How to Deal With Crisis Fatigue

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Verywell / Julie Bang

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Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.

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Friday Fix: Episode 181

When we’re faced with a crisis, our bodies and our minds gear up to tackle the challenge. Then, when the crisis is resolved, we go back into our normal state of being.

Our bodies weren’t meant to stay in a heightened state of alert over a long period of time. So when a crisis doesn’t end fast enough, we grow weary and get what’s known as crisis fatigue.

The pandemic is an example of a prolonged crisis that has led to many people developing crisis fatigue. It causes a long list of physical and emotional symptoms that can interfere with your daily life.

Of course, the pandemic isn’t the only crisis some people are facing. There’s a variety of other issues topping the headlines right now that have ignited heated debates and sheer panic. 

As a result, many people are going to be experiencing crisis fatigue in the coming weeks and months—even if they didn’t get it from the pandemic.

And while you can’t always take steps to resolve a crisis, you can take steps to address how you respond to it. 

If you’ve developed crisis fatigue, you’re not alone. It’s important to note that crisis fatigue doesn’t mean you’re insensitive, you lack mental strength or you’ve done anything wrong. It just means your body and your mind are having trouble coping with a prolonged state of distress—which is normal.

On today’s episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share a science-backed strategy that can help you cope with crisis fatigue. 

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