How Does Workplace Burnout Affect Mental Health

Stress and mental health are uniquely intertwined given the impact of hormones on cognitive processes and mood regulation. Click here to read an article from the Mayo Clinic describing the interconnection between stress hormones and mental health. In our society, we emphasize busyness and the ‘get it done’ mentality. Oftentimes, the folks with these mentalities are looked up to. There is also benefit in slowing things down to re-establish the mind-body connection.

Effects of Burnout on Quality of Life

A man feeling the effects of workplace stress and burnout on his life.

As more and more time and effort are given to our workplaces, how do we refill our ‘energy cup’? As we give and give to our jobs, our lives begin to suffer. Some of the negative effects work stress on our lives include:

  • Not being totally present with loved ones
  • Challenges with interpersonal interactions
  • Decrease in work productivity
  • Decrease experiencing positive emotions
  • Health/medical challenges
  • Weight gain/loss

Effects of Burnout on Mental Health

Consequently, not only do our quality of lives suffer when we fill burned out, but so does our mental health. The consistent levels of cortisol and adrenaline help to sustain our fight or flight trauma response, which is something that should only be experienced for short periods of time. When our bodies are constantly in the fight/flight response we can experience the following:

  • Low energy (from overall energy depletion)
  • Difficulty with concentration and/or focus
  • Irritability
  • Resentment
  • Restlessness (from being in a constant trauma response)
  • Feelings of loneliness
  • Anxiety/worry

Sometimes, these symptoms can present as mental health diagnoses to include, depression and/or anxiety. However, with simply changes in work dynamics, career, or job position we can reduce some of these responses to burnout.

Other times, engaging in talk therapy can help to release and discuss the stressors that occur in your life.

Lastly, if burnout has negatively influenced your family and friendships (or other areas of your life), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can help to process and integrate these past, challenging experiences.

Societal Standards Wear People Out

If we listen to societal standards, we will end up doing what other people in our lives do. For the most part, this will not negatively impact our lives. However, with minor perspective changes and dealing with past experiences that haunt us, we can look at the world from a different perspective. This is where working with a therapist near you can help.

By engaging in therapy, we examine not only how, but also why, we see the world we do. We learn to question and critically think about how and why we do things. Do we do them just to do them or because there is intentional living behind our decisions and actions? These are big questions that therapy for burnout can help address.

Individual Therapy in Kenosha for Burnout

Seeking out a local therapist can be difficult and scary. It is important to interview a therapist you a thinking about working with before you start. Always remember that this is your treatment and if you don’t feel like therapy has benefited you – you can discontinue this service at any time.

Call Now to Start Therapy Services in Kenosha

At Revitalize Mental Health, we offer flexible therapy appointments throughout the weekday evenings and on weekends to accommodate the busyness of life. To being to experience healing and relief, call us at, 720.295.6703, or submit a form here to start the process. We look forward to hearing from you!

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