What is nervous exhaustion and how to deal with it

Nervous exhaustion is another name for neurasthenia. It is a disorder characterized by increased fatigue, mood problems, and sleep disturbances.

In the modern world, nervous exhaustion is rarely diagnosed as an independent disease. Much more often, it accompanies depression, anxiety or somatoform disorders, in which a person experiences symptoms of physical illnesses without real health problems.

Unreasonable fatigue can also occur as a consequence of traumatic events or past illnesses. In the first case, we speak of a reaction to severe stress and a violation of adaptation, in the second – of asthenia, malaise and fatigue.

How nervous exhaustion manifests itself

The main symptom is fatigue. It can occur both after physical and mental stress. In the first case, a person quickly loses strength even from minor activity, experiences weakness and muscle pain, and cannot relax . In the second case, he or she has difficulty concentrating and suffers from memory problems.

Both options are accompanied by anxiety about one’s condition: a person worries that he or she cannot cope with work responsibilities, drops out of social life, and has no energy for communication. Anhedonia may occur – the inability to rejoice, to enjoy what usually lifts the mood.

Nervous exhaustion can manifest itself differently in different people . There are two main types of this disorder:

1. Hypersthenic . With this type of neurasthenia, a person is constantly tense, easily agitated and loses his temper, gets irritated over trifles and can hardly control his behavior.
2. Hyposthenic . This type of disorder has the opposite direction: a person does not have enough strength even for simple tasks, he is sluggish, moves little and reluctantly, often feels sleepy.

Often, patients experience alternating patterns of these types throughout the day: tension and irritability are replaced by fatigue and indifference.

How to distinguish nervous exhaustion from ordinary fatigue

A hard day at work, severe emotional stress, or strenuous physical exertion can cause symptoms similar to nervous exhaustion.

It is worth considering the latter if mental and physical fatigue lasts more than three months and does not go away even after a good rest.

In addition, the risk of nervous exhaustion is increased by the following factors:

• increased physical or mental stress;
• high personal anxiety and sensitivity to stress;
• perfectionism – the desire for excellence, including in work matters;
• chronic stress, such as from an unloved job or an unfavorable family environment.

Thus, if a person has had a hard week and before the weekend he snaps at his loved ones and refuses to hang out with friends, it is too early to talk about nervous exhaustion. Perhaps over Saturday and Sunday he will return to normal and become cheerful and energetic again.

If there is severe or prolonged stress, conventional relaxation methods do not bring results, and the quality of life gradually deteriorates, it is worth considering changing your lifestyle.

How to cope with nervous exhaustion

If the symptoms of nervous exhaustion do not last long, you can try to cope with it on your own.

Since this diagnosis is extremely rare in foreign countries, we were unable to find any scientific studies on methods for combating this disorder.

At the same time, there are several good strategies that can help combat its causes and relieve its symptoms:

• Try to eliminate sources of stress . Reduce your workload if possible, take time off, or go on vacation. If there are relationship problems, try family therapy.
• Normalize your work and rest schedule . Set time that you will dedicate only to yourself and your loved ones. If possible, agree that you will not be disturbed on weekends, turn off your phone and do not answer messages.
• Try recognized relaxation techniques . Breathing exercises , meditation, and yoga are good at combating stress . Try several methods and find the one that works for you.
• Spend more time in the sun . Its light affects the areas of the brain responsible for maintaining a good mood and learning abilities. If you have free time and it is sunny outside, go for a walk.
• Give up bad habits . Constant fatigue and bad mood can cause a desire to brighten up life with alcohol and psychoactive substances. However, in the long term, such means only worsen the mood, reduce energy levels and cause the risk of developing addiction.
• Try exercise . If your nervous exhaustion manifests itself only as mental fatigue, light exercise such as walking, gymnastics, swimming, or yoga can relieve tension and improve your mood.
• Pay attention to the quantity and quality of your sleep . Sleep is essential for brain health, and lack of it can exacerbate stress and fatigue. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night , do it in a dark, cool room, and go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

When to see a doctor

Many people are still afraid to visit a psychiatrist, preferring to “endure it”. However, in some cases, it will not be possible to cope on your own.

It’s worth making an appointment with a doctor if you feel like you can no longer cope with life’s challenges and stress on your own, are turning to unhealthy coping methods, such as alcohol, and are having difficulty performing normal daily tasks.

The psychiatrist will determine the causes and associated disorders, and if necessary, prescribe medication. Depending on the type of nervous exhaustion, these may be tranquilizers, nootropics, small doses of antidepressants .

The doctor can also recommend a suitable method of psychotherapy.

Because burnout often recurs even after you’ve overcome it, learning strategies to manage stress can help you get through stressful periods in your life without recurring mental health issues in the future.