How can people recover from burnout?

Burnout, which can be defined as one eventually reaching a level of exhaustion and breakdown as a result of living a high-paced, chaotic life for a prolonged period of time, can detrimentally affect all aspects of an individual’s life.

In this article, Dr Hana Patel, a highly revered London-based general practitioner, provides an overview of the different kinds of burnout, and tells us how one can recover from it.

What is emotional and professional burnout?

Emotional burnout refers to when people suffer from stress to such a level that it can affect our mood, our body, and our relationships, especially when it feels out of our control. This can make us feel anxious and irritable, and can affect our self-esteem.

Professional burnout, meanwhile, is recognised as a mental health disorder, caused by unmanageable stress at work. As with all health conditions, burnout can affect some people more than others.

Is burnout classified as a mental health issue? Is it a form of depression?

Experiencing stress over a long period of time can also lead to a feeling of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, often called burnout. Unfortunately, people with burnout can also have a low sense of self-worth, and can have thoughts of self-harm or suicide.  

What are the signs or symptoms of burnout?

Signs of burnout include a sense of feeling tired, helpless, and detached most of the time. People can feel overwhelmed, take longer to complete tasks, and typically have a generally negative outlook on life.

How can people recover from burnout?

Treating burnout can be a long process, involving changes at work, support from friends and family, changing work-life balance, diet and exercise. People can change their response to events and situations which will make them feel better, even without their work environment changing. 

If you feel like you are currently suffering from burnout, make sure to contact Dr Hana Patel today via her Top Doctors profile today.