Burnout can happen when you are in a situation that causes long-term, persistent stress. Situations such as a stressful job, relationship breakdown or financial difficulties may be the cause. It is a state of both physical and psychological exhaustion.

I have become very aware of the damage that burnout causes burnt through my own experiences with it. It took me a long time to understand what was happening to me and why I felt the way I was. Like many people, I just thought that if I carried on, these feelings would go away. Not surprisingly, all that happened was that they got worse and made even the most basic things 100 times harder than usual. Once I had, I had to find the root cause of it and find a resolution. Over time, with support, I started to recognise the early signs, allowing me to resolve any issues before the situation got out of control.

In recent years, burnout has become a bit of a buzzword which I think, in turn, has become somewhat counterproductive, adding to misunderstandings and unhelpful perceptions of it. It also does not help that, in the UK, we still live in a society that stigmatises mental health issues by viewing the sufferer as weak and inferior. We all have limits, and it is unhealthy to be continuously pushed beyond them by others or ourselves. Burnout is a serious issue that can cause significant and permanent damage to the individual and those around them. It also has a broader implication on the economy and business due to reduced productivity and absence.

We all have a part to play in reducing burnout. Individuals need to be able to recognise the signs of burnout and access a resolution without fear. If they need support to do this, they should be able to get this without being labelled as “weak” or being told to “man up” or “put your big girl pants on.” Workplaces need to be able to recognise when their work environment, ethic or practices may be the cause of burnout in their workforce. The workforce needs to be able to feel that they can be open about their struggles without being viewed negatively or being passed up for promotion. They also need to remember that their employees are humans with lives and pressures outside of work. No matter how much an employer may want them to, they cannot split themselves in two. Society has to realise that struggling is part of the human condition, and it is nothing to be ashamed of or something that needs hiding. We cannot learn how to deal with problems we’re not allowed to express in any way.

Written By Lorna Smart

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