“Burnout is nature's way of telling you, you've been going through the motions your soul has departed; …”
Before getting into exactly what burnout is, it’s important to understand what it is not: burnout is not an officially recognised medical condition. The WHO and ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases) both describe burnout as an occupational phenomenon and it is not included in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Yet, despite it being an occupational phenomenon and not a real disease, we all kind of understand what burnout means, even if we’re not 100% sure how to phrase it.
One way of viewing burnout is as the sum of the symptoms of unrelenting workplace stress, sometimes exacerbated by personal and behavioural factors, and the co-occurring conditions that have developed as a result. It leads to complete emotional detachment from work, cynicism and doubts about work, and physical exhaustion and collapse. In some, but not all cases, unrelenting workplace stress may also be a contributing factor in the development of substance abuse and mental health problems.
Stress is the natural response to challenging situations. It causes a faster heart rate, bursts of energy, increased perception, and faster thinking—all little evolutionary tricks to keep us alive when the going gets tough. While the definition of challenging situations has changed over the aeons, our physiological response has not. We stress about challenges in the workplace the same way our ancestors did about challenges in their environment, although these days, it helps us meet deadlines instead of fighting off predators. A small amount of stress is harmless, and in a pinch, sharpens up our performance.
Constant, unyielding, and compounding stress, on the other hand, can have serious and long-term effects on one’s physical, psychological, and emotional health. When these stresses originate in the workplace and are allowed to continue, they eventually lead to burnout as incessant stress leads to fatigue, feelings of hopelessness, and detachment.
Despite both burnout and depression being able to cause feelings of hopelessness, disinterest, and detachment, the similarities stop there. Burnout is strictly associated with unmanaged workplace stress, while the causes of depression are varied and include environmental, personal, hereditary, and behavioural factors. The symptoms of burnout may lessen with a change of environment or rest (provided that substance abuse or serious mental health problems have not developed); however, treating depression is much more nuanced and typically requires professional treatment to manage.
The relationship between burnout and substance abuse is more complicated than a simple cause-and-effect reaction. It’s important to remember that burnout is not a medical condition itself but rather the sum of symptoms. These symptoms, including exhaustion, cynicism, and constant negative moods are all uncomfortable, causing a percentage of burnout sufferers to turn to drugs and alcohol as an escape or coping mechanism. It’s important to note that substance abuse and burnout have not been conclusively linked in recognised studies; however, rehab workers around the world regularly treat patients whose substance abuse problems started or spun out of control during periods of extreme stress at work.
Understanding when you, a loved one, or a colleague is on the path towards burnout is the best way to prevent it. Burnout doesn’t just appear one day at the end of a particularly tough shift but develops in stages—twelve, according to psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North. Like with all psychological phenomena that deal with individuals, progression through the stages isn’t always linear, and some people will experience specific stages or symptoms more intensely or even skip them altogether.
While there are plenty of personal strategies and strategies that involve HR and other accommodations at work to deal with the earlier stages of burnout, complete and severe burnout responds best to professional treatment that addresses the physical, psychological, and emotional toll of burnout.
The compulsion to prove oneself: Strong drive to show others your value, leading to taking on too much work.
“They’re going to see how good I am!”
Working harder: Increased effort to achieve goals, often leading to overwork and neglect of personal boundaries.
“They’ll notice me if I work just a bit harder.”
Neglecting personal needs: Personal care like sleep, meals, and relationships is sacrificed in favour of work.
“I know it’s our anniversary, but I really need to finish this project.”
Displacement of conflicts: Ignoring or downplaying problems and stress, convincing yourself that everything is fine.
“I’m fine, really. There’s nothing wrong—I just have a lot on my plate right now.”
Revision of values: Shift in priorities, where work becomes more important than anything else, including personal life and own well-being.
“I don’t have time for that anymore; work is what really matters right now.”
Denial of emerging problems: Refusal to acknowledge that stress and workload are becoming unmanageable, leading to frustration.
“Everyone else just needs to keep up! I know what I’m doing and this is important!”
Withdrawal: Pulling away from social activities, family, and friends, focusing solely on work.
“I just don’t feel like going out anymore. I need to focus on work.”
Odd behavioural changes: Noticeable behavioural changes, such as irritability, anger, or loss of interest in activities.
“I don’t know why I snapped like that. I’m just… tired, I guess.”
Depersonalisation: Feeling detached from work and people and viewing tasks and people as impersonal or unimportant.
“I feel like I’m on autopilot; nothing really affects me anymore.”
Inner emptiness: Feelings of meaninglessness and a detachment from people and things that used to be important.
“What’s the point of all this? I don’t even know if I care anymore.”
Depression: Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and exhaustion, affecting all areas of life and well-being.
“I can’t shake this feeling of hopelessness. Why even get out of bed?”
Burnout: Complete physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, making it impossible to continue as before.
“…help…”
Once again, ‘sooner rather than later’ is the best policy when it comes to treatment. While the first two stages of burnout—wanting to prove yourself and working hard to achieve your goals—are broadly applauded in the workplace, HR and other managers, as well as employees themselves, must be on the lookout for developing burnout.
Early identification and intervention in the form of a few policy or expectation shifts can make a dramatic difference, whereas treating full-on clinically diagnosed depression and possible substance abuse is often much more of a challenge that can easily necessitate weeks off from work.
When burnout has progressed to the emptiness and depression stages, reassignment to a new project or a few days off will do little to bring relief. Effectively dealing with depression and other complex burnout-induced symptoms or disorders takes specialised skills and expertise, and for many, either an intensive counselling or residential burnout rehab stay offers the best chance at a complete recovery. If you see someone burning out, act. You can see exhaustion and behavioural changes, but you don’t always see what is happening behind the curtains. Having a difficult conversation—whether with the person directly, HR, management, or others concerned about their well-being—can help prevent the more severe consequences of burnout down the line. The discomfort of addressing the issue is far less than the potential harm of inaction when you see someone disappearing into work.
Contact Gladstones today. Our discreet operators will gladly talk you through our streamlined admissions process.
As a leading UK clinical rehab services provider, we provide burnout treatment programmes built around our clients’ specific needs. Although we firmly believe that a residential rehab stay is the best course of action for the majority of individuals seeking burnout treatment, we understand that this isn’t always necessary or possible. With this in mind, Gladstones Clinic offers both residential and day care programmes for burnout.
| Burnout Residential Rehab | Day Care for Burnout | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Intensive 24/7 care in a controlled environment with a fixed schedule. Located in the Cotswolds. | Day-to-day counselling (2-4 hours per day, 3-5 days per week). Clinics located in London, Bristol, and Cornwall. |
| Who is it for? | Residential treatment is best for patients with advanced burnout. This includes those who have physically collapsed or have developed drug or alcohol dependency or other mental health disorders. | Day care allows those who cannot take four weeks off to still find access to effective burnout treatment programmes. While most patients take time off during therapy, in very specific cases, some continue to work, even in a reduced capacity. |
| Environment | Private clinic with 12 private bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom. On-site therapy and meeting rooms, and well-kept shared spaces. | Modern psychiatric treatment clinics. |
| Recovery focus | Holistic and integrative. Combines modern, evidence-based therapies with proven alternative treatments. | Focused and centred around modern clinical therapies. Referrals for alternative therapies as required. |
| Duration of treatment | Four weeks | Minimum four weeks |
| Treatments | Detox & withdrawal support 1:1 counselling Group therapies Alternative therapies |
1:1 counselling Group therapies |
| Aftercare | Gladstones provides a wide range of secondary-, tertiary-, and aftercare services. Learn more. | |
Burnout treatment is effective in dealing with the symptoms and effects of chronic stress; however, no treatment will last if one walks right back into the same work environment. Holistic burnout treatment requires a change in the environment, and this requires the cooperation of HR, management, and other structures in the workplace.
If you, an employee, a colleague, or a loved one are struggling with managing work-related stress and is slipping more and more towards burnout rather than recovery, contact Gladstones Clinic at 0808 258 2350 or through our online portal. An early intervention can help one regain perspective before permanent harm is done.
