Houston, We Have a Problem: Burnout!
One of the greatest invisible threats lurking in today’s work environments is something we all face but often overlook—stress. Slowly, without us even realizing it, stress can build and fester, turning into something much more serious: burnout. Burnout doesn’t just happen overnight—it sneaks up on the “dedicated and committed,” those who pour everything into their work, only to find themselves drained, detached, and doubting their own abilities. Burnout was first identified in 1974 by psychoanalyst Herbert Freudenberger. Initially observed in caregiving professions, it is now recognized across all industries as a serious condition that can affect anyone, becoming a silent epidemic.
Burnout is more than just feeling tired after a long week. It’s a serious condition that creeps into your mind and body, leading to emotional exhaustion, a cynical distance from your work, and the unsettling feeling that no matter how hard you try, nothing you do seems to matter. It strips away your energy, leaving you mentally foggy, emotionally numb, and physically fatigued.
This “occupational phenomenon,” as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO), isn’t just about being overworked—it’s about being overwhelmed for too long. The warning signs are easy to miss at first: trouble sleeping, feeling irritable, struggling to focus. But before you know it, burnout takes hold, diminishing not only your job performance but also your motivation and even your desire to show up. The invisible enemy grows stronger, and without intervention, it can unravel even the most resilient professionals.
Burnout and depression often walk a fine line, with many people interpreting burnout as depression because they share similar neurobiological changes and psychological symptoms—fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating. Both conditions can affect how we regulate emotions and manage stress, but they are not the same. Burnout stems from prolonged work-related stress and typically manifests as frustration, irritability, and a sense of failure in the workplace. In contrast, depression casts a wider net, affecting all aspects of life and bringing deeper feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of pleasure in daily activities. However, burnout can sometimes lead to depression and also shares overlap with conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Burnout doesn’t just drain your energy—it changes your brain in ways that can have long-lasting effects. People experiencing burnout often have reduced heart rate variability (HRV), meaning their body struggles to handle stress effectively. But it goes deeper than that: chronic stress from burnout lowers levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for keeping brain cells healthy and supporting memory and learning. Over time, this can shrink the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for regulating emotions and managing stress.
Studies using brain imaging techniques show that burnout affects critical regions of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, which are key for decision-making, emotional control, and stress regulation. People with burnout also experience reduced grey matter in these areas, meaning their brain is literally changing in response to prolonged stress.
Burnout also impairs the brain’s ability to focus and process information. Research shows that individuals with burnout exhibit weaker brain responses when processing emotional stimuli, and their attention systems are compromised, making it harder to stay on task or respond to new challenges. This can lead to slower decision-making, more errors, and greater difficulty handling everyday tasks.
Even more concerning, burnout affects how we relate to others. In healthcare professions, for instance, burnout can blur the line between a caregiver’s emotions and those of their patients, leading to “empathic distress fatigue.” This emotional overload makes it harder to maintain a healthy separation between one’s own feelings and the suffering of others, deepening the emotional toll burnout takes.
Burnout doesn’t just affect the mind—chronic stress leads to inflammation in the body, increasing the risk for physical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. It also dysregulates the brain’s stress response system, further contributing to cognitive and emotional dysfunction. This evidence highlights the urgent need to address burnout before it damages both brain and body.
“An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure” (Benjamin Franklin, 1736)
Stopping burnout before it starts is the smartest move you can make. Recognizing the signs early and taking action is key to avoiding the heavy mental and physical toll burnout takes. Here’s how you can protect yourself and your team:
- Find Balance: Make sure work doesn’t take over life—take breaks, rest, and make vacations a priority.
- Build a Supportive Environment: Make people feel valued. Open communication and manageable workloads can go a long way in reducing stress.
- Introduce Stress Relief: Mindfulness, stress management techniques, and even short moments of relaxation can make a big difference.
- Encourage Self-Care: Simple things like getting enough sleep, staying active, and eating well help recharge both body and mind.
- Regulate Empathy: In emotionally demanding jobs, learn how to care for others without burning yourself out. Training on emotional regulation can really help.
- Catch It Early: Spot burnout warning signs—fatigue, irritability, or lack of focus—before they become overwhelming. Adjust workloads or offer support when needed.
- Combat Fatigue: Encourage naps or exposure to natural light to fight off tiredness and stay sharp throughout the day.
- Support Each Other: Great leadership means being aware of your team’s needs, promoting fairness, and offering understanding when things get tough.
When burnout takes hold, swift action is key to recovery. Simple lifestyle changes—like regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient rest—help rebuild energy and mental clarity. Positive emotion regulation and stress management techniques, such as relaxation exercises, can also help restore balance. In more severe cases, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps reshape negative thought patterns, while mindfulness practices and compassion training strengthen emotional resilience. These strategies, when applied effectively, can reverse the effects of burnout and help individuals regain control of their well-being.
Burnout is a serious condition that affects both the mind and body, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. The key is to act early, stay proactive, and take control before burnout takes control of you.
Fatemeh Sajjadi / Registered Counsellor – Mind Garage
I am a qualified clinical psychologist from overseas and completed my PhD in Psychology at the University of Otago, New Zealand. All my training and research have been focused on clinical psychology. In NZ, I am registered with the Association of Counsellors (NZAC). My expertise includes personality disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder (BPD), self-harm, trauma, anxiety, depression, and memory function, which are the areas I specialize in both my research and practice. I provide ACC treatment and assessment services and am skilled in using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Contact Fatemeh
[email protected]
https://mindgarage.co.nz/our-team/fatemeh-sajjadi/