Social exhaustion can make you question your emotions. It makes introverts tired, dull or irritated at little things.
Different things fuel introverts and extroverts. Social interaction fuels extroverts. These people can’t stay for a long time without interacting with others. They obtain energy by socializing with people and making new friends.
However, social interaction drains introverts. They obtain energy by retiring to solitude. This doesn’t mean that they hate socializing. They love socializing with people, but socially active environments take up so much energy. It ends up draining them instead.
This is why most people feel like introverts are antisocial.
There is no doubt that introverts suffer from social fatigue more than extroverts. This means that they socialized to the point where they can’t take it any longer. Introvert burnout is another name for social exhaustion.
Both introverts and extroverts (sometimes) can experience it, although it’s not medically diagnosed.
Social exhaustion has both physical and emotional responses. You’d feel physically tired, drained, exhausted, stressed, irritable, or angry. It feels as though your body has been running on an empty fuel tank and the next filling station is hundreds of miles away.
Introverts have different responses to social fatigue. Most times, you may not feel like getting out of bed or talking to people.
Top Signs of Social Exhaustion for Introverts
One mistake introverts make is that they tend to burn out completely before retiring. That shouldn’t be so
Social exhaustion leads to a mental breakdown over time. Note that social fatigue can happen to anybody, whether introverts or extroverts. However, introverts feel the effects more.
Society encourages everyone to socialize and interact, without noting people’s social batteries.
How do you know that social exhaustion is creeping up on you?
- Focusing on things becomes difficult. Your mind is easily distracted. You find it hard to dedicate yourself to a cause.
- You become detached from other people. Introverts naturally detach themselves from people when they don’t feel up to it. But social exhaustion forces you to do it.
- You find it difficult to sleep. Your mind keeps wandering and feigning scenarios.
- Extreme fatigue. You easily get tired. Getting up from the bed becomes a chore.
- Intense headache. They become migraines at some point.
- Emotional meltdown. This is why introverts are most likely to be depressed or feel anxious. Social exhaustion releases all kinds of stress hormones into the body, thereby making them feel as though something is wrong.
- Easily irritated. Everything anybody does annoys you so much. Little things trigger negative emotions.
- Depression and anxiety. Introverts overthink a lot. They don’t engage in so many social activities, so they are more prone to anxiety and depression. This is also due to a low number of friends or friendly interactions.
How to detect early signs of social exhaustion
Introverts notice early signs of social exhaustion in most cases. But they tend to ignore them until they reach their breaking point so that they don’t offend people. This isn’t supposed to be.
Here are basic questions you should ask to estimate your level of social exhaustion.
- Are you able to sleep properly?
- Do you overreact to issues, especially those you’d have normally ignored?
- Is your energy level low?
- Are you feeling helpless or hopeless?
- Do you lack the motivation to do things?
- Is your work suffering from this lack?
- Do you detach yourself, even from loved ones?
If the answer to most of these questions is yes, then you’re suffering from social exhaustion. Yes, you need help.
How can you manage it? Let’s find out
How to recover from social exhaustion
Social exhaustion doesn’t last forever. You’d heal at some point. However, the goal is to heal as fast as possible. A lot of introverts get socially burned out and fail to heal completely. They take the same body outside to socialize and get burned out even more.
You need to draw the line when it comes to these things.
Here are ways to recover from social exhaustion and get back on your feet
- Don’t neglect self-care
This is so important.
The last thing introverts do to themselves is self-care, even in their burned-out state. Prioritize self-care if you want to recover from social exhaustion fast. This leaves your body in cool, calm solitude. It allows you to think about things deeply.
Now, self-care means different things to people. People have unique ways of resting, relaxing, and connecting with their environment. Here are some simple ways of practicing self-care:
- Eat healthy foods. Your body won’t be in great shape if it’s always taking in trash. Fruits and vegetables should be your go-to. Cut down on the carbs and sugar. You’d feel very refreshed if you do.
- Be grateful for the little things. People often get depressed because they feel they aren’t where they’re supposed to be. No one’s life is perfect. Not even those you admire on social media. Be content with what you have. Contentment allows you to be happy in anticipation of greater things to come.
- Read a book. Any book that’s interesting to you will do.
- Listen to music.
- Be creative. Use your spare time to put your inner genius to work.
- Have frequent warm baths
2. Journaling helps to track social exhaustion
This is so important. Writing is therapeutic. When we think about our thoughts, they are often scattered and unrefined.
When you write down your thoughts, you understand them better. Journaling helps you to weigh your ideas and gain control of how you feel.
The beautiful thing about journaling is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Your thoughts and opinions aren’t, so don’t expect your journaling to be. You only have to start. Your journaling skill will improve as time goes on.
Why should you journal?
People who constantly journal tend to get less depressed and anxious. This is because they can identify and avoid situations that trigger these emotions easily. You can always reference your journal from time to time.
Then, journaling helps you to track your accomplishments and goals. Note that they don’t have to be big goals. For instance, let’s assume that you suffer from social exhaustion frequently. Your journal can help you to track events and activities that lead to this exhaustion beforehand.
3. Meditation helps to ease out social exhaustion
Meditate as much as you can. The benefits are endless, especially when it has to do with social exhaustion.
Meditation forces your body into a deep relaxation state. It stills your mind and sharpens its focus.
Our thoughts are often disorganized and jam-packed. Meditation allows you to focus your attention on the things that are truly important. It helps us to discard the other jampacked thoughts that are causing you to overthink or stress you.
Introverts need to meditate more because they thrive in solitude. Meditation allows them to breathe in the face of stressful situations. It helps them to be more self-aware of their environment.
Introverts are also very imaginative people. Meditation allows them to focus on the present and face their problems. It helps them to identify negative emotions and weed them out immediately. People who meditate often usually have enhanced tolerance and patience.
4. Talk to someone
Wait, what?
Why would you talk to someone when social interaction with several people got you exhausted and burned out in the first place? This seems counterintuitive, right?
But it really works.
Introverts don’t hate social interactions completely. They only thrive better with meaningful, one-on-one interactions. If you have a friend that can accommodate deep conversations with you, you’re lucky. It’s so important to reach out to such friends when all others have drained your battery successfully.
This is why therapy works. Sometimes, all it takes to eliminate that depressing thought is a good conversation.
How to prevent social exhaustion
This is so important. Yes, the world is noisy. The world is designed to favor extroverts. Introversion is seen as something that should be avoided.
However, it’s easier to prevent an unfortunate event than to repair it. Introverts need to learn effective ways to manage their time and social battery.
What are these ways?
- Carve out alone time
Your body craves it. No, not just that. Your body DEMANDS it. You will be exhausted if you don’t have enough alone time to hide in solitude and recharge your social batteries.
You should do this regardless of whatever position you’re in right now. It doesn’t matter where you’re a student or a single mum of three. You need alone time to breathe and rearrange yourself before engaging with the rest of the world.
- Know when to say NO
Introverts need to set boundaries on a lot of things. One way of setting those boundaries is by saying NO to events or gatherings that don’t align with your goals.
If you don’t say NO, the world will choke you up and spit you out.
Another way of setting boundaries is by limiting the time you spend at an event. Don’t involve sentiments in this.
- Know what triggers you
Different people have unique triggers. What might trigger one introvert might not trigger the other. It’s super important to evaluate situations carefully. Discover what triggers and drains you.
It could be the need to speak to a lot of people due to work concerns. Work usually forces introverts to leave their shells. Family reunions and gatherings could also trigger social exhaustion. For some people, it’s participating in group work. They don’t participate fully in group projects because they get exhausted.
Discover what triggers you and work on it. If you don’t work on it on time, it could affect everything, including your romantic relationships.
