6 Signs and Symptoms of Burnout

When you think about burnout, you might imagine someone who is extremely exhausted, sitting on the couch at the end of a long and stressful work week. But work-related stress isn’t the only source of burnout. Non-Work-related stress can also cause burnout and manifest itself in less evident ways. People facing burnout usually grow a sense of feeling physically and mentally unwell and they often find it difficult to cope with the challenges of everyday life. So, how do you know if you're burned out or not?

Here are 6 common signs of burnout:

1. Lots of Pessimism

Someone who is experiencing burnout may take a critical and negative attitude toward not just the source of their burnout (work or other stress), but also the world around them. This may lead them to be more irritated at work and have a bad attitude toward clients. They may feel irritated, apathetic, or as if their actions have no purpose or significance.


In the most severe cases of burnout, a person may start to doubt whether or not life is worth living.


Recommended Book: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

2. Insomnia

When people are dealing with burnout, they tend to get less restful sleep. In a recent study, the researchers discovered that "insufficient sleep" (less than 6 hours each night) was the primary determinant of clinical burnout. Although "work demands" and "work thoughts during leisure time" both led to burnout, sleep loss had a greater impact. Other studies have backed the strong relationship between sleep loss and burnout. For example, we now know that insomnia promotes the development and worsening of burnout in a recursive manner, and vice versa.

3. Weight gain

Weight gain is also linked to burnout. Chronic stress induces the release of the hormone cortisol, which causes fat cells to be stored in the body, especially in the abdominal area. 


Burnout, according to research, leads to harmful habits that promote weight gain. People who are suffering from burnout are more prone to indulge in emotional eating, eating continuously, choosing high-fat meals, and ignoring physical activity.

4. Isolation

Burnout can lead to depression, which can lead to social isolation, which can lead to even more depression, and so on, and thus begins a vicious cycle. When people get burned out, they become ashamed of their work and start to distance themselves from others, reducing the number of social interactions they have. Therefore, there is a strong link between feeling lonely and burnout: the more exhausted people are, the more lonely they feel.


Recommended Book: Burnout and Self-Care in Social Work: A Guidebook for Students and Those in Mental Health and Related Professions

5. Increased drinking

According to research, when burnout is severe, alcoholism and drug addiction become highly connected. As people burn out with no sign of relief in sight, a large percentage of them will act out in an attempt to feel better. Many people turn to alcohol, some to illegal or prescribed drugs, and still others to a variety of other self-destructive activities.

6. Getting Worse at Your Job

As you might think, this lack of interest in daily tasks leads to poor performance, because burnt-out individuals just don't care enough to do things effectively.


You might experience not just a physical lack of energy, but also an emotional depletion and exhaustion.

Conclusion

Burnout symptoms include physical and mental tiredness, a sense of dread about work, and frequent feelings of skepticism, hostility, or impatience. If you see any of these symptoms, it's time to get professional treatment from a qualified mental health professional. He or she can assist you in developing strategies to avoid burnout and, if required, provide medication or therapy.


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