Signs of Burnout and How They Differ from Signs of Depression

Most of us have had the experience of waking up, thinking about the day ahead, and being tempted to roll over and continue sleeping for the rest of the day. It’s not unusual to get overwhelmed in your career, relationship, or studies to the point of wishing for a different life.

You might have realized that you are not coping, but have you wondered about what could be going on in your mental health? You might have noticed the signs of burnout, but could you also be depressed, and how would you know the difference?

There is a lot of overlap in the symptoms between burnout and depression, and many people experience both at the same time. However, burnout differs from depression in several important ways, and you can experience one without the other. Ultimately, the way to combat burnout is different from the way a depressive episode is treated. Knowing the difference will help you craft a self-care plan that radically helps you in the long-term.

More Than One Type of Burnout

People experience burnout whether they have a demanding career or are unemployed. You can experience burnout at home, in a relationship, within your friend group, or in your loving family. It becomes easier to notice the signs of burnout when you recognize the type of burnout you are facing.

Caregiver Fatigue

Burnout is a form of intense mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that leads to an array of other symptoms, including physical sickness and chronic pain. Typically, people refer to occupational or career burnout. It is also common for people to experience caregiver fatigue. This is a form of chronic exhaustion that comes from providing ongoing care to dependents of any age.

It is common to feel overly responsible while also having little support in these roles, either practical or emotional. Ultimately, your empathy is reduced as you end up feeling resentful, guilty, and sometimes reliant on unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse.

Parental Exhaustion

Being a parent is richly rewarding, but it can also be one of the most intensely difficult and draining roles you will take on. Parental exhaustion is a form of burnout where you feel inundated with the constant needs of those around you. You might feel as if you’re failing in your role, or like you’re a terrible parent for even struggling.

Others make it look so easy. They seem to be fulfilled, while you are emotionally dysregulated, tense, and deeply unhappy. Added to this, you might feel isolated, alone, and guilty for struggling in the first place.

Relational Burnout

Some relationships are physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. You might find yourself going through a prolonged season of conflict or imbalance, whether it’s with a spouse, family member, or close friend. It often feels like the success and health of the relationship rest on your efforts alone. No wonder you feel drained, detached, hopeless, and resentful. These are signs of burnout that you can’t afford to ignore.

Academic Stress

The final, most common form of burnout happens at an academic level. Students of all ages face the pressure to perform well, to meet constant deadlines, and to maintain grade averages.

This results in them feeling intense anxiety for their future, indecision about the path they’re on, panic from feeling tied to an uncertain destiny, and buckling under the weight of perfectionism. Having a minimal social life or relationships affected by the studies makes everything harder to deal with.

Signs of Burnout That Overlap with Depression

Depression is an umbrella term that describes a mental state sometimes caused by a clinical disorder, and other times by circumstances. In other words, you can be depressed because of something going on inside your body, by the events happening around you, or sometimes a combination of the two.

Burnout is an event that influences your health and habits. Of course, it is possible for someone who is already dealing with depression to also experience burnout. There is much overlap between the two.

You will notice the signs of burnout and depression in your body, in your daily routine, and in your mood. Burnout and depression both cause mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. In turn, this affects your sleep pattern, social involvement, and hygiene. You might find yourself becoming increasingly more irritable and aggressive, or more disinterested in the things that once brought you joy.

One of the key differences between burnout and depression is in how it impacts you over time. Typically, burnout is an event that lasts anywhere between a few weeks and a few months. Depression can last for years at a time, resulting in changes to your self-esteem, outlook, and hope for the future.

Burnout might have you questioning your life choices, but depression will have you questioning your self-worth. Burnout will make you think, “I’m tired, and I don’t want to do this job anymore,” whereas depression ultimately has you thinking, “There’s no point to life anymore.”

Burnout still leaves a small sense of hope for the future. If you can make some practical changes to your responsibilities or have some important conversations, you can make a positive impact on your situation. It might take some time to recover from the exertion and stress, but ultimately, burnout can result in positive change. By contrast, the core of depression is hopelessness and disinterest in the future. Depression makes the future seem dark, and your efforts futile.

You can recover from burnout after a few weeks of improved sleep and diet, some physical movement, and time spent with friends. You cannot affect depression as easily. When you are in the grips of depression, it is unlikely that you will want to make changes at all. Besides, you don’t have the energy or enthusiasm required to make those changes.

When To Seek Help

The good news is that both burnout and depression are treatable, regardless of how long you have felt either or how intensely they have affected you. Besides making practical changes to your routine and improving your sleep, diet, and social life, you can address burnout by taking it to the source.

It might be that you have stretched yourself too thin, that you are not getting the support you need, or that you are overperforming because someone is pressuring you to do so. You will have to address these issues with the people involved and make some practical changes to ensure you don’t fall into the same habits.

If it is depression you are dealing with, know that you will likely not improve over time and that you need to seek the help of a professional. You might benefit from getting a medical checkup or psychological evaluation, but you will also need to implement bigger changes to your life. This could include changing careers, processing trauma with a counselor or confidant, or attending group therapy sessions.

Regardless of how it feels right now, there is a future for you. It might not be perfect, and it might take some work to realize it, but it is achievable and better than anything you are going through right now. As Jesus once told a group of world-weary people, “‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)

If you don’t know where to start or if you are overwhelmed, even contemplating your situation, we can help. So many of the things we face are put into perspective when we talk about them to someone with insight and compassion. With a counselor, you will find an empathetic ear, a confidential space, and informed insight. Please consult our online catalog if you would like to find a counselor or speak with our reception team, who can help you find someone suitable.