Are You Suffering COVID Exhaustion?

Are you feeling more tired than ever before? Feeling flat and "done in"?

Are you feeling more tired than ever before? Are you feeling flat and "done in?"

It's certainly something that many, perhaps even the majority, of my clients are currently reporting.
They arrive with heightened stress, struggling to control drinking, other not-so-good habits, or feeling what they see as  "unaccountably" down and worn out.

Well, these feelings are not as "unaccountable" as what they may seem and there may be a really good explanation in fact: COVID exhaustion.

It's not just you. Many of us, myself included, are feeling it. And it's OK to feel it.

I'm not talking about the symptoms of the virus, though exhaustion can be one of them.
No, I'm talking about "pandemic fatigue". It's a form of emotional exhaustion, sometimes called 'burn out,' recognised by such respected authorities as the Mayo Clinic and the World Health Organisation.

Here's Some Tips That May Help:​

1. Recognise that it's "A Thing". Acknowledging that you're feeling down, exhausted, burnt out is actually a good thing, and better than just 'soldiering on.' Therapists call this normalisation, which is to say, reassuring people that what they're experiencing isn't stupid or bad or wrong or even unusual
   
2. Try being a little more self-compassionate. If you're suffering something, as well as beating yourself up for 'being stupid' or being 'weak' because you can't overcome it, then you actually suffer twice over...  Drop the self-laceration. It's not helping, is it?
3. Practice some self-care Hang on, hang on! I know. Before we go further, I do know very well that COVID has inflicted, and continues to inflict, terrible suffering on millions of people, and you may very well be among them. And I'm sorry for that. When many are experiencing unbearable hardships, being told to be kind to yourself and "practice self-care" can really give you the irrits. So forgive me. Think about it this way, perhaps. If you're struggling along carrying a big, heavy backpack up a hill that never seems to end, you might consider it ok to stop and take a break for a while. If the living room's on fire, don't beat yourself up because you're not renovating the kitchen like you said you would! So if you need a break - and you can take one - then do so. And make a conscious choice not to guilt-trip yourself. Only you know how you're going, so the ill-informed opinion of others is pretty much just noise. Are they walking in your exact shoes, in your life, in your body? experts? No. If you feel exhausted, you're exhausted. Listen to your body, and if you need a mental health day or week and can take it, do so without guilt or shame.
4. Prioritise. To return to that bizarre image of the living room on fire and the unrenovated kitchen: what really matters right now? If you haven't got around to writing that book you always said you'd write if you ever had the time, or if you haven't done anything yet about getting out of your dead-end job with the micromanaging boss (yeah I know, right?)... well, that can wait. Or maybe it can't. Thing is, you need to pick and choose. Work out what's really going to make a difference to you right now, and put as much spare energy as you have available into that. And let the other things wait for a while. If you try and do everything, you'll end up doing... not very much at all. Work out what one or two things will make the biggest difference, and put your limited energy into them.
5. Share. Talk to someone. If you're lucky enough to have a friend who's a good listener, who's a little wise, and whose take on things you respect, then you're lucky indeed and you need to pick up the phone and arrange a coffee. (Not that judgy one, you know, the one who's always talking about herself. She's as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.) As well, or instead, go to your GP or a trusted mental health clinician. Hypnotherapy can help.  

I think that seeking help to manage these issues can be like getting a personal trainer for your fitness or a physio if you are injured. If you had neck or shoulder pain you wouldn't hesitate to give them a call.

If you're struggling with feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, fatigue, malais, unhappiness and need to make a change, there's help available and you don't have to do it alone. Give us a call on 0477516777 to book in with one of our team, be it for therapy or hypnotherapy. 

So, to summarise: Pandemic Fatigue is a thing. Be kind to yourself. Prioritise and don't try and do everything. And don't feel you've got to keep it to yourself.