Virgin Media star Elaine Crowley lost 'empathy' for people before taking career break
The Weekend AM presenter said she felt totally burnt out
Virgin Media star Elaine Crowley has revealed she took over three months off work after she lost "empathy" for people.
Elaine has been on our screens for over two decades but earlier this year, the host decided to take an extended career break to help her grieve the loss of her mother, Mary, and her beloved nephew, Ultan, who died from cancer in July 2023.
The Weekend AM presenter said she felt totally burnt out and was starting to lose her empathy for the people she was interviewing.
READ MORE: Elaine Crowley opens up about heartbreaking family loss as she pays tribute to beloved nephew
READ MORE: TV star Elaine Crowley reveals what keeps her mental health in check
She told us: "My empathy was going.. I’ve interviewed a lot of people over the last couple of years who went through a lot of challenges and had a lot of sad stories and I just kept thinking that my heart wasn’t in it.
"My job, I don’t like to just read the questions and just do it. I want to connect with the person. But my connection was gone. My heart couldn’t open up to anybody else and what they were feeling so I just needed to heal that part of myself.
"That is when I knew – I can’t remember the actual person I was interviewing that morning – but I just said my heart isn’t in it.
"That’s when I took a step back and recharged the batteries."
And while Elaine took herself to Thailand for 10 days to take part in a detox retreat, where she lost 4.5kg, she admitted she fell physically sick when she first went on leave.
"I was really physically sick. I had chest infections and kidney infections. I was nearly bed bound. I had an ear infection. I had all these weird infections I never had before.
"I spent a lot of time with my family, I went off to Thailand and did a detox. I just literally took a step back. I more or less went off social media. I went into hermit mode and it was great because I’ve been working in TV since I was 22. It’s a long time."
The Cork native admitted she should’ve taken a career break a long time ago but never had the opportunity.
"I probably should’ve done it ages ago but I didn’t really have the opportunity. I was burnt out. It had to be done. A lot has happened bereavement-wise over the last couple of years… I was exhausted.
"When you don’t take a break when your body wants one, your body will do it for you so I didn’t want it to go that far.
"I was lucky enough I was allowed to do that. I’ve never taken that much time off. It’s nice to be able to gather yourself together a bit.
"I’m taking each day as it comes. I’m catching up with myself," she said.
Elaine was speaking as she helped launch Benecol’s ‘Fill Your Heart’ campaign this Irish Heart Month.
Benecol is inviting the public to make their own personal pledges for happier, healthier hearts and will donate money to Heart charity Croí for each pledge made.
The campaign encourages people to take care of their heart by actively managing their cholesterol. Benecol recently found that up to one in two Irish adults have high cholesterol which, if left untreated, can contribute to coronary heart disease.
September is Irish Heart Month and throughout the month Benecol is encouraging Irish people to take small steps to Fill Their Heart.
Speaking of Benecol’s ‘Fill Your Heart’ campaign, Elaine said: "Our health is everything. I believe that it's so important to take active steps to safeguard our health - for you and your loved ones. I am very vigilant with my cholesterol as a number of my sisters have high cholesterol and there is heart disease in my family so it's something I’m careful about.
"That’s why I was delighted to work with Benecol this Irish Heart Month. It’s a good time for all of us regardless of health or age to check in with ourselves and take whatever steps needed for a healthier, happier heart. Whatever step you choose to take to ‘Fill Your Heart’ - checking your cholesterol level or getting out for a walk. Make an intention, visit fillyourheart.ie to get involved."
Benecol’s Laura O’Connell, Marketing Manager, Raisio Group added: "We are all small steps away from a happier, healthier heart. Whether it’s taking some time for mindfulness, making a healthy meal from scratch, or getting out for a walk and some time for yourself - our Fill Your Heart campaign invites you to carve out an intention for yourself.
"We fill our days filling the fridge, the car, the lunch boxes that sometimes we just need a little nudge and a little community to take better care of ourselves - and that’s what Benecol wants to do this Irish Heart Month. Whether you need to actively manage your cholesterol or not - make a pledge towards a happier and healthier heart. Every pledge brings us a step closer to filling Benecol’s heart, when we will fulfil our pledge of donating €5,000 to Croi."
To make a pledge to ‘Fill Your Heart’ visit fillyourheart.ie to get involved, and take a step closer to a happier, healthier heart. For inspiration & motivation visit @benecol_ie on Instagram or @Benecol.Ie on Facebook #FillYourHeart
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