What is Social Fatigue?
Social fatigue is a feeling of being drained or overwhelmed after socializing to the point you can’t do it any longer. It's also known as an introvert hangover or burnout, or social exhaustion. It can happen to anyone.
Sometimes when you’ve had little to no alone time and you’re feeling socially drained, you don’t have the option to decompress in the quiet comfort of your own home.
Here are 6 methods to manage social fatigue in the moment:
Self-Compassionate Talk: You can talk to yourself with the same warmth and understanding you would offer a close friend experiencing social fatigue. You can remind yourself that it’s normal to feel impatient, stressed, tired or irritable when you haven’t had time to yourself.
Cold water immersion (from the faucet): When you’ve been communicating with others and need a quick break, running your wrists under cold water in the nearest restroom can offer a refreshing respite. Our skin has many cold receptors, which when activated, can calm the body when we’re stressed.
Look for “glimmers”: Therapist and author Deb Dana coined the term “glimmer” to refer to micro-moments of joy that cue our nervous system to experience safety and calm. It’s the opposite of a “trigger”. Some examples include: the smell of your coffee, looking out the window, hearing your favorite song, or looking at a photo of your pet. Looking for glimmers throughout our day reduces fatigue and increases calm.
Step outside for five: Just being outside for five minutes can offer your nervous system a quick recharge. You can pay attention to the feeling of the sun or breeze on your skin, look up at the sky, or sit on a patch of grass. Many research studies have shown that being outside immediately improves your mood and energy levels.
Permission to listen: When you’re all “talked out”, you can give your permission to just listen when interacting with others. You don’t need to put pressure on yourself to be witty, interesting, or engaging at all times to be a worthwhile human. You’re inherently worthy. Your listening presence can be a gift to others - we all long to be heard and understood.
Ask deeper questions: Often what’s the most draining in our interactions with others is small talk. It can feel exhausting to discuss unimportant matters, especially in polite conversations with people you barely know. You can change the topic to something more interesting by asking about someone’s passions or dreams for the future. These types of questions often produce more invigorating responses. At the same time, challenge yourself to share more about your own passions and dreams.