Burnout?

The constant activation of this response can be really exhausting as our bodies are on high alert and along with all our demeaning thoughts about judgments and evaluation that keep running in the back of our minds, it can get physically and emotionally draining. Feeling tired all the time and empty. When you're feeling super anxious in social situations, you might start avoiding them altogether. Like skipping meetings or staying quiet when you really have something to say cause you just can’t anymore. This can pile up more work and stress on you, making you feel even more burnt out and messing up your ability to cope.

But hey, do not get disheartened. The reason of writing this blog is to share strategies and techniques that might be helpful in these situations.

1) Set boundaries

Practice assertiveness skills by being confident in expressing your needs and boundaries clearly and respectfully in social situations. Learning to stand up for yourself and not people pleasing, being passive or aggressive can take time and it a practice that is built slowly. You might as well say to yourself “say no with a grace” in your mind to decline requests and invitations without feeling guilty or having to overexplain yourself.

You can think of it as, communicating your boundaries to people you want to keep in your life cause it helps to prevent feelings of resentment. And for other people it’s just enough to say that you deserve to be at peace and not get overwhelmed.

This even works for commitments that you’ve already made. If you are not in that zone or feel too out of it, people can understand and even if they do not, what is important to understand here is that your only responsibility is to convey that you won’t be able to make it, but remember, politely. You can make it up to them later but do not take a chance with your health.

2) Take breaks

First of all, take a breather. If it’s all getting too much, its okay to get out of there. YOU ARE IMPORTANT!

You can also use something called time-blocking technique where you have time scheduled just for yourself and all you do during that time is take care of yourself and prioritize your well-being. Practice self-care activities - whatever you think makes you feel re-energized and connected to yourself. Something that can be an outlet for all those emotions that are waiting to be expressed and helps you in reducing stress. Be it painting, gardening, cooking, dancing, crying, a long bath, nature – something that is therapeutic for you. Have a you day and at regular intervals. Why does it have to be just a crisis thing – cherish yourself; appreciate yourself!

Some other self-care activities are journaling (sometimes really helps you cry and let all that you are holding in out), a long walk, stopping your thoughts and actually taking a break from them (spend your time doing something that you love or just distract yourself for a while and give your brain a rest), watch a movie.

3) Go back to the basics

Do not be too harsh on yourself. Just be there for yourself and spend energy on the activities that you think are necessary at that time; like survival necessary. Take a day off and just let yourself be. Don’t have the energy to cook – take out; wash utensils – disposables; shower – sponge bath. We can always find a solution. Remember to stay hydrated and get enough sleep. Prioritize accordingly and you are more than enough and are doing amazing.

4) Social support

You might even engage in support groups or group therapy. Therapy doesn’t always have to be talk therapy. You can find groups of people who enjoy similar activities like you and do not think that you have to go all out at once. Think of it as just some company if you want (the best part being that if you are strangers and nobody likes small talk – now you have a group of people together who share love for the same activity). Start slow, in your comfort zone and then start with your toe out of that comfort zone, make your footing and then start walking in that direction. Online resources and forums dedicated especially to social anxiety can result in shared experiences and you can seek advice too.

If you want to and feel safe to, consider involving your family and friends in your journey.

Connecting with others who understand your struggles can provide validation, empathy, and a sense of belonging.

5) Self-compassion exercises

Take a moment each day to give yourself a gentle hug or a comforting touch, like placing your hand over your heart. It might sound silly, but it can really help you feel more cared for and at ease.

Write yourself a letter. Tell yourself that it's okay to struggle sometimes, and remind yourself of your strengths and the things you're proud of.

6) Be mindful

Now what does it mean? Being mindful means paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It is more like complete awareness of that moment like when you engage all your senses or pay attention to your thoughts but just acknowledge them without any judgments (do not label them as good or bad) and if you are getting lost in your thoughts, return to the present by focussing on your surrounding or breathing. With time, staying in present or returning to present becomes really automatic or easy like it happens without much effort but to reach this level it requires conscious and consistent effort in the beginning. Its like an out from that spiral cause at time I get it, we really do not like to stay inside our head – it can get pretty messy.

What you are also practicing here is acceptance of your thoughts and emotions.

Remember to celebrate your progress and accomplishments, no matter how small you think they are. Practice deep breathing exercises or some other techniques given in previous blogs regularly to help calm your nervous system and reduce anxiety. Be kind and patient towards yourself and you got this.

Picture credits - @lisaamrii

Hey there! In this blog, we’ll talk about the relation between social anxiety and burnout and how to deal with burnout. Though here, I’ll talk about burnout due to social anxiety but the signs and coping techniques are really similar for burnout due to any other reason too so you are free to use these tips even then.

So, let’s understand what is burnout. Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It’s being completely tired due to prolonged stress and can lead to you feeling disconnected and withdrawn. You might even feel too overwhelmed (when you feel like there is too much to do, the world kind of feels heavy) to do the smallest of tasks and feel like you have no energy or motivation at all. Being overwhelmed can lead to burnout. You might even say that it’s like being numb or in a state of not caring anymore due to being depleted. Here, you actually want to care and do be like you were but you just do not have the energy.

Now, why is it important to know about this? Let’s talk about the relation between burnout and social anxiety.

Imagine you're walking down the street and suddenly a huge, growling dog appears out of nowhere. Your heart starts racing, your palms get sweaty, and you feel like you need to run away fast or maybe you just freeze. That's your body's "fight or flight" response kicking in – it's a natural reaction to danger or stress. That's what happens in social anxiety. Our brains go into "fight or flight" mode even in situations that aren't really dangerous but they seem dangerous to us.