Mental Exhaustion

It’s All About Me

M.E., that is. Mental Exhaustion. And it’s quite common at the moment; whether due to the ever-increasing speed of information flooding us, working overtime, a heavy scholastic load, natural disasters, violence, or the political environment (AKA, “outrage fatigue”), you are hardly alone if you are feeling absolutely wiped out mentally, like your battery is completely drained. Your brain is an organ, and organs can become overtaxed just like muscles if you overwork them.

Symptoms of M.E. can show up as:

• Irritability or anger. You may find yourself snapping at others, being snarky, swearing more than you normally do, yelling at others, having less patience, excessively honking at other drivers, road rage and more. You just feel like you can’t shake a bad mood and it feels quite difficult to control your emotions.
• Less ability to focus on or complete tasks. You may feel like you need to read the same sentence 6 times before you can comprehend it. While our concentration levels get taxed frequently anyway, when mentally exhausted you just feel like you can’t make deadlines any more, have less motivation and you may frankly feel like you just don’t care.
• You space out. You might be dissociating (where you feel detached from yourself or the world around you, like you are in a dream, or you feel emotionally numb). This can make you much more mistake-prone, which can be quite dangerous, particularly if you are driving, flying, or operating equipment or machinery. Your reflexes may not be as sharp in this state.
• Your sleep is disordered. You find it harder to fall asleep and/or stay asleep for 7-8 hours. You may find you are having excessive nightmares or flashbacks and wake up still feeling exhausted. Sleep deprivation is real and dangerous. Those with intellectually challenging jobs tend to suffer more from insomnia than those with more physical jobs. Practice appropriate sleep hygiene each night to hasten the return of your normal sleep pattern.
• Addictions. You may overindulge in junk food/sweets, caffeine, alcohol, or other drugs, particularly if you have a history of addictions to these substances (as well as process addictions: gambling, video gaming, porn, sex, shopping). These can be quite appealing because they do give immediate relief, however, they only add another challenge to your already full plate of stressors.
• You’re depressed and/or anxious. You may feel very down, “blue,” not yourself, lethargic, or even numb. You may also find you are worrying more than normal. Mental fatigue kicks off the “fight-flight” mode. Anxiety is an attempt to fight something you fear may occur. You get caught up in the “What ifs.” Anxiety is “borrowing pain from the future.” Depression is an attempt to flee something or you feel consumed with regret, where you can get caught up in the “I shoulda-woulda-couldas.” Depression is “borrowing pain from the past.”
• You neglect self-care. A lack of energy and focus may allow you to forget or simply say, “why bother?” to proper nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene, and self-care.
• Your eating habits change. You might find you are skipping meals, or overindulging or swinging wildly between the two. You may find you’re reaching for junk foods in an attempt to comfort yourself.
• You are more sensitive to pain. We all have varying thresholds of pain, but some people suffer more headaches, tight muscles, back pain, or GI issues when under extreme distress. Those diagnosed with fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may hurt a bit more than usual.

How to Cope:

To prevent or reduce the damage of any of the above symptoms, you may want to:

• Have a medical check-up. This can rule out anything more serious than mental exhaustion. You may benefit from medication to help with sleep, anxiety, or depression.
• Rest your brain. Take a quick break every hour during your work/study day. Research shows that resting your brain for just five minutes helps you control impulsive behavior. We have a tendency to want to just plow through, but many times this results in diminishing returns. Our margin of error increases.
• Move. Just a brisk walk around the block, a few sit-ups, stretches or jumping jacks can oxygenate and reset the brain so it can function better.
• Eat nutritiously 95% of the time. You can afford a not-so-healthy treat once or twice a week. But your brain needs healthy foods. Most folks would never dream of feeding their pets anything less than the best foods. Consider treating yourself as well as that.
• Practice appropriate sleep hygiene. Use a sound machine, have a sound bath before bed, or pop an Ashwagandha or Melatonin to aid your sleep. Keep your bedroom as spa-like as possible.
• Chill. Enjoy something light, funny, easy, and joyful. Watch your favorite sport, comedian, singer, or great movie. Get a massage, manicure, or facial. Play the piano or guitar, read, or knit. Do something creative, relaxing, and fun. This will allow your brain to let go of the tension and allow your body to kick into a relaxation response. Meditate. Watch old home movies.
• Socialize. Connect with others who are encouraging, positive, and supportive.
• Seek help from a qualified mental health professional if you need more support. Just like exercise is not just for overweight folks, therapy is not just for “crazy people.” It is for balance, maintenance, and improvement. Check out this site for a recent research study on the role of social media in the stigma of mental health: https://ampphealthjournal-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMPPH-2025_125_130.pdf

And remember, if all individuals take better care, it benefits the whole.

I offer free 30-minute phone consultations to answer any questions about psychotherapy and/or hypnotherapy for trauma, addictions, and more.

Happy Valentine’s Day and Best of Mental Health!