Burnout – A Rough Place to Be

Burnout is a serious problem - both at home and in the workplace. It is a prolonged state of stress and can leave us feeling depleted and exhausted. It causes an increase in cynical feelings towards family, spouse, work, co-workers, and your boss – it can even lead to ptsd (posttraumatic stress disorder) if not resolved over time, and the intense stress continues.

Mindy Shoss, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida said, “There are many potential causes of

burnout at work -  excessive workload, low level of support, incapable coworkers, lack of recognition, and toxic/unfair work environment.”

Family burnout comes from constant chaos, pain, continual conflict, and not being heard.

Burnout from chronic stress has symptoms similar to depression, and can also include:

·         emotional and mental exhaustion

·         irritability/impatience

·         psychological distance from family/job/cynicism

·         anxiety

·         constant fatigue; even after sleep

·         Spouse/Job dissatisfaction

·         Psychological distress

·         Physical distress; heart issues, wight loss/gain, headaches, pain

Additionally, burnout may impair:

·         short-term memory

·         attention

·         cognitive processes essential for daily life activities (Gavelin et al., 2022).

Possible causes of job and family burnout

• Life Stressors: Not living in a loving environment. Living with an abuser. Financial hardship, relationship difficulties, parental stress. No one to talk to and feel heard/cared about. No help with life’s responsibilities.

• Conflicts with others. Maybe you work with an office bully. Or you feel that co-workers are against you/not pulling their own weight. Or your boss is too involved with your work. These conflicts can add to job stress. Again, not feeling seen, heard, or respected.

• You are an introvert. Too much stimulation for too long.

• Being a people-pleaser – inability to say no (even if it is natural consequence of their own behavior – burnout comes from this quite often!)

• Work-life balance (I know, WAY OVER-USED term, but true!)

What can we do about it?

Reach out and get support:

·         Therapy can be of great help sorting through the stress

·         Discover options

·         Process trauma

·         Learn communication/coping skills.

·         Have someone to really hear you/see you/believe in you

·         Identify what is happening

There are ways to overcome burnout and protect your health.