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Conditions We Treat

Burnout Rehab Treatment

Written By Stuart Croft
Reviewed By Tiffany Green
Medically Reviewed By Dr David Barker
Updated August 16, 2024

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress, typically related to one’s work or professional environment. Burnout can manifest in a number of ways, including chronic fatigue, emotional detachment from work, and reduced performance in both professional and personal life. 

While most of us experience work-related stress from time to time, in certain roles, unrealistic and unsustainable expectations go way beyond what anyone can bear in the long run. Burnout is more than an extra stressful period and has the potential to lead to significant mental and physical health implications, if allowed to continue unabated. Chronic stress also puts one at increased risk of developing mental health disorders and substance abuse problems. 

With over two decades of experience in treating complex stress disorders, including burnout, Gladstones Clinic has established itself as a reliable and effective partner in helping individuals regain balance and a sense of control. Our integrative and holistic approach not only alleviates the symptoms of burnout but also effectively addresses any co-occurring substance abuse or mental health disorders.

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Suffering from burnout and don't know where to turn?

Gladstones Clinic has a long history of helping people from all walks of life recover from burnout and develop personalised coping strategies. 

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Learn more about burnout

What causes burnout?

Before looking at the causes of burnout, it’s important to mention that burnout is not a medical condition, but instead the blanked term for prolonged and extreme workplace exhaustion and its associated effects. 

It’s impossible to pin down a single defining factor that causes burnout; however, the condition is generally linked to chronic and unmanaged workplace stress. Examples of workplace stressors that could contribute to burnout include excessive workloads, lack of control, poor communication of goals or expectations, constantly shifting expectations, conflicting values, and many more. 

Although anyone in any role that can best be described as a never-ending uphill battle might eventually ‘burn out’, certain high-stress professions, including healthcare, education, and corporate roles, are particularly susceptible to burnout. Personal factors like poor stress management and tolerance, substance use, and co-occurring personal traumas all further exacerbate burnout. 

When to seek treatment for burnout?

Without intervention or leaving the job in question, burnout tends to progressively worsen over time, making early intervention crucial for recovery. Persistent stress, perhaps due to high performance expectations, has been conclusively linked to an increased risk of developing substance abuse problems, with increased cocaine abuse among high-earning professionals being a prime example. Additionally, constantly high cortisol (stress hormone) levels are associated with both physical and mental health problems and increased mortality. 

Consider seeking professional help if you or a loved one’s career is causing any of the following:

  • Persistent feelings of exhaustion and lack of energy, even after resting
  • Detachment and cynicism towards work, colleagues, or daily activities
  • Unexplained physical symptoms such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, or sleep disturbances
  • Increased irritability, anxiety, and mood swings
  • Reliance on substances like alcohol or drugs to deal with the pressures of work

What happens in burnout treatment?

1. Assessment & Personalised Treatment Plan

At Gladstones, burnout treatment begins with a thorough assessment to identify all the contributing factors that have led to your burnout, as well as an evaluation of your mental health state and, if applicable, any substance abuse patterns. This allows us to develop a personalised treatment programme that ensures your therapy is targeted, effective, and comprehensive. 

2. Behavioural Therapies

Behavioural therapies are essential for understanding burnout triggers and responses and form the core components of burnout therapy at clinics around the world. Cognitive behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and other evidence-based therapies help our patients critically evaluate their thought patterns, develop coping strategies, and modify negative stress responses. Although each client’s treatment mix is unique and built around their specific needs, most patients benefit from a mix of behavioural and group therapies.

3. Addressing Coexisting Issues

Many individuals with burnout also suffer from coexisting conditions such as anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. Without addressing these issues, behavioural treatments simply won’t be effective, and it’s only a matter of time before burnout returns and good progress is undone. This makes treating coexisting issues standard practice at Gladstones Clinic, significantly improving recovery times and reducing the risk of relapse.

4. Aftercare and Ongoing Support

Recovery from burnout requires time, growth, and change. While our primary treatment programme for burnout can lead to significant improvements within a few weeks, ongoing support and aftercare help many of our former clients stay grounded, in touch with our community, and never more than a phone call away from professional help and relapse prevention. With life-long access to our aftercare services, Gladstones clients never fight alone in the battle for normalcy, stability, and balance. 

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HR Guide to Burnout

HR representatives, whose work entails balancing organisation goals and employee well-being, can easily find themselves in the eye of the storm when dealing with employee burnout. When burnout occurs, HR often faces the difficult tasks of finding effective solutions that benefit the employee and determining whether the burnout originated due to personal factors or broader organisational problems. Identifying the early signs of burnout, preventing burnout through proactive strategies, and supporting employees in burnout recovery are all essential HR skills, especially in high-stress work environments such as medical services and teaching

How HR can identify the early signs of burnout

Although easier said than done, identifying the development of burnout in its earlier stages can dramatically improve the chances of a quick and painless resolution for the employee and employer. While even the best HR rep will never be able to identify every budding burnout case, keeping an eye out for the following signs and taking the time to talk to the employee can save everyone time, money, and mental anguish down the line.

Consider seeking professional help if you or a loved one’s career is causing any of the following:

  • Physical and emotional exhaustion: This might present as an increased frequency of sick days or constantly complaining about headaches, muscle tension, and even gastrointestinal issues.
  • Increased irritability: Displaying frequent bouts of anger, giving snappy or sarcastic answers to innocuous questions, and frustration caused by minor issues.
  • Decline in work performance: Missing meetings and deadlines, a drop in productivity, and a decline in the quality of work could all point to burnout.
  • Detachment or disinterest in work or goals: Expressing negative feelings towards work, especially when they previously showed interest in a particular aspect of work, and withdrawing from social interactions, meetings, and other occasions where people gather.
  • Increased reliance on coping mechanisms: Abusing substances such as drugs or alcohol. It might be difficult to identify; however, substance abuse could have serious implications for all parties involved and cannot be ignored when identified.

By being aware of and attentive to these signs, HR representatives can help identify and find solutions to problems before they cause harm to either the business or the employee. It’s important to remember that the employees themselves might not yet have realised what is happening, so a tactful and compassionate approach is recommended. Immediately jumping to conclusions and pointing at ‘evidence of poor performance’ is unlikely to remedy the situation and could end with the employee leaving or having to be replaced, both suboptimal outcomes.

HR strategies to prevent burnout

As the intersection between the organisation and employees, it often falls on HR to devise and implement burnout prevention strategies. There are too many strategies and initiatives to discuss on this page, but in a nutshell, most of them involve:

  • Regular assessments of job roles, responsibilities, and expectations to ensure that workloads are aligned with the employees’ capacities.
  • Providing access to stress management resources, such as wellness programmes, access to mental health services, and even resilience training.
  • Creating an environment that encourages and rewards open communication and support.
  • Promoting a workplace culture of recognition and appreciation.

How HR can support employees with burnout

Pre-treatment

As the persons responsible for employee wellbeing, it often falls on HR to plan or organise employee burnout treatment. The options available will differ between organisations based on the budget available, the contribution that the employee makes to the organisation, and other factors. Typical treatment paths include:

  • Time off with burnout counselling
  • Time off to attend residential burnout rehab
  • Executive rehab that combines therapy with a significantly reduced workload 

Once an employee approaches HR (or vice versa) for help in dealing with burnout, it’s important to move fast while keeping the employee in the loop. Keep in mind that the employee will more than likely be in a state of emotional distress, and a firm and decisive, yet compassionate approach that shows an understanding of their needs will result in the best possible outcome.

During treatment

In almost all burnout cases, the employee will require at least some time off work to recover at home (with or without counselling) or at a burnout rehab clinic. During this recovery period, we recommend refraining from excessively communicating with the employee, only contacting them with positive messages of support and absolutely essential information. 

If the employee is not taking time off and continues working while receiving therapy, HR could help by reducing working hours and responsibilities, allowing for flexible time off to attend counselling, and maintaining regular, non-intrusive, and productive communication to offer additional support. 

While the employee is receiving treatment, it will also fall on HR to coordinate with the employee’s manager while being sensitive to their privacy and confidentiality. 

Post-treatment

Even the best possible burnout treatment will mean little if the employee walks right back into the same work environment, and ideally, the employer will have taken steps to reduce the stress in the role. Post-burnout treatment support is critical to ensure that the employee transitions back into their role smoothly, gradually picking up responsibilities to avoid being overwhelmed upon their return. Regular check-ins and meetings can help ensure the employee’s well-being and allow HR to adjust the support plan as needed. All of these steps collectively lead to employees feeling valued and supported, both significant markers of a healthy attitude to work.

Gladstones HR Burnout Assistance

If you’re in HR and someone on your team is showing signs of burnout, please contact Gladstones Clinic for expert and expedited advice. We understand that burnout treatment hinges on several factors and take a flexible approach to helping organisations keep their employees happy, healthy, and productive. We can help HR reps schedule:

  • Day care treatment for burnout
  • Residential rehab treatment for burnout
  • Executive or bespoke one-to-one counselling
Empower your team with expert burnout rehab treatments.

Contact us today to learn how our tailored burnout treatment programmes can support your employees and strengthen your organisation.

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About Gladstones

With over 15 years experience our integrated approach to treating Mental Health & Addictions has transformed the lives of hundreds of people by empowering and supporting them to take back control of their lives.

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GLADSTONES CLINIC LIMITED
The Wyastone Business Park
Wyastone Leys, Ganarew
Monmouth, NP25 3SR

Our Clinics

Gladstones Clinic Cotswolds
Narles Farm, Dursley Road
Cambridge
Gloucestershire
GL2 7AB

Tel: 01453 890184

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London
NW10 7EE

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48 St Paul’s Road
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 1LP

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Truro
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TR1 2PN

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