Parental Exhaustion, and How To Prevent It

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In the family environment, burnout syndrome is called parental exhaustion, and, in this article, we will show you how to identify it to prevent or manage it.

When we talk about parental exhaustion, we find that women are more likely to suffer from this syndrome, since most of us are women who care for children, alternating with work and home responsibilities, which does not allow us to have enough quality time for us. Parental burnout includes the children's mother, father, or direct caregiver and affects children as well.

Parental exhaustion syndrome does not appear in clinical texts, nor in dictionaries, however, we can say that caregiver syndrome is clinically recognized, according to psychologist Cristina Mashiach, who defines this pathology as emotional exhaustion that can occur between people who care for other people.

How do identify it?

It is difficult to alternate household chores with work responsibilities and if we add to this the social pressure that is exerted, with parenting standards disclosed on social networks and the media, where there is no approach to this reality, we come to feel, that we are not fulfilling our work as mothers/fathers or caregivers adequately.

a. by caring for the person in our care, generating a feeling of helplessness and extreme tiredness.

How to manage caregiver syndrome or parental exhaustion?

a. First let's accept that we need help and ask for it. In this way, we will be able to balance the burdens of responsibility both for the care of the children and for the people who depend on us for their care. If we don't know how to take care of ourselves and we don't take care of ourselves, we can hardly take care of someone else.

b. Let's talk to others about what is happening to you and seek professional support if needed.

c. Let's establish a support network, with the partner, if we have one, or with family, friends, or professionals so that household chores are redistributed and we are relieved periodically in the work as a caregiver so that we can dedicate time to rest or recreation activities, that allow us to recharge batteries and lower levels of fatigue and stress.

d. Let's keep implementing healthy lifestyle habits, such as healthy eating, exercise, meditation, relaxation techniques, and stress management.

and. Let's establish schedules and routines of activities that allow us to have time to do what we like and make us happy.

F. If our work as a caregiver is with the children, as they grow, let them be autonomous.

g. Let's develop assertive communication so that we don't overload ourselves emotionally. That is, let's learn to express feelings, in the right way and at the right time.

h. Let's maintain a positive attitude, let's not fall into victimhood, because this generates bad feelings and guilt in our environment and does not solve anything.

Also read: WHY IS IT MORE DIFFICULT TO MAKE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP IN MATURITY?

 Finally, if we feel exhausted, let's arrange to take a vacation or enough quality time and if we feel that we can't take it anymore, seek professional help and treatment to recover. Let's delegate this work to another person responsible for a while.

In conclusion, taking care of our physical, mental, and emotional health not only affects our quality of life but also that of the people around us. Therefore, let us take the relevant preventive and corrective measures before we burn ourselves.