The Relationship Between Trauma and Burnout

What Is Burnout?

‘Burnout’ is a term commonly used to describe a range of symptoms that occur in the context of chronic stress and exhaustion. 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.

What Does Burnout Feel Like?

In many ways, the word ‘exhaustion’ fails to capture the severity of burnout. It’s feeling completely empty with nothing left to give.

Burnout is a gradual process. It usually occurs accumulatively over time with symptoms 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 signs and symptoms 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

Burnout can also lead to other conditions such as depression, anxiety, and physical health issues.

Trauma and Burnout – What’s the Connection?

There are two main threads connecting burnout and trauma. Let’s explore them together.

1. Chronic Exposure to Trauma Can Lead to Burnout

Sometimes, burnout can be a direct consequence of a series of traumatic events. This is often seen in occupational roles where there are high levels of exposure to trauma. For example, in professions like social work, healthcare, blue lights services, and the military.

In these roles, some people are exposed to trauma directly while others are exposed to secondary or vicarious trauma. This means they don’t experience the traumatic event themselves but they’re working closely with people who did. Often, people who work within these caring professions are also naturally empathetic. It’s not unusual for them to take on and absorb other people’s pain quite readily. Personally, I have worked with lots of therapists over the years who have been deeply affected by the terrible things their clients have suffered. Read Burnout – What Therapists Need to Know for more on this.

Many of these occupations are also incredibly demanding with intense schedules and lots of pressure to perform. Working long hours can mean all someone sees of the world is the bad stuff they’re exposed to through their job. Doing this for many years without taking care of yourself, and without periods of rest, can lead to all sorts of problems, including burnout, depression, anxiety.

2. A History of Trauma Can Make You More Prone to Burnout

There is a wealth of evidence that suggests people who have been exposed to trauma in their early years are more likely to suffer from burnout later in life.

Experiencing trauma can impact how we cope with other distressing, upsetting things. It affects us in lots of different areas including:

• Our Physiology 

A person who has been exposed to high levels of trauma will have a highly activated nervous system – the brain and the body’s emotional regulation system that is designed to respond to threat and keep us safe.

This system is incredibly important and helpful. When we experience trauma, it has a very specific protective role, but living with a highly activated nervous system for a long time can leave people feeling on edge, irritable, and exhausted. Existing in a constant state of high alert means you’re more likely to become burnt out quickly under stress.

• Our Emotional Regulation 

When we experience trauma, some of the changes that take place in the brain impact how we manage and respond to difficult emotions.

Many forms of childhood trauma impact a child’s ability to learn key emotional regulation skills. For example, to cope with difficult emotions during a traumatic event, a child may shut down and suppress painful feelings. Later in life, dealing with difficult emotions, particularly during stressful times, can easily overwhelm their ability to cope.

• Our Belief Systems and Behaviours 

Traumatic experiences often leave people with negative thoughts about themselves and other people which can affect how they interact in the world.

Our belief system shapes our personality and character. We can also develop good and bad habits based on our belief system. For example, if somebody believes they are not good enough, they might overwork and overcommit themselves in a bid to counteract this feeling. As we all know, overcommitting and constant striving can leave people vulnerable to burnout.

Get the Help You Need

If someone is in an acute state of burnout, therapy can help them recover. It can also be a useful tool for identifying the root causes of burnout and unlearning the unhealthy patterns that can make someone more susceptible in the first place.

If you’re struggling with the fallout of trauma and you’d like an expert to help you heal and recover, please get in touch. Alternatively, subscribe to The Trauma Toolbox to receive my insights and tips straight to your inbox every month. I also share lots of mental health education via Instagram.