Lockdown was enforced all over the world. We were all forced to stay at our homes.
We worked, went to school, did our homework, and still understood the implications of the pandemic.
Mental health was affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the World Heath Organization, there was an increase of up to 25 percent in anxiety and depression cases worldwide.
We’re not taking a break from life because we are not recognizing that we may be in trouble. Here are seven warning signals that you may be in trouble.
1. It’s hard to focus
Do you often get confused about what to do next? You can easily solve this issue by taking small steps instead of rushing through everything at once.
For example, before starting any project, make sure you know exactly how much work needs to be done. Then, divide the task into smaller parts so you can accomplish them one at a time.
By doing this, you will not only reduce stress levels, but you will also ensure that you finish each part successfully.
2. Exhaustion hits you constantly (even after waking up)
Do you ever experience being mentally fatigued even after getting enough sleep? Is your exercise routine harder to complete?
When you have a large number of tasks on hand, it is obvious that you will be both physically and mentally exhausted.
However, this can also extend to mental fatigue. When your brain is constantly busy, it will reach a state of exhaustion.
When this occurs, your brain will not really let go of the idea that the amount of sleep you receive will never satisfy the kind of relaxation you require.
3. You have an urge for impulsive decisions
A research found out that judges who had no break during the day usually gave the easiest and most convenient judgments to parole hearing cases.
This was because they were tired and didn’t really care about what they did. They just wanted to get through the whole thing quickly.
No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t come up with any good reasons to deny parole. However, those who took breaks every hour or so tended to be more careful and thoughtful.
Because they knew that if they made an error, it could cost them their job. And because they weren’t tired, they were able to consider the consequences of their actions before deciding whether or not to grant parole.
4. Your sleeping pattern have changed and you developed unhealthy eating habits
When you are under an excessive amount of pressure, your body produces extra hormones (Raypole & Longhurst, 2022).
These hormones play a significant role in your sleeping patterns and food choices. In particular, they cause you to feel tired and hungry.
This can lead to overeating or skipping meals altogether. By developing new eating and sleeping behaviors, you may find yourself dealing with more serious issues.
5. You have become disconnected from your true self
When you’re overwhelmed with everything you have to do, it can be easy to forget what’s important in life. To stay sane, you’ll need to take time each day to step back and reevaluate your priorities.
Make sure you spend quality time with those closest to you, and give yourself permission to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.
Taking a break every once in awhile helps you refocus and remember why you started doing what you do in the first place.
6. Negative emotions are a constant
Notice a person who is under too much pressure for a long period of times. Do you see any changes in his/her behavior?
Research shows that when individuals are exposed to chronic stress, they can experience negative emotions such as irritation and anger (Gordon & Menezes, 2020).
When someone has too much to deal with, he/she might feel tired and stressed out. They become easily annoyed and angry. They also begin to show cynicism and pessimistic thoughts.
7. You become withdrawn
If you’re buried in work, it’ll be tough to make time for friends. But in the end, the weight of work will drag you down and you’ll begin to pull back from any social interaction.
You may find it difficult to engage with others or you just don’t have the energy to handle them. Relationships could suffer, leading you to isolate yourself further.
Conclusion
All of us are trying to do our best with what we’ve got. We’re getting on with our lives because people expect us to keep moving forward.
Sometimes, though, moving forward can be just too much for everyone else. It’s important to realize that taking a break might be the only thing that’ll help you go forward again.
It’s not about stopping; it’s about processing, reflecting and healing. Maybe, stepping back could be exactly what you need to move forward.
