Signs of Parental Burnout and Why You Should Ask For Help

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Burnouts are often associated with those who work long hours and those who have numerous tasks that they have to work on to the point that stress catches up to them. But that is not the only kind of burnout that matters because burnouts can affect everyone, even parents.

It is already a given fact that parenting is difficult. You have to look for the well-being of your child 24/7, not to mention that you have to deal with your child's tantrums and mood swings, his changing behavior, and his development. But how do you know that you are experiencing parental burnout? Here are the tell-tale signs that you may be suffering and that you need a break.

Parental burnout

Parental burnout is the mental, physical and emotional exhaustion that parents feel after having a child. Burnouts do not happen overnight, they build up and the feelings accumulate because most parents want to bottle them up or they want to ignore it altogether. 

A study published in the journal Association for Psychological Science called Clinical Psychological Science reported that parents who do not have the necessary resources to handle physical, mental and emotional stress that is related to being a parent can develop an emotional disorder called parental burnout. 

Symptoms of parental burnout include feelings of worthlessness, feeling ineffective, severe exhaustion and emotionally distancing oneself from one's child. The study also showed that the symptoms can often lead to long-term consequences for both parents and children. 

Symptoms of parental burnout

The first sign of burnout is feeling stress and overwhelming fatigue. You feel overwhelmed and exhausted mentally, emotionally and physically. We all feel tired or stress but not everyone is pushed to their breaking point, and having parental burnout does just that. If you are wondering if you need help, then it is time to ask for help. 

Another sign that you are burnt out is that you experience violent urges. These urges can be connected to postpartum mood disorders, but they can also be a sign that you are experiencing burnout. To make sure that your child is safe, it is best that you are honest with yourself about your urges and your thoughts, especially if they are violent. 

Parental burnout does not only have to be between you and your child, but it can also affect you and your partner. If you notice that things at home are not as lively as they used to, that both of you are becoming more and more irritable and you fight a lot, then you need a step back and you both need to get help. 

Burnouts should not be ignored because if it goes on, you might lose your balance and you might think that there is no end to it. Unfortunately, there have been cases of parents who considered suicide as a way out. Parenting a child with learning disorders can be very stressful, and it is okay to ask for help especially if you know that you do not have the capacity to take care of him or her. 

You do not have to suffer alone, there is always help available and you are not a bad parent if you ask for help. You need to take care of yourself because you matter too.  

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