Therapy for Burnout
what is burnout?
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Work Burnout
The term burnout is a technical term (recognized by the World Health Organization!) that was originally defined by career/work stress.
The term burnout has found it's way into people's everyday language when speaking about many things (caregiver burnout, compassion burnout, academic burnout, etc.).
The common threads for burnout as a serious issue are:
Feeling mentally, emotionally & physically drained (usually caused by prolonged stress).
Not being able to catch-up on rest or other resources.
No longer being able to hide, fake feeling okay...one stops being able to perform in various areas of life (work, relationships, daily tasks, self-care, etc.) where they were able to before.
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Sensory Burnout
For Highly-Sensitive People, sensory burnout can be a serious issue. It's important to know that this kind of burnout can be hard to predict. For HSPs a poor night’s sleep coupled with unexpected construction noise can be enough to send us into overwhelm.
Once the senses are overwhelmed, it can be nearly impossible to function & communicate effectively. A person in this state will need something to restore themselves...such as: a quiet room, food, rest, etc.
If overwhelming circumstances persist (for example, construction noise going on for months next door) it can easily send an HSP into burnout that takes an extended length of time to recover from.
BURNOUT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON'T RESPECT THE NEEDS OF YOUR SENSORY NEURODIVERGENCE.
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Autistic Burnout
Neurodivergent Burnout is further defined by sensory changes & not being able to recover with rest.
Primary Characteristics of Neurodivergent Burnout
(not all need to be present):
-Chronic Exhaustion
-Reduced Tolerance to Stimuli (sensory inputs)
-Increased Executive Functioning Challenges
-Loss of Skills (managing daily activities consistently)
In addition to intense emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion, neurodivergent burnout can lead to:
Emotional Dysregulation, Enhanced Neurodivergent Traits, Inability to Mask, Time Perception Challenges, Increased Impulsivity (rash decisions).
are you pushing too hard?
EARLY & MID-STAGE SIGNS OF BURNOUT:
you rarely feel you’re being yourself
you feel “stuck”
your sleep is “off”
you’re anxious/your mind does not easily quiet
your digestion is not good
you’re moving between no appetite & stress eating
you’re engaging with electronics &/or social media when you know it’s not good for your mood
you’re ignoring your body signals for rest & movement
you are using caffeine & sugar to “get going”
you are taking something at night &/or on the weekend to “wind down” or drinking most nights to “relax”
you DREAD Mondays/beginning of your work week
feelings of hopelessness & thoughts of “this is never going to change”
you’re compromising your needs & desires in most areas of your life
you’re not engaging in the things you once enjoyed
you’re telling yourself “I have to…” regularly
you’re not doing the things you know would help you feel better & bullying yourself with “I should” thoughts
you are beginning to under-perform where previously you would have “pushed through”
the danger zone
Any kind of burnout left unattended can lead to terrible outcomes. It’s bad enough to feel exhausted & disconnected from your life, but if you’re anywhere near these danger zone signs…don’t hesitate to ask for help.
you don't have the energy to engage the elements of your life (work, study, play). You may do an every-day task such as washing dishes & need to rest.
you are considering ending your life or having thoughts of how others will fair without you
I HELP CLIENTS WITH BURNOUT BY:
determining how neurotype might be contributing to overwhelm
helping make & hold healthy boundaries
addressing toxic situations & relationships
identifying needed accommodations
curating sustainable day-to-day routines & rhythms
cultivating community & connection