Many people think of burnout as simply being incredibly tired after a long week or month of work or school studies. But burnout is much more than a physical exhaustion; it is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Burnout can lead to feelings of hopelessness and result in decreasing drive to get things done.
What causes burnout?
Burnout is commonly thought of in the context of work, however, burnout can be related to parenting, caretaking or romantic relationships. Burnout typically occurs when people feel that the tasks they have to perform or the rate at which they have to perform them is out of their control or when there is an accumulation of stressors that overwhelm a person’s ability to cope.
What are the signs of burnout?
Pessimism & Apathy
Pessimism is a major red flag that someone is experiencing burnout. And they won’t just feel pessimistic about whatever it is that is causing them big stress (job, school, relationship), they will feel pessimistic and apathetic about life and the world at large.
Sleep Issues
Burnout makes it incredibly hard to get a good night’s rest. Either a person finds it hard to fall asleep, lying there wide awake for hours, or they fall asleep but then wake up throughout the night. When we don’t get enough quality sleep, it makes it difficult to cope with stress, which makes it hard to sleep, and the vicious cycle continues.
Sudden Physical Ailments
A major sign of burnout is suddenly experiencing physical symptoms that you never have before. For instance, many of my clients, with no prior history of GI upset or headaches, will begin to have chronic issues.
Is it Time to Speak with Someone?
Burnout shouldn’t be taken lightly. You shouldn’t try to ‘tough it out’ and get on with things. Now is the time to make your mental health a priority. If you would like to speak with someone about what has been bothering you, please reach out. I specialize in helping people cope more effectively with stress, burnout, feelings of overwhelm and anxiety,
Sources:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/burnout/unusual-signs-of-burnout/
https://positivepsychology.com/burnout/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout