Serious burnout - what worked for you

AliMa · ‎16-09-2021

I have been feeling burnt out for a long time and finally hit the wall a few weeks ago. I had/have nothing left in the tank. I went to my GP and she gave me 2 weeks off work. She told me just to rest and to do nothing apart from watch TV, sleep, and perhaps work on something creative. At first I felt ok (apart from feeling guilty for not being at work, I love my job) but after a while I found myself back to feeling the same - super stressed and exhausted. I went back to see her today. She said that the 2 weeks off wasn't enough and that I am in a crisis state of high stress and that I am still not fit for work. She also said I need to be careful that my burnout doesn't turn into depression, which obviously concerned me. She has given me another 2 weeks off and prescribed me 1 weeks worth of diazepam to see if I can start to feel less stressed and anxious, and to help me see things more clearly so I can make some decisions about next steps. She also suggested that I see a psychologist but not right now - that I am too stressed at the moment and that now is not the time to work on strategies etc to address the stressors. To perhaps give that a few more weeks. I thought that was interesting as my instinct is to read up on burnout and stress to help me make sense of how I am feeling and to try and start to put in place strategies for the stressors I can control, but on the other hand, I see what she is saying in that I might be in too fragile a state to do that well now. I guess I am posting to hear from others with experience of serious burnout (especially those that have perfectionist tendencies) as to what worked for them and how they found their way forward. Any advice appreciated.

missep123 · ‎24-09-2021

Hi AliMa,

We are definitely here for you! Please keep us updated. You are definitely not alone!

anxiousqueen · ‎24-09-2021

Hi AliMa,

Reading your words right now, they are so relatable to me!

I too am burnt out right now and am currently early into a break from work. Perfectionism is something i struggle with as well, so this really stood out to me too.

I honestly don't have much to offer at the moment being in a similar spot myself but i thought I'd reach out so you know you're not alone!

Sending you my best,

~ anxiousqueen

AliMa · ‎25-09-2021

Sending my best to you too! What are you doing to fill your time? I started by making a list (couldn't help myself!) of the things that I should do (e.g. meditation, exercise) but that just made me feel worse so now I am just trying to be kind to myself and listen to my body. It's hard though. I have been thinking a lot about perfectionism knowing that it can often cause burnout and I know this is something that I will need to really work on going forward. It's nice to know there are so many other people in a similar place - although I wouldn't wish this on anyone! Take care.

anxiousqueen said:

Hi AliMa,

Reading your words right now, they are so relatable to me!

I too am burnt out right now and am currently early into a break from work. Perfectionism is something i struggle with as well, so this really stood out to me too.

I honestly don't have much to offer at the moment being in a similar spot myself but i thought I'd reach out so you know you're not alone!

Sending you my best,

~ anxiousqueen

smallwolf · ‎25-09-2021

Hi and welcome. I want to address something in your initial post... I had time off work a few years ago when things got bad for me. I had about 6 weeks off followed by a gradual return to work. I had or have perfectionist issues as well and working on this. Not sure of your situation but I was able to go to parents place a day a week and this provided a distraction that was helpful. I would also use apps on my phone to help with issues associated with work and guilt. I don't necessarily want to go into the details associated with the guilty. The apps on used was virtual hope box. It can be a real struggle when on your own.

anxiousqueen · ‎26-09-2021

AliMa said:
Sending my best to you too! What are you doing to fill your time? I started by making a list (couldn't help myself!) of the things that I should do (e.g. meditation, exercise) but that just made me feel worse so now I am just trying to be kind to myself and listen to my body. It's hard though. I have been thinking a lot about perfectionism knowing that it can often cause burnout and I know this is something that I will need to really work on going forward. It's nice to know there are so many other people in a similar place - although I wouldn't wish this on anyone! Take care.

anxiousqueen said:

Hi AliMa,

Reading your words right now, they are so relatable to me!

I too am burnt out right now and am currently early into a break from work. Perfectionism is something i struggle with as well, so this really stood out to me too.

I honestly don't have much to offer at the moment being in a similar spot myself but i thought I'd reach out so you know you're not alone!

Sending you my best,

~ anxiousqueen

Yes! This is honestly my biggest worry for when i do get back into work -> i need to try and better manage my perfectionism moving forward!

I'm a week into my break now and have been finding it hard to know what to do! However i have been really enjoying watching content creators on YouTube again -> i forgot how much watching vlog style videos from people i like helps me out!

It's interesting how the opened up time i have to move in right now has made me more in-tune with my body and mind. So I'm just trying to address what kind of self care i need and when. Each day varies a little right now.

I've also been listening to music a lot more again & am spending a little more time with my Mum & Brother too.

Moving forward i want to aim to keep more of a balance in this way too! While it may not change a lot for me right now, finding a balance is still important & this is different for everyone!

~ anxiousqueen

geoff · ‎27-09-2021

Hello AliMa, people can be told by other people and/or psychologists/doctors that meditation, exercise is a great way to start your journey to overcome how you are feeling, but not everyone can relate to this, I certainly didn't because I didn't want to do any exercise and when you feel like this, then how can you possibly do it.

With meditation and as I'm a non believer, I couldn't meditate, because to me, it's like praying for something that hasn't happened, and I know other people will disagree with me, so be it, but that's how I feel.

Being in a state where perfectionism means a great deal as it could indicate an illness that needs to be diagnosed by a doctor, as I'm not qualified to say so, but I would type that word in your search browser or perhaps the search bar at the top of this page.

Understanding perfectionism requires a plateau of different responses where some psychologists can cope with while others may not be trained in this particular area, as my last psych had no idea what it meant or why I should take any medication at all, I only had a few sessions with him because he just couldn't relate to what I was trying to say.

By your psych saying that you will know when it's the right time to go back, leaves a lot in between that needs to be discussed.

Take care.

Geoff.

AndrewMan9910 · ‎23-02-2022

Great to hear. That sounds promising. One should never underestimate the power of treating yourself when you're struggling