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a shutting down that depletes us

English translation: an emotional disconnection that saps our vital energy

18:08 Mar 21, 2018
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Psychology / compassion
English term or phrase: a shutting down that depletes us
Hi,
"shut down" is a term that often causes me problem... I've looked up previous answers also in other languages and I think the meaning of "shutting down" in the passage below might be "emotional disconnection"...but I'm by no means sure, because of the presence of the verb "deplete". I thought "depletes" might refer more to "burnout", but grammatically it should refer to "shutting down"...
thanks for your help

********************************

Integration is at the heart of compassionate empathy, and research reveals that when we reach out to help others rather than overidentify with their pain as our own, we can retain a sense of equlibrium while caring compassionately for others. Emotional resonance that loses differentiation can lead to burnout and ** a shutting down ** that both depletes us and makes us unavailable to help others.
haribert
Local time: 13:48
Selected answer:an emotional disconnection that saps our vital energy
Explanation:
With “vital energy” referring here mainly to the kind of emotional energy one would draw upon to not only face personal difficulties and challenges, but to help others face their particular difficulties and challenges.

In other words, I think that your understanding is correct.
Selected response from:

Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 07:48
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Robert, for your precious help!
Many thanks also to all other contributors and a special thanks to Jack for his wonderful quote!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6an emotional disconnection that saps our vital energy
Robert Forstag
4"burnout" presenting as low-flat mental-energy & emotional state
Jörgen Slet


  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
an emotional disconnection that saps our vital energy


Explanation:
With “vital energy” referring here mainly to the kind of emotional energy one would draw upon to not only face personal difficulties and challenges, but to help others face their particular difficulties and challenges.

In other words, I think that your understanding is correct.

Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 07:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Robert, for your precious help!
Many thanks also to all other contributors and a special thanks to Jack for his wonderful quote!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much, Robert! A beautiful and poethic image, really!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
11 mins
  -> Thank you, Phil.
agree  B D Finch
46 mins
  -> Thank you, B D.
agree  Jack Doughty: "No man is an island, entire of itself... Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee." John Donne.
2 hrs
  -> Indeed. Thank you, Jack.
agree  David Hollywood: nice touch Jack
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, David.
agree  JohnMcDove
9 hrs
  -> Thank you, John.
agree  Charles Davis: I'm pretty sure that "shutting down" is emotional disconnection. The idea of depletion might be that it impoverishes us or even that it lowers us morally, but sapping our vital energy is a plausible reading.
19 hrs
  -> Thank you, Charles!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"burnout" presenting as low-flat mental-energy & emotional state


Explanation:
Excessive stress from overidentifying with others' pain can "numb" emotionally/neurophysiologically. I think this is often called "burnout" in popular text and is often a low-flat mental energy & emotion state.

Jörgen Slet
Estonia
Local time: 14:48
Native speaker of: Native in EstonianEstonian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your interesting contributi on!

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