Definition

Noun: A state of psychological tension, anxiety, or nervousness caused by prolonged or intense mental effort, worry, or stress. It refers to the burden on one's cognitive and emotional resources.

Usage

"Mental strain" is used to describe the taxing effect of difficult, demanding, or stressful mental activities or situations. It emphasizes the feeling of being mentally stretched or overloaded.

Examples

• His responsibilities at work were a source of constant mental strain.
• The mental strain of staying alert hour after hour during the night shift was too much for him.
• Studying for three major exams in one week caused her significant mental strain.
• The mental strain of making critical decisions under pressure is often underestimated.

Advanced Usage

• "To be under mental strain": To be experiencing this state of psychological tension.
  • The entire team was under considerable mental strain as the project deadline approached.
• "To cause/induce mental strain": To be the source of this stress.
  • The constant noise from the construction site began to induce mental strain in the residents.

Variants and Related Words

• Strain (noun): A more general term for a severe demand on strength, resources, or abilities, which can be physical, mental, or emotional.
  • The financial strain was almost as difficult as the mental strain.
• Mental stress (noun): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "mental strain."
• Cognitive load (noun): A related psychological term referring to the total amount of mental effort being used in working memory.

Synonyms

• Stress
• Pressure
• Tension
• Anxiety
• Nervous strain

Antonyms

• Mental ease
• Relaxation
• Peace of mind
• Calm

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "To be at breaking point": To be under so much strain that one can barely cope.
  • After months of mental strain, she felt she was at her breaking point.
• "To be weighed down by": To be heavily burdened by something, often worries or responsibilities.
  • He was weighed down by the mental strain of his financial problems.

Noun

1. (psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress
   • his responsibilities were a constant strain
   • the mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him