how stress and burnout affect your mental health
What is the first thing you think about when you think about stress or burnout?
I picture someone carrying a very heavy load while trying to climb a mountain. Pretty intense right?
What is burnout?
We owe the term to Herbert Freudenberg a practitioner who defined burnout as :
emotional exhaustion, the fatigue that comes from caring too much, for too long
depersonalization- the depletion of empathy, caring, and compassion
decreased sense of accomplishment-an unconquerable sense of futility: feeling that nothing you do makes any difference.
The American Psychological Association has indicated that 3 in 5 employees have experienced stress related to work including lack of interest, energy, or motivation. Certain occupations are more prone to burnout and stress such as teachers and healthcare workers.
Most research centered around burnout point out the emotional aspect. Which some burnout therapists call:” emotional exhaustion”.
Is Burnout the same as depression?
Remember my picture of burnout? There wasn’t anything emotional about it I admit but imagine how you would feel or how that person must feel carrying that load: stress. That’s what emotional exhaustion is. Seeing something, having an emotion (which instantly affects our mood), then experiencing this emotion and mood over and over. In the end, you become stuck.
People who experience burnout have symptoms similar to depression. Yet they function differently from people with depression. For instance, someone with depression may get up early while someone experiencing burnout will have difficulty sleeping.
What causes it?
Burnout is a syndrome caused by stress which tends to take away your energy leaving you feeling depleted and anxious.
Everyone reacts differently to stressors: some feel the need to run (and hide), some get frozen in place by fear, and some feel the need to stay put and fight. Some examples of stressors can be a rigid boss or a promotion.
When we experience stress, research has shown that we are more likely to:
Get irritated
Feel angry
Experience insomnia
Feel out of control
Experience fatigue and exhaustion
Feel sadness
Have the inability to concentrate
Forget things
When we stay stuck in the stress cycle we experience chronic stress, which can lead to other issues such as depression, anxiety, or burnout.
Does this mean you should not experience stressors?
Stressors are part of life and are bound to show up in your lives. Yes, you can be stressed and still live your life.
You can learn how to end the stress and burnout cycle by identifying your emotions and finding ways to cope that work for you.
Remember that everyone is different. What works for your neighbor or coworker may not work for you.
The world promises wellness through yoga classes and green juices.
You can redefine wellness for yourself in a way that is attainable and sustainable. Most importantly wellness is about navigating the different cycles of life and tailoring a plan that keeps you unstuck.
Start burnout therapy in Palm Beach or online in Florida
You don't have to stay stuck in the burnout cycle that is causing emotional exhaustion. You can receive support through burnout therapy at Balanced Mind Counseling. Where a burnout therapist can help you identify your emotions and find the coping skills that work for you.
Follow these steps to get started:
Schedule your first appointment for burnout treatment
Break free from the weight of emotional exhaustion
Other Online Therapy Services we Offer in Florida
Through online therapy, we offer a variety of mental health services throughout Florida. This includes disordered eating treatment as well as eating disorder therapy.
