WHAT IS BURNOUT?

Burnout is a total system failure which normally happens when someone is under continually prolonged stress. 

It can lead to an individual being irritable, unpredictable, isolated, frustrated, confrontational and irrational.  In fact they can end up being very hard to be with and they can start to have serious problems with their family, friendships and work. 

It can be extremely difficult for a person to recognise that they are exhibiting the symptoms of Burnout as they may believe that, if they just push on and work through the stress, everything will be OK.

Left untreated Burnout can lead to serious physical and Mental Health consequences which can lead to long-term treatment.

HOW CAN COUNSELLING HELP WITH BURNOUT?

When working with someone who has realised, either by themselves or through others pointing it out to them, that they are suffering from Burnout I would begin by helping them to recognise the patterns of behaviour which are causing the Burnout. 

By recognising these patterns the individual can start to take back control of the situation and implement the necessary changes. 

These changes will typically include ensuring that they get sufficient rest, understanding that saying 'no' is an option and starting to recognise what can reasonably be achieved in one day.

Once the individual has regained control of their stress levels we can begin to unpick what caused this stress in the first place, whether it be unrealistic expectations, inability to say 'no' or inflexible boundaries, to name a few.