We hear a lot about Burnout, but what is “Burnout”? The term was coined by the American psychotherapist Herbert Freudenberger in the 70s, to describe the consequences of the high stress that occurs in some professions, especially in those in which we have a role as caregivers, such as in the health area, leading us to feel “exhausted” . However, nowadays the term is applied to other areas of our life, namely in parenting, or even in romantic relationships, not being seen as an exclusive result of work activities.
It must be emphasized that, although on the same spectrum, there are differences between what is stress and what is burnout. Burnout is not the same as a lot of stress and it is more than just a person feeling exhausted.
With stress, for example, usually there’s an over-engagement with activities, whereas in burnout the opposite happens. In fact, some stressful living conditions can trigger several physical and psychological complaints. However, a person who suffers from stress is still able to respond to external pressures, with a perspective that they will feel better after certain efforts. Usually that take us out of our comfort zone. Emotions, for example, when in a state of stress, are usually over-reactive, but in a state of burnout they are usually dull. Someone with stress in general feels more hyperactive, with a sense of urgency. Stress leads to anxiety disorders, while burnout can result in more depersonalization and depression.
In burnout, the person feels exhausted and emotionally exhausted, empty, unmotivated, lacking energy, tired, depressed, without any hope of positive change. This is a response to prolonged and excessive stress. The person also presents physical complaints such as pain, gastrointestinal problems, among others.
There is a deep sense of hopelessness, an emptiness, making life lose its meaning and not worth living. Small tasks, however simple, can become a real burden. Work is seen as increasingly stressful and frustrating, and people can even develop a cynical and resentful attitude towards colleagues and working conditions, marked by a strong emotional distance. Performance, of course, is reduced and its effects begin to extend to other areas of the person’s life. Work is seen as very negative, they feel apathetic and complain because they feel they cannot give more.
Burnout is, therefore, a gradual process, which does not occur overnight, so it is important to be careful not to ignore the symptoms. If we manage to reduce our stress early, we can prevent a supposed “breakdown”. Nevertheless, it is important that it is diagnosed by a professional, because some physical illnesses can also cause exhaustion and tiredness.
On the other hand, some symptoms that are attributed to burnout, can also occur, for example, in depression, such as extreme tiredness, apathy, decreased productivity at work, sadness, etc. The similarity of symptoms can mean that some people are misdiagnosed with burnout when, in fact, they are depressed and this has repercussions also in terms of treatment.
For example, under a wrong diagnosis of burnout, someone may be advised to leave their job, which may even worsen the person’s depressive condition. The need of a correct diagnosis is important, because the type of help is different, namely psychotherapy and pharmacological approach.
The difference lies, above all, in the fact that in depression negative thoughts and feelings are related to all areas of the person’s life, the lack of self-esteem and hopelessness are also notable and the person might have some suicidal thoughts. In burnout, there is rather alienation, especially from work, although, of course, the symptoms of burnout may increase the risk of developing depression. It is clear that there are nuances between what is a picture of burnout and what is a picture of stress and depression, making it necessary to avoid self-diagnosis.
Daniela Ferreira 