Burnt-out or depressed

[GardenGnome]

I have had a lot of stressful events at work, home and broader family this year which has meant lots of work to do. I am at a stage where I am completely exhausted and dont want to deal with another thing. I find it very hard to muster any enthusiasm for anything. I wondering how related and/or different burn-out and depression are. Are the strategies the same for dealing with them? For some reason I would feel better if I was burnt-out rather than depressed.

[Sadmum96]

Hi GardenGnome, can i ask what industry you work in? I’m not too sure on the requirements, but have you asked your boss about requesting EAP counseling? Its much more common to burn out than you think. It’s possibly burnt out but then it could also be depression. I think your best bet is to reach out to a professional who can help you unpack these feelings and help you make sense of them. You’ve made the first step and you should be proud!

[baet123]

Hey GardenGnome,

Sorry to hear your under extreme stress at present. Work is stressful at the best of times without having to worry about other issues at home or in the family. I can tell that you have developed great strength, character and resilience from your struggles and these are amazing qualities you possess and some good has come from all of this I am sure.

It is absolutely normal and understandable that you are dealing exhausted and like you have had enough. You have been through a lot recently and you have the right to feel this way. No one deserves to live with constant stress in their life and you are no different. There is absolutely a correlation between stress and motivation/enthusiasm.

In regards to burn-out and depression, they can be related, absolutely. Self-care is super important to prevent or reduce the chances of burning out, however, no one is immune and burn-out like depression does not discriminate. The key to dealing with both burn-out and depression is early intervention, expressing your emotions and not keeping them bottled in and receiving professional treatment/intervention. As with many things in life, we aren't always able to sort out our problems on our own. I believe it would be a great idea for you to consider seeing your GP and discussing possible treatment options which from my experience would include a mental health care plan, therapy sessions and medication. Treatment will greatly improve your emotional well-being and overall quality of life and will have a profound positive impact on your own self-care which in turn should reduce your chances of burning out.

Burning-out and depression often go hand in hand with each other. Depression could be the underlying issue behind your burn-out and vice versa. It is important that you also address any other underlying issues which in your case could be your family issues and other issues at home. Through addressing these issues, we would hope to see your mindset, emotional well-being and overall quality of life improve.

You may also wish to engage in some common self-care methods which include:

1) Getting regular exercise.

2) Eating a balanced diet.

3) Getting enough "good" sleep.

4) Having time to yourself and doing "things" you enjoy.

5) Keeping a journal to express your emotions and to identify any common patterns that may immerge.

6) Ensure your receiving an adequate amount of natural Vitamin-D.

Hope this helps and I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Nick.