Many people talk about feeling “burned out” which is understandable since it feels like there are never-ending demands on our time. Many of us are forced to rush through our days, taking care of everyone’s needs without time for considering our own, let alone get sufficient time for rest, fun, or reflection.  

However, Burnout is more than just being extremely busy at work and at home. It is a chronic state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that can affect your career, relationships, and overall wellbeing. 

In 2019, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) officially recognized Burnout in the context of one’s work life and defined burnout as a “syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” The WHO describes burnout as requiring the following three experiences:

• Energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased “mental distance” from one’s job or feelings of “negativism or cynicism” related to one’s job; and
• Reduced professional efficacy

While burnout is both a common and serious mental health concern, it is not classified as a diagnosis in the DSM (like anxiety or depression) and as such, many mental health therapists are not qualified to treat it. Burnout is a real and growing concern for many people working in demanding careers, but the surface-level stress management techniques and other mental health approaches are often not successful. It is important to find a therapist who understands the deeper roots of burnout so that you can receive proper treatment. While Burnout can have overlapping symptoms with depression, it is different. Similarly, while feeling burned out can be anxiety-inducing or one can have anxiety and experience burnout simultaneously, burnout requires a unique therapeutic approach.

High-achieving professionals are at risk of burnout because many found at an early age that performing well would keep them safe in some way. For example, there can be emotional safety in fitting in or receiving praise or recognition through achievement. The adult professional may have been achieving academically, athletically, or professionally for decades until they don’t feel like themselves, not realizing burnout has begun. If you have been disconnecting from parts of yourself in order to meet intense demands at work and in life, you may miss some of the initial burnout cues: a decrease in energy, less enjoyment in your work or personal hobbies, an increase in irritability, etc. 

High-performers are too good at “pushing through.” While being a high-functioning person is a benefit much of the time, it is a detriment when someone is near or in a state of burnout. You should not push through burnout as healing from burnout requires you to stop and acknowledge it versus shove it down or push it aside. If you are experiencing burnout, one of the many ways therapy can help is by creating a dedicated space to stop, slow down, and have a space to notice and reflect on what is actually happening within yourself and your environment. People who are wired to get it all done and get it all done well do not typically slow down enough to do the necessary listening and reflecting on their needs and desires.

Therapy with a trusted expert in burnout and the unconscious patterns impacting high-achievers can be transformative. Strategic Wellness Therapy specializes in offering  individually-tailored therapeutic approaches for those who are high-achieving or high-performing. You can learn to manage work and personal stress differently so that you can recover from burnout and live the life that is important to you.