temporary low. If you are no longer able to switch off and devote yourself to pleasurable things, you are not in a slump, but are already in a state of burnout with both feet.

You are irritable and constantly under-powered.

Those around you will probably notice before you do when a burn-out has its claws out for you. When we are internally torn and can no longer find peace, but at the same time every day seems unmanageable, we get psychologically out of balance. One bad day does not make a chronic state of exhaustion, but when you hit the roof or burst into tears over little things, that is not the normal state. When we are overwhelmed, our emotions boil over.

Your everyday life hits you in the stomach.

Our gastrointestinal tract is much more sensitive to stress than you might think. Phrases like "hit the stomach" indicate this. Stomach aches, heartburn and annoying indigestion may feel like a purely physical problem, but they are actually side effects of chronic exhaustion.

Anxiety and panic attacks are on the rise.

We may not consciously notice it, but when we are overwhelmed, our performance drops rapidly. As a result, we no longer manage to do everything on time or without error. The fear of failure is then a constant demon that looks over our shoulder and makes us feel even more insecure. At some point we feel heart palpitations, panic and real fear.

You're sick or injured more and more often.

Our subconscious and immune systems are also called into action when we are on the verge of total exhaustion. Our immune system can take no more and kindly invites all infections and germs in the door. We subsequently pick up every disease that presents itself. Our subconscious, on the other hand, works more subtly. It uses physical weakness, lack of sleep and poor nutrition to show us the limits. We stumble, fall down, put out our backs, or injure ourselves in everyday activities. All this calls for a break.

You exhibit un-human behavior.

Exhaustion and burnout bring out the worst in us. One of these negatives is called dehumanization. This refers to a sudden change in the way we treat others. Arrogant demeanor, the frequent use of showy foreign words or technical jargon. In addition, our empathy for others is lost, and we distance ourselves.

The question of meaning remains unanswered.

The situation becomes critical when the question of the meaning of your life arises more and more often. While you should definitely question your professional activity, which has brought you to the brink of collapse up to this point, the same does not apply to your entire life. A bleak vision of the future, or even a no-future feeling, are the quickest way toward depression or suicidal thoughts. If you're already so desperate that exhaustion is making you think of such consequences, you're in dire need of help and, most importantly, a longer break from this madness your life has become.

Headaches.

When our psyche is overloaded, it asks the body for help. The latter has a whole range of symptoms at its disposal that it can send out when everything becomes too much. One of the most common of these is headache. It is so difficult to diagnose because very often there are no physical causes that trigger it.  However, it is an alarm signal. Headaches are often caused by stress and are a clear side effect of burn-out. The reason for this is that under permanent psychological overload, the rhythm of our blood vessels changes, resulting in tension headaches that torment us day and night, at work and in our free time.

Today’s Conclusion:

Hamster wheel or death spiral. The bad thing about burn-out, or holistic exhaustion, is the insidious way these developments enter our lives. We are so programmed to get everything done and take on every challenge that comes our way that we forget about living well altogether. But when do we cross the line? When is it mindfulness and not laziness? When are we rehearsing resilience and not sweet idleness? When are we being selfish and when do we just let common sense decide? Unfortunately, we often don't get the answers to these questions until it's almost too late. That's it for today.