What is burnout syndrome and what can you do if you feel completely burnt out and exhausted? If you're looking for answers to these questions, you've come to the right place! You may also feel tired every day; work, everyday life and leisure time stress you out and somehow it's all too much for you. If so, these are clear signs of burnout syndrome, which is a common consequence of constant stress and overload in your professional or private life.
But you are not alone with these stressful symptoms. At least 4.2 percent of adults in Germany suffer from it.₁ And around 60 percent of Germans feel threatened by burnout.₂ Fortunately, there are ways and means to do something about mental exhaustion.
In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about burnout. From the definition, to the most common symptoms and causes, to prevention and successful treatment. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
Notice: This article is not a substitute for medical advice, but merely provides general information about burnout syndrome. Please consult your doctor if you feel unwell to prevent health problems with medical care.
Definition: What is Burnout actually?
To date, there is no generally accepted definition of burnout. Not least because there is no consensus on its causes. However, it is generally understood to mean Permanent feeling of emotional exhaustionoverload, dejection, dissatisfaction and inner emptiness. Those affected often complain about a lack of support, little room for maneuver and a lack of recognition.
The term burnout translates as "burning out" or "being burnt out" and goes back to the US psychologist Herbert Freudenberger back. He felt burnt out while volunteering in a clinic and published his observations in a psychological journal in 1974.
In the years that followed, burnout became known primarily as a phenomenon in the care professions and mainly affected people who were highly committed to their profession and really exhausted themselves in the process. Since the early 1990s, burnout has been officially recognized as an additional diagnosis, but not as a disease requiring treatment.
Symptoms: How do you recognize burnout?
Burnout does not occur suddenly and overnight, but sometimes develops over many years. Herbert Freudenberger formulated a twelve-phase model for this back in the 1970s.
It begins with perfectionist traits and exaggerated ambition - those affected neglect their own needs in favor of others. As the symptoms progress, many observe a feeling of Hopelessness and resignation, Daily tasks become a burden, motivation and commitment are lost. Ultimately, this leads to a state of complete physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.
If you experience one or more of the following symptoms, these may be Signs of incipient or advanced burnout be
- Dejection: You are often depressed for no apparent reason, no longer feel joy, not even in things that were once your passion.
- Restlessness: Although you are constantly tired, you hardly get any rest and have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
- Performance Breakdown: You do a lot at work, overtime is the order of the day, but your performance drops and you find it harder to concentrate.
- Fears and worries: You suffer from panic attacks and/or anxiety disorders.
- Physical complaints: Headaches, palpitations, gastrointestinal irritation and breathing problems are becoming increasingly common.
Occasional stressful phases are not yet burnout
The signs mentioned may or may not indicate burnout. It is therefore best to consult your doctorin order to rule out organic causes and to determine possibilities for successful treatment.
To prevent the worst from happening, it is generally advisable, to react and counteract already at the first signs of burnout. In mild cases, meditation and relaxation techniques can already help. Accompanied courses also motivate people to stay on the ball, such as this online offer from HelloBetter.
Regular periods of rest, sufficient sleep and Mindfulness The right attitude towards yourself can also help to prevent burnout from occurring in the first place.
How do the symptoms of burnout differ from those of depression?
Listless, constantly tired and exhausted, feelings of emptiness and hopelessness: Many signs of depression overlap with those of burnout. From a clinical point of view, burnout syndrome is not diagnosed as a single diagnosis, but as an additional diagnosis, for example in addition to depression.
Important: If you suffer from burnout, this does not necessarily mean that you will also be diagnosed with depression. The same applies vice versa: not everyone suffering from depression is burnt out in the symptomatic sense.
The The main differentiator between burnout and depression is the identifiable causes. While these are not always clear in the case of depression and a depressive clinical picture can develop even without any external influences, it is possible to identify usually clearly define where exhaustion and hopelessness come from in the case of burnout.
Causes: What can trigger burnout?
Burnout can affect anyoneregardless of their professional and private situation or job status. The causes are as varied as the people they affect.
Burnout is often the Result of various personal and external influencing factors. These may include the following:
- Overload due to high, practically unfulfillable demands in the professional environment and enormous pressure to perform.
- Expectations too high due to taking on great responsibility in the job or in the private sphere.
- High number of tasks and an excessively high proportion of everyday routine activities, with a simultaneous lack of support from third parties.
- Loss of control and a lack of options to influence their own activities or daily routine.
- Poor working atmosphereunclear hierarchies, conflicts with superiors and colleagues.
- Big worries about the job, the salary or the housing situation in the future.
- …
Your own personality and events also play a major role
The causes of burnout can also be rooted in personal characteristics and go back to childhood. People who high demands on themselves and their performance have perfectionist are, at the same time, a rather Low self-confidence have and conflict averse are very often affected by burnout.
The influence that changes and major life events can have on the development of burnout should not be underestimated. Private setbacks and strokes of fate for example, are also often a factor in the development of burnout symptoms.
Furthermore even joyful experiencesThe birth of a child, a university degree or a promotion can also be a trigger for burnout.
Why is that the case? Most people associate changes like these with certain expectations. More job satisfaction, a new purpose in life, the big, wide world waiting for you - the Hopes are often high. If they are disappointedFor example, because the new job is more demanding than expected or you feel overwhelmed as a young mother or father, resignation follows - and the risk of burnout increases.
How can exhaustion be prevented? Strategies for burnout prevention
Stressful times get out of hand, you work countless hours of overtime, but there is no recognition for it, family and friends offer little support. Scenarios like these have a clear potential for burnout. To counteract this, timely action is required.
It applies, to become more relaxedto rest regularly, to have a healthy work-life balance to be mindful of one's own strengths and to take time for yourselfto do something good for you, too. Which measures support you, for exampleI would like to show you here.
Sporting activity
Staying in motion relaxes your body and mind, lets you feel your body again, provides a Stress balance and has a positive effect on your blood pressure.
Simply do without targets and free yourself from expectations. Instead, focus on the fun of it all and look for a sport that you simply enjoy.
Sufficient sleep
Cells regenerate during the night, including in the brain. A good night's sleep promotes your mental regeneration and also increases your resilience for the day as a result. If possible, always go to bed at the same time and try to sleep for at least eight hours. A power nap during the day can also Maintain energy.
Tip: How you basically sleep better and you a healthy bedroom furnishings I will explain how to do this in the linked blog articles.
Time for family and friends
A balanced social life is an important cornerstone in preventing impending burnout. It needs people you can confide inwith whom you regularly spend time and whose support you can always count on. Maintain your contacts. For example, make regular appointments with friends to pursue hobbies together.
Balanced and healthy diet
Quick snacks at your desk or ToGo should be crossed off your dinner list. Instead, for example, take time at least once a day to prepare a meal with fresh, healthy, plant-based ingredients to help you calm down. This is good for your body - and good for your eyes too.
Situation analysis
In order not to fall into old, problematic habitsyou should also always analyze your current situation (e.g. lifestyle and stress) to prevent the risk of burnout.
What is my current screen timeHow much sleep do I get, how many steps do I take during the day and how healthy is my current diet? What makes me feel stressed, do I find it difficult to say no? These are Questions that you should ask yourself regularly and answer honestlyin order to be able to counteract possible complete exhaustion at any time.
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Umbrella of happiness14 € -
Positive thinking25 € -
6 minutes diary25 €
Calmness and mindfulness
Take a few minutes out several times a day to consciously breathe and feel inside yourself. Incorporate beneficial rituals into your everyday life. Sauna sessions, yoga sessions or meditation are just as beautiful, calming and balancing examples as the daily Walk in the forest or in the park.
Just 15 minutes a day is enoughto effectively lower your pulse and blood pressure and raise your spirits. It is especially the Staying in nature, which is so good for us humans - and which serves to prevent burnout.
Tip: The Reading books is known to have many advantages. Among other things, that you can really relax and find time for yourself.
Treating burnout - What to do when you feel completely burnt out and exhausted?
Once the state of total exhaustion has arrived, many sufferers are no longer able to help themselves. This is when professional support is needed at the latest.
There are no standard solutions that work for everyone affected. Therapists and patients therefore work together to develop an individual program that takes you back step by step. into self-determination and mindfulness.
Possible ways to achieve this can be found in the Strengthening self-confidence or lie in learning to use the to perceive your own feelings more clearly and to set limits for themselves. The exchange with other affected persons in the context of self-help groups can also help.
Do you suspect you are suffering from burnout? In this case, you should first speak to your GP in order to treat the feeling of depression, excessive demands and exhaustion effectively and successfully.
Burnout is a serious but solvable problem
Both men and women, young and old, suffer from burnout syndrome. Burnout can affect anyone, across all social classes and professions. If you recognize the first symptoms, you should not hesitate to take action.
"Health is not everything, but without health, everything is nothing."
Arthur Schopenhauer (more at Health Quotes)
Gentle methods, such as calming meditation or balancing sport, can already a large, positive effect have. In therapy, however, you will get to the bottom of the causes much more deeply and develop strategies to deal better with stress and pressure. With the individual methods tailored to you, the exhaustion syndrome can ultimately be alleviated so that you can feel better. feel able to cope with everyday life again.
I very much hope that I have been able to help you with this article on burnout. Do you have any questions, suggestions, tips or your own experiences of feeling completely exhausted that you would like to share? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay healthy,
PS: Also about how you can help a escape the carousel of thoughts, find inner peace and your Lower stress levelsI have written detailed articles about each of them. Please take a look!
References:
₁ Robert Koch Institute (RKI): Prevalence of burnout in Germany by gender, age and social status in 2012 (as at: 14.06.2012), available at https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/233475/umfrage/praevalenz-von-burn-out-nach-geschlecht-alter-und-sozialem-status. [08.07.2023].
₂ Deutsches Ärzteblatt: Every second person feels threatened by burnout (as of 09.04.2018), available at https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/92312/Jeder-Zweite-fuehlt-sich-von-Burnout-bedroht. [08.07.2023].
