Relationship Burnout: What Does It Look Like?

Have you ever experienced burnout before?

Typically, a sense of burnout happens with things like school or work. You tend to feel exhausted and stuck in the same routine. It can feel tedious and never-ending.

But did you know that burnout can also happen in relationships?

I know what you're thinking. If burnout happens in a relationship, it's probably time to part ways. Not so fast.

Relationship burnout can happen to anyone, even in healthy relationships.

Let's learn more about what relationship burnout can look like.

Exhaustion Sets In

When anyone experiences burnout, exhaustion is one of the key signs. Feeling drained and disconnected is one of the main signs of burnout in relationships. If someone in a relationship is experiencing burnout, they may even try to avoid spending time together, even becoming angry, exhausted, or irritated by the thought of being with one another.

Constant Fights

Fighting in a relationship now and then is completely normal. It's even considered healthy. Everything won't be sunshine and rainbows 24/7. That being said, if your fights start to take a turn for the worse, there could be a larger issue at hand.

When the fights involve yelling, screaming, venting, or not listening to one another, it can be a sign that there's a problem with communication in the relationship. After a fight, there should be some sort of resolution or improvement in the relationship. If that doesn't happen, burnout may be the cause.

Lack of Interest in Being Romantic

Intimacy can be an important part of most relationships. If you or your partner loses the drive to be romantic or intimate with one another, it could be a sign of a bigger issue. You and your partner don't need to have sex on a daily basis, but if you start to notice avoiding it completely or being disgusted by the thought of it, burnout may be creeping in.

Avoiding the Future

If you're noticing that you're avoiding or having a short fuse over discussions about future plans or upcoming events, you may be experiencing relationship burnout. You may even start to notice doubts creeping in. For example, you may start thinking about how you can end the relationship to get out of feeling this way.

Next Steps

There's a good chance that you still love your partner, and you may also experience relationship burnout. The two aren't mutually exclusive. You can experience both. Burnout isn't a sign that your relationship is or should be over. It just means that your relationship requires a little more time, energy, and attention. And you can start by giving that to yourself.

You can't expect to love someone else if you don't love yourself first. If you're not taking care of yourself and meeting your basic needs as a human being, you're not going to have the energy or stamina to give to someone else. It's not physically possible.

One of the best things you can do if you or your partner are experiencing burnout in your relationship is to seek additional support. An outside third party, like a licensed and trained therapist, may be exactly what your relationship needs.

Working with a therapist can help you get an outside perspective on your relationship. They'll be able to work with you individuals or through couples counseling to help you figure out why you're feeling and thinking this way and how to overcome this challenging time. Communication is and always will be key in any type of relationship.

If you are interested in learning more about couples counseling or how anxiety treatment can help you manage burnout, reach out to me today to set up a consultation for online therapy.