What is Burnout?
Burnout is not a specific psychiatric diagnosis (although one diagnostic manual does refer to ‘occupational burnout’ in the context of work-related stress). It’s a term commonly used to describe a range of symptoms that occur in the context of chronic stress and exhaustion.
To be clear, burnout is not the stress itself – it’s the exhaustion that results from carrying chronic stress and feeling unable to do anything about it. It can be physical, emotional or psychological exhaustion, or a combination of all three.
To be honest, I’m not sure the word ‘exhaustion’ fully captures the severity of burnout. It’s feeling completely empty with nothing left to give. It’s like burning a match where the flame consumes more and more of the wood until eventually there’s nothing left. It’s like running down the battery on a car or using every last drop of petrol in the tank. Burnout can also lead to other conditions such as depression, anxiety, and physical health issues.
What Causes Burnout?
People commonly associate burnout with work-related stress, but it can also happen in other areas such as relationships and parenting. In fact, it can occur anywhere there’s potential for us to become burdened and highly stressed, especially in situations we can’t really remove ourselves from.
Some people are more prone to burnout than others. For example, if somebody has high standards for themselves, a tendency to overcommit, or a heightened sense of responsibility, they are more likely to find themselves in a situation where they become burnt out. Some people might fall into patterns of burnout where they recover from one episode and then just tumble back into the same behaviour that got them there in the first place.
Signs and Symptoms to Look Out For
Burnout is a gradual process. It usually occurs over time with symptoms slowly getting worse and worse. This, coupled with a sense of being unable to change things or escape the situation, is what leads to burnout. Here are a few things to look out for:
· Tiredness and exhaustion
· Difficulty concentrating
· Changes to sleep and appetite
· Feeling irritable
· Low energy
· Recurrent physical illness and/or feeling rundown
· Reduced motivation
· A negative or defeatist outlook
· Feeling pessimistic
· Apathy
· Feeling powerless
Therapists can also find themselves experiencing a degree of compassion fatigue when they’re heading for burnout. This means the level of deep empathy you would normally have for clients and colleagues is not fully accessible. This can impact how we perform and feel about our therapeutic work.
How to Protect Yourself from Burnout as a Therapist
As therapists, protecting ourselves from burnout must be an ongoing process.
It’s important to be aware of any unhealthy patterns we have that may leave us vulnerable to burnout. For example, taking on too much responsibility, overcommitting or struggling to enforce boundaries. We also need to be aware of how our capacity for stress can change through different seasons of our life. For example, if we’re dealing with physical health issues or facing increased caring responsibilities, we may need to take additional steps to reduce the risk of burnout.
We should try to be aware of what the early signs of burnout look like for us. For me, it’s being grumpy and feeling like I’m always in a rush. This is usually a sign I need to reevaluate and make some changes. If we do notice any signs of burnout, we need to act fast and do something about them before it begins to feel impossible. The more we try to keep going, the more burnt out we become, so pausing to take stock and make changes is vital.
I also believe it’s important for therapists to have some balance in their role. It’s not always easy, especially in certain organisations, but I’ve found I can prevent burnout by working in different ways on different things. Sometimes I’m supporting clients, sometimes I’m providing supervision, sometimes I’m training other therapists, and sometimes I’m working on my business.
Finally, if someone is in an acute state of burnout, therapy can help them recover. It can also be a useful tool for identifying and unlearning the unhealthy patterns of behaviour that can make someone more susceptible to burnout in the first place.
Recurrent Burnout
Recovery from burnout is possible, but if it’s something you’ve experienced more than once, it may be a sign you need to make some serious changes in your life. I’ve seen too many people recover from burnout by taking time off, then returning to the exact same set of circumstances that got them there in the first place. This simply isn’t sustainable. It’s important to recognise our limits and build a life that doesn’t require us to exceed them. After all
we’re humans, not robots.
About Shelley
I am a qualified, trauma informed Clinical Supervisor with experience supporting individuals, groups and trainees. I’m also an EMDR Consultant and Training Facilitator, a BABCP accredited CBT therapist and lecturer and a RN(MH). My supervision style is relaxed, supportive and focussed on providing a safe space to learn and share knowledge. Learn more about my services here and please get in touch to discuss working with me.
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