Being a mother is a wonderful experience, it changes your life and having your child in your arms is the most beautiful thing there can be. That is not discussed. But it is also tiring. It means being 24 hours, 7 days a week, without rest, pending the care of a small human being. Sleepless nights and strenuous days although we may not even have left home. Not to mention if mom also works outside.
Add also older brothers, food, shopping, clothes, house cleaning ... Anyway, what am I going to tell you! Without help it is practically impossible to cover so many fronts, in addition to the emotional stress and pressure that we impose on ourselves. You feel overwhelmed, tired and you can't with everything. Do you feel identified? Do you suffer from burnout syndrome or extreme exhaustion? It's what mothers feel they can't do anymore.
What is Burnout syndrome?
He burnout syndrome or extreme exhaustion It is more common than we think, and it occurs when the person has been subjected to a period of intense and prolonged stress, both physically and emotionally.
The father can also suffer it, but in general it is the mothers who are most affected, since they are, for the most part, the ones who spend more time with the baby and carry the weight of domestic responsibilities.
According to the Wikipedia definition, Burnout syndrome also called "professional attrition syndrome" is a "prolonged response of stress in the body to the emotional and interpersonal stressors that occur at work, which includes chronic fatigue, inefficiency and denial of what happened. ”
Although burnout emerged as a form of job stress in professionals under situations of high tension (neonatal intensive care doctors, probation officers, etc.), it was also extended to mothers, since it represents what they live on a daily basis. Many of them. Mothers burned, tired and overwhelmed.
Burnout syndrome symptoms
The symptoms can be confused with those of any disease and are not usually given greater importance. They are manifestations of the organism subjected to a situation of chronic stress such as:
Psychosomatic symptoms
Muscle pains
Recurring headaches
Gastrointestinal disorders
Insomnia
Fatigue
Emotional symptoms
Environment isolation or relationship problems
Feeling of loneliness
Affective distancing
Feeling of frustration
Anxiety
Reluctance
Desire to cry
A pressure that does not let you breathe
Pressures come everywhere, at all levels: social, work and family. Strenuous days are followed by nights when sleeping at a stretch is an utopia. Sometimes he doesn't have time to take a shower and you dream of the baby falling asleep to rest. And in the end, you end up using that time to do other things.
And not only is the concern for the care of the baby (that colic, that if it gets bad, that the breast on demand, etc ...), also adds the work pressure for those who have a job outside the home and social pressure Being "a perfect mother" and feeling judged by your surroundings, which further aggravates the feeling of frustration.
Some tips if you suffer burnout
Do not isolate yourself: Try to relate to other moms who are going through the same situation.
Get organized and prioritize: You're not a superwoman and you don't have to be. Give priority to urgent tasks and leave those that are not for another time.
Ask for help: to your partner, to your mother, to your sister. Sometimes others do not realize your suffering. Denying it is also a symptom of burnout and pretending that everything is going well. Do not hesitate. Open up, ask for help.
Reserve a few hours for you: It's part of asking for help, since you'll need someone to take care of the baby so you can get out. Do something you like: go for a walk alone, have a coffee with a friend, go to the movies, whatever makes you disconnect from the baby and distract yourself from everyday routines.
