Burnout and the value of early recognition

Written by Dr Danielle Grey, clinical director at Purple House Clinic

Burnout is more than just being tired, stressed or having a difficult week.

It is emotional and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to high demands and stress.

Burnout rarely appears all at once; it develops slowly over time, often making the early warning signs easy to miss until it reaches a critical point.

While burnout is most often linked to work, it can also arise from caregiving roles, academic demands, neurodivergence, or the constant demands of managing everyday life.

Recognising it early is crucial for preventing long-term psychological and physical consequences, restoring wellbeing, and fostering a balanced approach to life and work.

Understanding burnout

Burnout arises when the demands placed upon an individual consistently exceed the resources available to cope with them.

Emotionally, burnout often manifests as exhaustion, irritability, lack of motivation and a sense of numbness.

Individuals may feel disconnected from their work, relationships, and even from themselves.

Tasks that were once routine or enjoyable can suddenly feel overwhelming or meaningless.

Physically, chronic stress associated with burnout can result in fatigue, sleep disturbance, headaches, poor appetite, gastrointestinal issues, and a weakened immune system.

Why early recognition matters

The gradual nature of burnout means many people only seek support once their coping resources have been stretched to the limits.

Burnout serves as a warning signal from both the mind and body that current coping strategies are no longer effective.

Burnout is a valid and impactful experience that warrants empathy and understanding, rather than self-criticism for feeling unable to cope.

Early intervention may involve practical steps such as setting boundaries, adjusting workloads, implementing consistent self-care routines, or seeking professional psychological support.

By listening to the body and mind’s warning signals, individuals can begin to restore balance and create healthier patterns in their personal and professional life.

In burnout, people often rely on coping strategies that may feel helpful in the moment but make stress and exhaustion worse over time.

This can include pushing themselves to meet unrealistic standards through perfectionism and overworking or blaming themselves for feeling overwhelmed.

Some try to avoid responsibilities or ignore tasks, which can increase anxiety later, while others bottle up their emotions, leading to numbness and detachment.

People may also turn to unhealthy habits such as excessive alcohol, screen time, overeating, or avoiding friends and family.

These strategies may offer temporary relief, but they don’t address the underlying stress and can make burnout harder to overcome.

The value of psychological support

Rather than accepting constant exhaustion as an inevitable part of life, it is crucial to view burnout as a message: a prompt to pause, seek support, and build healthier coping strategies.

Psychological therapy can help individuals experiencing burnout by supporting emotional wellbeing.

Therapy validates the individual’s experience and reframes burnout not as a failure, but as a sign that something needs to change.

It provides a safe, non-judgemental space for individuals to explore what drives stress and how to respond to difficult emotions.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is particularly effective in addressing the thought patterns that often underlie burnout, such as perfectionism, self-criticism, and catastrophizing.

CBT helps individuals identify and challenge these patterns, offering practical strategies for improving time management, setting boundaries, and regulating emotions.

By restructuring how we think about stress and our responses to it, CBT supports more sustainable coping strategies.

Other therapeutic approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), focus on helping individuals reconnect with their core values and respond to stress with greater psychological flexibility.

ACT encourages acceptance of difficult emotions rather than avoidance and promotes mindful engagement with life’s challenges.

This can be particularly helpful in burnout recovery, as it shifts focus from self-blame to purposeful, values-based action.

Practical steps beyond therapy

Practical steps can make a big difference in tackling burnout. These may include:

• Boundary-setting: Learning to say no or delegate tasks to prevent overextension.

• Workload management: Structuring responsibilities in a manageable way to reduce chronic stress.

• Self-care routines: Prioritising sleep, nutrition, exercise, and restorative activities.

• Mindfulness practices: Meditation, relaxation exercises, or reflective journaling to reconnect with the present moment and reduce mental strain.

• Social support: Maintaining relationships with supportive friends, family, or peer groups to buffer stress.

Burnout is a warning sign that our current lifestyle is unsustainable.

Believing that constant exhaustion is simply part of life and ignoring the signs of burnout can impact on our psychological and physical wellbeing.

Addressing burnout is about creating a life that is healthier, balanced, and aligned with our values.