burnout

Many people don’t recognize burnout

You hear it a lot: people suffering from so much stress that it leads to burnout. Oftentimes, people don’t recognize the symptoms on time and by then it’s too late. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the symptoms; you’ll know whether you run the risk of burning out and when to take it easy.

Long-term stress is the most common cause of burnout.

Stress

It doesn’t matter where the stress is coming from. Perhaps it’s work-related or it has something to do with personal problems, like money trouble. If you’re suffering from long-term stress, chances are this’ll lead to you burning out. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who don’t recognize the symptoms, which causes things to progress from bad to worse.

Personality

Some people will burn out more quickly than others, so it also has to do with your personality. People who have trouble with saying ‘no’, asking for help or expressing their feelings are particularly at risk. The same goes for perfectionists, hard workers and people who are very passionate about their work.

Criteria

The diagnosis ‘burnout’ is based on four criteria. Do you recognize them?

You suffer from three of the following afflictions: having trouble sleeping, fatigue, irritability, feeling emotional, worrying, feeling rushed, bad concentration and forgetfulness
You feel powerless and you don’t see a way out of your problems. It feels as if you’re losing grip.
One of the important things in your life is put on the back burner. These could be things like being a good mother, employee or partner.
You don’t have a psychiatric condition, like a depression.

Do you recognize yourself in these symptoms? Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your GP to discuss it!

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