Salva Mubarak Senior Features Writer

Do you find yourself asking yourself why you entered the relationship you’re currently in? Is the relationship nothing like what you had envisioned it to be? Then you, according to a recent study, might be heading towards a ‘relationship burnout’.

While burnout is usually associated with work-related issues, these researchers figured out how people in serious relationships can also exhibit the same symptoms that signal burnout.

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So what is a relationship burnout?

In the case of professional burnout, employees are constantly exhausted and unenthusiastic about their day-to-day routines at work. They also start questioning why they chose that particular career in the first place. This new study by researchers at Kharazmi University claims that the same concept can be applied to relationships.

After extensively studying 216 adult volunteers, the researchers came to the conclusion that relationship or marital burnout happens when couples realise that the reality of their relationship or marriage is not what they expected.

According to the research, this depends on a “myriad of factors”, one of the major ones being an individual’s coping strategies becoming overwhelmed.

What happens when someone goes through relationship burnout?

Once the feeling settles in, people may start experiencing lethargy and headaches, and undergo emotional reactions like feeling hopeless and frustrated with their partners.

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The research concluded that the people most susceptible to the condition are those who are not good at expressing themselves emotionally or lack the mental tools to process their emotions in a healthy way. These also include people who do not let themselves grow in a relationship because of a fear of abandonment and emotional closeness.

Can this be fixed?

The good news is that this does not have to mean the end of the road for your relationship. While the researchers agree that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the issue, awareness is a great first step towards fixing the problem.

If you’ve identified that your relationship might be headed towards burnout, then you should put in the effort to work with your partner in examining your emotions. Seeking professional help from a therapist is also a good idea.