Table of Contents
Introduction: “Thak Gaya Hoon, But I Can’t Explain Why”
You wake up feeling tired, despite having slept for 8 hours.
You cancel plans not because you’re busy, but because the idea of socialising feels like a chore.
Your favourite food doesn’t taste the same, and your favourite shows? Meh.
If this sounds like you, you might not just be tired—you might be emotionally burnt out.
In India, we’re great at brushing things under the rug with classics like:
- “Sab theek hai.”
- “Thoda stress toh hota hi hai.”
- “Bas kaam zyada ho gaya.”
But emotional burnout is real. And it’s affecting millions silently.
Let’s unpack what emotional burnout looks like, especially for Indians, and how you can heal your nervous system, mind, and energy, not just your calendar.
What Is Emotional Burnout?
Emotional burnout isn’t just about long work hours or skipped vacations. It’s the chronic depletion of your emotional, physical, and mental energy, often caused by prolonged stress or emotional suppression.
In India, we wear many hats—dutiful daughter/son, perfect partner, high-performing professional, and caretaker. Add traffic, WhatsApp family groups, and societal expectations, and you’ve got a mental pressure cooker.
According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (2020), over 66% of Indian working professionals report high levels of stress, and more than 35% experience burnout symptoms, especially in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
And no, this isn’t just about workload. It’s about emotional overload.
Top Signs You’re in Full-On Emotional Burnout (Witty, But Real)
1. Your “Do Not Disturb” mode is now a personality trait
You avoid calls, leave texts on read, and dream of putting your phone on airplane mode permanently—even when you’re not flying.
2. Motivation? What’s that?
Even brushing your hair feels like a win. You stare at your to-do list like it’s written in Greek.
3. You’re snapping at people for breathing too loudly
Every little thing triggers irritation. Even your chai is taking too long to brew.
4. You feel nothing. Not sad. Not happy. Just… nothing.
Emotional numbness is one of the most significant signs of burnout. You’re functioning, but you’re not feeling.
5. You overthink… everything.
“Should I have said that?”
“Did I do enough?”
“What if they’re mad at me?”
Cue 3 AM existential crisis.
6. You feel guilty for resting
Taking a break makes you anxious. Doing nothing feels like failure. Welcome to the toxic productivity trap.
7. Your body is shouting, but you’re not listening
Headaches, neck pain, low immunity, and digestion issues—your body is mirroring your mind.
👉 These aren’t just signs of being “busy.” These are your mind and body begging for a reset.
Why are we So Prone to Burnout?
Here’s the deal: Emotional suppression is cultural conditioning.
- “Don’t cry. What will people say?”
- “Be strong. Adjust kar lo.”
- “Shaadi ke baad sab theek ho jayega.”
- “Beta, focus on your career. Feelings bad mein.”
These beliefs teach us to deny emotions and over-function. Add to that, lack of emotional literacy, poor mental health infrastructure, and shame around seeking help… and you’ve got the perfect storm for silent suffering.
Women, especially, carry the weight of invisible labour. Emotional caregiving, managing homes, careers, and still feeling the need to “do more.”
Men, too, are conditioned to “be tough,” often internalising stress as anger or numbness.
What the Research Says?
A 2022 study by The Lancet Psychiatry found that India had one of the highest rates of depressive and anxiety disorders globally, with emotional burnout being a key underlying cause.
According to the WHO, mental health issues will cost the Indian economy over $1 trillion in lost productivity between 2012 and 2030.
But here’s the hopeful bit: healing is possible.
Access Bars: The Nervous System Reset You Didn’t Know You Needed
When you’re emotionally burnt out, traditional talk therapy or yoga might help, but your nervous system is too overloaded to even respond.
That’s where Access Bars therapy comes in.
Access Bars is an energetic body process where 32 points on your head (called Bars) are gently touched. Each point relates to a different area—money, control, creativity, joy, healing, etc.
When the Bars are “run,” your brainwave patterns slow down, stuck energy is released, and the nervous system enters a deep state of relaxation.
It’s like defragmenting your brain. No effort, just deep receiving.
How Access Bars Helped Me Heal My Burnout?
I’ll be honest—I walked into my first Bars session as a sceptic. I wasn’t “that kind of person.”
But 15 minutes in, I felt like someone had switched off the background noise in my head. After 60 minutes, I felt lighter—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
For the first time in weeks, I didn’t feel like screaming when someone asked me a simple question.
It wasn’t magic. It was energetic hygiene.
Scientific Evidence for Energy-Based Interventions
According to a study published in the Journal of Energy Psychology (Fannin, 2015), Access Bars showed a significant drop in brainwave activity related to anxiety and emotional overload.
Participants reported:
- 85% decrease in stress
- 82% improvement in mental clarity
- 70% better emotional regulation
In India, Access Bars is gaining popularity as a complementary therapy, especially among wellness seekers, corporate professionals, and even therapists themselves.
Attend the Access Bars Workshop at The Healing Room
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Yes, this is me,” then it’s time to stop powering through and start powering down.
Join Sonali Mittra at The Healing Room for a 1-day Access Bars Workshop designed to:
- Reset your nervous system
- Help you release stress, anxiety, and emotional fatigue
- Teach you how to run Bars for yourself and others
- Reconnect you with joy, space, and mental clarity
🎟 Limited seats. Reserve yours now at www.sonalimittra.com/contact
Burnout Isn’t Weakness. It’s a Signal.
We glorify resilience so much that we forget to honour rest. But your body is wise. Your emotions are messengers.
And if they’re telling you: “I’m done pretending I’m fine,”—it’s time to listen.
Emotional burnout doesn’t need another productivity hack.
It needs presence, pause, and permission to reset.
Let Bars be your first step back to you.
