Stress -en Burn-out

What if the barrel is empty?

You have given and given it your all for a very long time... and there is nothing left to give?

Burnout is caused by prolonged, chronic stress, usually linked to work (but not necessarily), without sufficient opportunities for recovery.

Burnout is characterized by three core components:

Emotional exhaustion: You feel empty, exhausted, and no longer able to invest emotionally in your work or other commitments.

Depersonalization (or cynicism): You experience a distant or negative attitude towards colleagues, clients, or the work itself, often as a way to protect yourself. It no longer works.

Reduced personal competence: You have lost confidence in your own abilities. Your sense of ‘being in control’ is gone.

Burnout can be seen as the result of a mismatch between the demands of the environment (such as work pressure) and the resources a person has (such as time, energy, support). This can lead to physical complaints, such as fatigue, headaches, and sleep problems, and mental complaints, such as concentration problems and gloominess.

What is stress?

Stress. We use the word so often that it has almost lost its meaning.

But as a psychologist, I would like to explain it clearly to you:

Stress is the natural response of your body and mind to a challenge or threat. Think of stress as your internal alarm system, an ancient survival function that helps you respond when danger threatens.

When you experience stress, your body produces stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These put your body into action mode: your heart beats faster, your muscles tense up, your breathing quickens. Everything in you prepares to fight, flee, or freeze.

This is useful if you encounter a wild animal. Less useful if your source of stress is an overflowing mailbox.

A little stress is not a bad thing, it can even make you sharp and focused. It only becomes problematic when your stress system is “on” too often or for too long. Then your body becomes exhausted, your concentration decreases, your mood is low, and ultimately it can lead to serious complaints, such as burnout.

Important to remember: stress is not “wrong” or “weak.” It is a sign that your system is activated too often. And the good news? With the right tools, you can learn how to better understand, regulate, and work with your stress instead of fighting it.

Maybe you recognize this...

Extreme fatigue
Extremely tired, yet not able to fall asleep
Emotional exhoustion and no control over your feelings
Cynicism.
Not able to concentrate
Forgetfulness
Everything and everyone is annoying
Headache, muscle ache, belly ache: your body protests.
Feelings of failure
Everything seems "too much"
No need to socialize
Rumination
Intolerance of stress
Digestion problems
Hoplessness