There has been a lot of buzz around the idea of burnout in recent years, and it's for good reason because many people are going through this very real experience, most without even knowing until it's too late.
I've noticed an uprise in people unknowingly experiencing burnout within the last couple of years. We can blame the pandemic for some of this, as fears, demands, and new transitions overwhelmed us. But it's not only the pandemic that has driven this rise in feeling burnout; many of us have been in a state of survival for years due to different life events, challenges, and traumatic instances. As a therapist specializing in trauma recovery, I have noticed an essential link between people who have adverse experiences, especially early on in their lives, to high levels of burnout. Trauma and burnout are correlated but are different, so let me explain the key differences.
Trauma is perception based, meaning an incident that I went through could be traumatic to my brain, but the same scenario could not be for you. Trauma is sometimes considered a significant damaging incident, like a car accident or an assault, but this is only part of the equation. How I describe trauma to my clients is anything that challenges the brain and nervous system to find coping strategies. These experiences could be subtle; for example, my parent was a worrier and constantly told me to be careful as a child (and maybe as an adult), and this unconsciously taught me that the world is a dangerous place, so now I am anxious and worry about all different things. Worrying about everything makes me feel like I am more prepared for bad things to happen, but the downfall is that I worry about things that I don't need to. Now imagine how much energy this would take in a day, let alone years of my life!
This is where the link between trauma and burnout comes in.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified "Burnout as a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed" (2019). Most of the research in this area has focused on the workplace as the primary source of this burnout. From what I have observed, the workplace is usually where adults start to see their symptoms interfering with their functioning, especially people in very demanding or toxic workplaces. But it doesn't mean that it only happens in the workplace. What's important to focus on is that burnout results from chronic stress that is not adequately managed.
In the book Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking the Stress Cycle (2020) by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D., and Amelia Nagoski, DMA, burnout is defined by three components:
1) Emotional Exhaustion- the fatigue of caring too much for too long
2) Depersonalization- the depletion of caring, compassion, and empathy resulting in disconnection
3) Decreased Sense of Accomplishment- a sense that nothing you do makes any difference
It happens when you need to care, invest, and meet unreasonable demands for too long without effectively filling your tank back up.
So let's look at my example of being a worrier. My anxiety is going off the walls because I have been worrying about every detail of my personal life, education, and job for as long as I can remember. I have a very demanding job and am also dealing with a challenging family life.
Here are 5 signs that I am experiencing burnout:
1) I am extremely emotionally dysregulated
My emotions are out of control. I am crying about small things that wouldn't usually make me cry. I get angry and irritated very quickly. I feel overwhelmed by demands; even walking into the grocery store feels overwhelming because I can't even think of what I want to make for dinner this week. There are too many options, too many people, and too many distractions. I feel overstimulated, hopeless and defeated.
2) I am not as proficient
Suddenly, I can't perform the way I always have. I am making mistakes that I shouldn't be, and I cannot get things done like I used to.
3) I am chronically exhausted
I mean, no amount of sleep is giving me energy. I thought I'd feel better after a week of vacation, but I still feel incredibly exhausted even though I did nothing but relax. My body and head hurt, and I always feel sick.
4) Being social feels overwhelming
The absolute last thing I want to do is socialize with anyone. I ignore friends trying to hang out because I don't have it in me. Oh, and I feel resentful and upset when someone sets up a meeting at work. Just email it!
5) Everything is terrible, and my outlook is cynical
It feels impossible to see the good in anything. I only see the negative in situations, most notably in the world around me. The world feels like it's burning down, so what's the point of anything?
Being "burnt out" is often a tagline to refer to being tired or needing a break. What I am talking about is burnout syndrome. This means being so exhausted that a vacation won't even come close to improving it. Burnout is serious, and if it's untreated for too long, it could, in severe cases, mean you physically cannot get out of bed and mentally cannot manage the most straightforward task. It can take up to 2 years to recover from burnout, so treating it as soon as possible and ensuring you are working to recharge and adequately manage stress to prevent burnout is crucial.
If you think you are experiencing burnout, book a free consultation with my associates or me today so we can get you back to living!
Written by Sarah Ferland MSW, RSW
Citations:
Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International classification of diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved February 03, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
PhD, N. E., & Dma, N. A. (2020). Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Random House Publishing Group.
