How to Refuel After Burnout | LATV x Pinterest Live

Therapist Delsy Sandoval recently hosted a Pinterest Live session for our LATV family to discuss burnout prevalent in the Latino community.

But first, what is burnout?

Burnout refers to the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. According to Sandoval, “when people are exhausted, they  tend to lose interest in things they loved before.”

In the Latino community, playing multiple roles within a family es muy común while maintaining a household and job. Delsy explained that the struggle to fulfill familial expectations and sacrificing one’s personal goals for others’ wishes contribute to burnout.

In nuestra comunidad, self-sacrifice and struggle are taught as an honor to ancestors, but this shouldn’t be the norm. There are times when it’s essential to prioritize one’s mental health and well-being. However, we Latin@s tend to place others before ourselves and disregard our own needs.

Discrimination can also contribute to burnout. Latin@s experiencing discrimination may find it challenging to process these events in their minds.

Most Latin@s are first-generation Americans or, like me, new to the country. For that, we may have limited access to essential resources such as mental health care or health care, plus language barriers can add further difficulties in seeking help.

But what are burnout symptoms?

Burnout symptoms include procrastinating, chronic stress, and emotional exhaustion.

Delsy suggested several ways to manage burnout and its symptoms.

• 1) Setting boundaries: this is crucial. Learning to say “no” comfortably is essential, as prioritizing personal needs before others.
• 2) Building an emotional support community can help alleviate burnout’s effects. Practice Mindfulness with friends or look for a group in the community who do it. Listening to podcasts or reading books about burnout can also help manage it while feeling connected with their stories.
• 3) Being self-compassionate: celebrating oneself and connecting with one’s emotions are other ways to manage burnout. Sit down, think about your feelings, and be kind to yourself.

We, as Latinos, should be encouraged to prioritize our well-being, set boundaries, and seek emotional support from our community.

¡Juntos somos mas fuertes!