Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. While work-related burnout is most commonly recognized, burnout can also affect other areas of life, such as personal relationships and daily responsibilities. People experiencing burnout symptoms often report feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet the demands placed on them. Individuals navigating burnout may find it difficult to complete once-simple tasks, become easily irritable, or feel short-tempered with others. In more severe cases, burnout can lead to feelings of hopelessness and a loss of motivation. Understanding the causes of burnout and how to recognize its early warning signs is crucial for preventing long-term impacts on your mental health and well-being.

Emotional Signs of Burnout:

• Irritability

• Feeling of Dread (going to work, seeing specific individuals, etc)

• Hopelessness

• Disengaged

• Lack of Motivation

• Avoidance

• Social Withdrawal

• Negative self-talk

• and more

Physical Signs of Burnout:

• Sleep Disturbance

• Muscle Tension

• Low Energy

• Headaches/Migraines

• Changes in Appetite

• Reduced performance/productivity

• Fatigue

• Difficulty Concentrating

• and more

Stress vs Burnout

Many people confuse burnout with stress, but while they share similarities, they have distinct differences. Stress is often experienced as having too much on your plate, feeling pressure, or dealing with anxiety. While individuals with burnout can also experience stress, burnout is more commonly associated with feelings of emptiness, low energy, and a lack of motivation or hope. It's easy to confuse the two and think that simply "pushing through" will help, especially since most people have dealt with stress before. However, continuing to push through burnout can actually make things worse and intensify feelings of exhaustion. That's why recognizing and labeling burnout symptoms is essential for improving our emotional and mental well-being.

Burnout and Depression

In some cases, burnout can even resemble depression. However, depression is a separate condition that requires its own specific treatment. Left unaddressed, burnout can contribute to feelings of depression, but it’s important to treat both separately to prevent further mental health challenges

The Reality of Burnout

It can be difficult to admit when you're experiencing burnout because it’s often linked to feelings of failure or the belief that you’re incapable of handling life’s stressors. Emotions like shame or embarrassment may accompany burnout, especially when personal or cultural beliefs equate "working hard" with success. However, burnout is more a product of your environment than a reflection of your ability to cope or succeed. More often than not, individuals experiencing burnout are doing their best to manage and survive, but the systems or environments they are in make it challenging to overcome these obstacles.

Like many other mental health challenges, there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to overcoming burnout. The journey toward healing from burnout provides us with an opportunity to better understand ourselves, helping us avoid the same pitfalls we encountered in the past. It allows us to develop effective coping strategies for managing everyday stressors, set clear boundaries with individuals who may push them, and ultimately helps us feel more comfortable and balanced within ourselves.

Ways we help navigate burnout

• Understanding the root cause aka how did we get here?

• Reengaging with our hobbies and our support systems

• Developing coping skills catered to your specific needs

• Challenging internalized self-talk that make it hard to rest and relax

• Focus on self-worth and aid you in feeling better about yourself

• Identifying and redrawing boundaries to best fit your current situation