This year has not been kind to anyone. While 2020 signalled the start of a new decade that filled all of us with hope, we have all battled unimaginable struggles throughout the year.
One of the main sources of those struggles is the global COVID-19 pandemic. An airborne disease that sent entire continents into complete lockdowns at the very beginning of the year?
A lot less than ideal.
Aside from the physical dangers associated with the virus, being confined to our houses while economies crashed and many of us lost our jobs and only sources of income had a massive effect on the mental health of the entire world.
It comes as no surprise that so many millions of people are suffering from mental fatigue as we reach the end of one of the most difficult years in recent history. Take a look at the most common symptoms below.
You’re Feeling Very Emotional
Mental fatigue is often accompanied by depression or anxiety. This is because when your brain is exhausted, it feels almost impossible that you will ever find a way out of feeling this way. This will have a huge effect on your emotions.
For example, you may get sad at the smallest things and cry for absolutely no reason. Or you may get incredibly angry at even the slightest inconvenience. Your brain is tired and battling to regulate your emotions and your reactions to them.
You Feel Tired But You Can’t Sleep
Insomnia accompanies most mental health struggles, from depression to mental fatigue. In essence, what you feel is that there is no way out of how you are currently feeling, or whatever your current situation may be.
While there are often plenty of solutions, you may battle to see them. This means that your brain keeps on repeating worst-case scenarios in your head, keeping you out of restful sleep and making you feel more panicked by your situation.
You Feel Incredibly Overwhelmed
One of the first symptoms of mental fatigue is an inability to process anything else at all. This could be another task at work, a visit from a friend or even something as small as certain smells and sounds.
This symptom is incredibly common and is often triggered by the smallest of things. However, it often manifests as irritability, which creates a vicious cycle of you feeling increasingly worse.
What To Do
If you can identify with any of the above symptoms, or if you suspect that you are suffering from mental fatigue to some degree, go and see a medical health practitioner as soon as possible.
They may be able to refer you to a specialist or give you some tips on how to deal with the symptoms. Also remember to be kind to yourself; we are living in unprecedented times and everyone is feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment.
Talk to your friends, your family or whoever your support structure is. You are certainly not alone in this, and there is no need to feel as though you are.