Burnout

What Is Burnout?

Burnout refers to a state of mental, emotional, and/or physical exhaustion that is caused by prolonged and excessive stress related to educational, work, family, or other social responsibilities. This may occur due to a variety of factors, including excessive workload or responsibilities, inadequate resources or support, poor work-life balance, perfectionism, working in a hostile environment, feeling powerless to influence decisions made at work, lack of recognition or positive reinforcement for achievements, or personal stressors such as financial issues or family conflicts.

Signs of burnout include:

  • Feeling drained or overwhelmed

  • Lack of energy and motivation

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, gastrointestinal issues, increased susceptibility to illness)

  • Difficulty making decisions, concentrating, or remembering things

  • Reduced productivity

  • Doubting own abilities

  • Lacking a sense of achievement or satisfaction from your work

  • Feeling detached or developing a negative attitude towards work and relationships

  • Social withdrawal

How Is Burnout A Problem?

Burnout can lead to decreased motivation, lower productivity, feelings of helplessness, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment. This can affect an individual’s performance at work or school, result in neglect of responsibilities, and negatively impact their mental well-being. Burnout can often look a lot like depression, as the chronic fatigue and exhaustion may lead to lack of energy to participate in hobbies or activities one usually enjoys. It can also lead to strained relationships and isolation if you’re constantly too tired to socialize or interact with others.

How Do We Treat Burnout?

Therapy can be helpful for addressing unhealthy thought patterns, such as perfectionism and unrealistic expectations of oneself, that lead to overworking and burnout, as well as developing strategies to prevent and manage burnout. For example, learning how to say no and setting clear boundaries is essential to ensure that you are not being overworked or given too many responsibilities that would be stressful to manage simultaneously. If possible, asking for help and sharing some of your responsibilities with others can make them more manageable instead of shouldering them alone.

It is also important to maintain a healthy work-life balance by scheduling regular breaks to rest and recharge. Setting aside time to engage in hobbies and leisurely activities and to spend quality time with loved ones can also help strengthen relationships and social support.

The Burnout Treatment Team