Key points

Relational burnout is emotional depletion from managing another person’s volatile moods and reactions.

This burnout can take a serious toll on a person’s emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being.

Recognizing the pattern of relational burnout is the first step toward breaking it.

When Eleanor visited her mother and stepfather, she braced herself for the inevitable tension that always seemed to follow. She lived in constant fear of triggering an outburst, carefully monitoring everything she said and did in an effort to avoid conflict and keep the peace.

But it never worked for long. She loved her mother deeply, yet by the time she left, she felt exhausted, drained, and desperate for space. This kind of exhaustion is sometimes known as relational burnout , a state o

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