Have you felt like you have nothing more to give? Burnout happens to everyone at some point or another. 

What Is Burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. Burnout reduces productivity and saps your energy, leaving you increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. 

Types Of Burnout

There are a few different types of burnout. However, some of the most common types of burnout include:

Overload Burnout

This happens when you work harder and harder, becoming frantic in your pursuit of success. If you experience this, you may be willing to risk your health and personal life to feel successful in your job.  

Under-Challenged Burnout

This happens when you feel underappreciated and bored in your job. Maybe your job doesn’t provide learning opportunities or have room for professional growth. If you think under-challenged, you may distance yourself from your job, become cynical, and avoid responsibilities.

Neglect Burnout

This happens when you feel helpless at work. If things aren’t going right, you may believe you’re incompetent or unable to keep up with your responsibilities. Such burnout can be closely connected to imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern in which you doubt your skills, talents, or accomplishments. 

Common Symptoms

Burnout is a gradual process, and it creeps up on you. The signs and symptoms are subtle at first but worsen as time passes. Some of the most common symptoms include: 

Physical Signs and Symptoms

• Feeling tired and drained most of the time
• Lowered immunity, frequent illnesses
• Frequent headaches or muscle pain
• Change in appetite or sleep habits

Emotional Signs and Symptoms

• Sense of failure and self-doubt
• Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated
• Detachment, feeling alone in the world
• Loss of motivation
• An increasingly cynical and negative outlook
• Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment

Behavioral Signs and Symptoms

• Withdrawing from responsibilities
• Isolating yourself from others
• Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done
• Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope
• Take out your frustrations on others
• Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early

Treatments

Once you’ve identified your burnout signs, there are ways to avoid a breakdown. Some great ways you can help treat your burnout include: 

• Talking with your Supervisor
• Get Enough Sleep 
• Exercise Mindfulness
• Try a Relaxing Activity
• Find Support
• Get Moving

Seeking Professional Help | Seneca Health Services

We are passionate about healing our community, and our team is ready to help. 

At Seneca Health Services, we have over 40 years of experience providing behavioral health services throughout southeastern West Virginia. We offer crisis assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every year to assist and support individuals, arrange and coordinate treatment services, and ensure that all of your basic needs are met. 

If you’d like to learn more about our services, contact Seneca Health at 888.SENECA9 or use the link provided. We know it’s hard to take the first step –– let us help.