Have you ever wondered why you are experiencing a season of depression or anxiety? Mental health conditions like these tend to come and go throughout people’s lives, although they may always be lingering in the background. Some days the volume is turned up higher than others.
Among the many things that can cause flares in mental health conditions you may be living with, burn-out is one of them.
What Is Burnout?
If you are human, you have probably experienced burnout before. Burnout is a state of feeling emotionally and physically depleted due to prolonged periods of excessive work and life-related stress. You may experience things such as compassion fatigue, feelings of cynicism, or a reduced ability to operate at your full capacity. Burnout can trigger or exaggerate already existing conditions such as anxiety and depression. Many symptoms of burnout can mimic symptoms of these disorders, which can make it tricky to discern between the two.
The Relationship Between Burnout, Anxiety, and Depression
Due to the nature of burnout, symptoms can manifest themselves in:
- Exhaustion
- Depression
- Irritability
- Decreased motivation
- Trouble sleeping and concentrating
- Brain fog
- Decreased pleasure in doing once enjoyed things
While burnout and depression are not the same, research shows there is an overlap in the symptoms of the two. Because burnout is so common, it is important to learn what your limits are, what symptoms show you are on the verge of burnout, and how to practice radical self-care.
How to Prevent Burnout
Although you may not be able to prevent burnout entirely, there are many things you can do to minimize your chances of experiencing it. This could look like reflecting on your window of tolerance, regarding how much you can manage without it leading to chronic stress. It could also look like setting boundaries around work and other obligations in life that you know can trigger stress for you.
Practicing self-care can be helpful too. Self-care encompasses the way you work, your relationships with others and yourself, expectations for yourself, self-compassion, and asking yourself what you need. This is important to do even when putting yourself first feels challenging.
The best way to recover from burnout is to prevent it altogether. Protect your time and energy by learning to say no to some things, setting limits for others, and knowing how much of yourself you can give before you need a break.
Burnout is an experience that impacts many individuals and can get in the way of experiencing a full recovery from substance use and mental illness. When you do not have the energy to put into your recovery, it becomes harder. At Avalon Malibu, we support you in your recovery and can help you find ways to cope with stress to reduce burnout. Our team of professionals is here to support you as you learn what this means for you. Call Avalon Malibu today at (844) 857-5992.
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