By Staff
Imagine you are running with a group of people. Keeping up with them challenges you, but is manageable. Imagine that one exhausting day, you find yourself slowing down. Maybe it was extenuating circumstances or a stressor unrelated to running that caused your exhaustion; nevertheless, your running is impacted. The group keeps running, and you are left behind. When you take a minute to catch your breath, you catch a glimpse of the group. They are so far ahead, you think. To catch up, I’d need to run twice as fast as I usually do. This leaves you feeling unmotivated to get back to running, and instead stuck in your exhaustion. The longer you ponder this, the worse the feeling gets.
The situation described above represents burnout. No matter what aspect of your life causes it, it can feel like you are unable to chase down the person you normally are–the progress, productivity, and goals–while you’re so exhausted. But what exactly is burnout?
According to professors of psychology Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter, burnout is “a psychological syndrome described as a self-reported state of care- or work-related physical and mental stress.” It is widely recognized as containing three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a low sense of personal accomplishment. In addition, burnout describes someone’s energy being completely expended; philosopher of education Doris A. Santoro explains that burnout is when one is “pushed to the brink of exhaustion and are entirely depleted.”
Burnout can have many negative consequences, especially in causing or exacerbating mental health issues. According to University of Utah Health, burnout “creates a vicious cycle of working harder to fix the situation, which contributes to exhaustion, withdrawal, depression, and anxiety, often leading people to rely on substances like alcohol or drugs to cope.” In addition to creating anxiety and depression cycles, the article notes that cynicism, difficulty finding pleasure in day-to-day activities, and difficulty separating work and personal life as other prominent symptoms.
With the threats burnout poses to anyone experiencing it, it is vital to understand how to mitigate these feelings. Luckily, there are a variety of techniques and resources available. Some of the most commonly cited coping strategies are taking time for self-care, identifying stressors, getting physical activity, and creating balance in life.
The emotional and cognitive depletion that comes with burnout is often a result of the fight-or-flight response that activates the amygdala, which is the part of the brain that detects danger. According to mindfulness expert Leah Weiss, thinking primarily with the amygdala instead of the prefrontal cortex can make it hard to draw conclusions, make informed decisions, and remember things. Therefore, finding a way to regulate yourself to get out of the constant fight-or-flight state is vital so the mind and body do not get burnt out by constantly being on guard for a disaster. Some commonly cited ways to do this are to find a temperature change, such as holding ice, exercise, and pace your breathing. All of these activities focus on new physical sensations, which are used in dialectical behavioral therapy to help people tolerate distress, according to the Manhattan Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Overall, because burnout is caused by chronic stress, it is important to get rest, keep up with social activities and physical activity, and to maintain healthy habits. Although the exhaustion makes it hard to do anything, getting out of the cycle starts with self-care. If you are struggling with burnout, know that you are not alone, and that you can make it through.
beniciapaw.com 