Burnout or Anxiety? How Can You Tell the Difference?

Have you been wondering whether you are experiencing burnout, anxiety, stress, or maybe all three? Symptoms like being exhausted all the time, struggling to concentrate, being irritable, sleeping badly, or finding yourself easily overwhelmed can become impossible to ignore, but what is actually going on?

What is burnout?

Burnout is generally associated with prolonged or chronic stress, particularly in relation to work. The World Health Organisation lists it as a phenomenon that results from workplace stress that is not managed, and names characteristics such as exhaustion, increased mental distance, negativity towards work, and reduced effectiveness. Whilst it isn't classified as a mental disorder in itself, it can have a significant impact on mental and physical wellbeing, not just at work, but in our home, social, and relationship lives as well.

Burnout doesn't usually suddenly happen. It is more of a gradual shift, and in retrospect we may notice we became increasingly tired, exhausted even after rest, irritable or emotionally reactive, and might lose concentration and motivation. Decision making may become hard, our minds feel foggy, and there is a sense of running on empty. Over time, this can become our new normal, making it difficult to spot how exhausted and depleted we feel.

How is anxiety different?

Anxiety is also undoubtably exhausting, but there is a greater level of mental activity and threat. Thoughts like "what if something goes wrong?", "What if I cant cope", or "have I forgotten something?" lead us to feeling tense, on edge, restless or agitated. We might want to relax, but our brains just wont stop!

Burnout and anxiety can happen together

Being under prolonged pressure can lead to the development of anxiety in a bid to keep up, and similarly, someone with anxiety may become burnt out from constantly worrying, anticipating problems, and trying to stay in control.

When to seek help

You may have tried taking a holiday, getting more sleep, or having a quiet weekend, but found that you are still exhausted. That is because rest doesn't always mean recovery. If the work load, pressure at home, expectations or underlying anxiety don't change, you would be returning to the same patterns that contributed towards this problem in the first place. Recovery can involve looking at not only at how much you are doing, but why it feels so difficult to stop. When we explore this in therapy, a useful question to ask can be:

"What is keeping me stuck in this cycle?"

Therapy can help you understand what's driving the problem, identify the patterns and find new ways that make life feel more enjoyable.

Looking for a Clinical Psychologist?

If you're looking for psychological therapy in Southampton, the Isle of Wight, or online, I offer assessment and therapy for those experiencing difficulties including anxiety, stress, burnout and trauma. I'm a HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist and accredited EMDR therapist, with training in CBT and ACT, and have worked with many people from all walks of life to help move towards their goals of a life that feels more comfortable.

If you've been struggling for a while and would like to understand what's happening, get in touch to discuss whether psychological therapy could help.