Three years ago, I broke.  I couldn’t stop crying whenever I spoke to someone outside of my family; I was barely able to communicate with my family in general.  I felt frozen; I couldn’t make a decision for myself and I certainly didn’t want to move forward towards any goals or complete any tasks that needed to be done.  I was constantly waking up around 2 am, only to fall back asleep and feel exhausted when I woke up.  The overwhelm and constant existential dread were unbearable.  I didn’t know what was wrong with me.  I finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with generalized anxiety, which was the best thing I have done for myself.  I started anxiety medication and after a few days, I stopped crying and I woke up feeling like myself, not dreading some unknown fear.

But the exhaustion didn’t go away.  I was still doing the same job, working the same long hours, with no end in sight.  It took me another year to realize that I was also in burnout.  Anxiety and burnout are so intertwined, it’s hard to tell which is which, and certainly something that should involve consulting with a professional.  My hope with this blog post is to offer some comradery-it can be hard to tell what your body is trying to tell you (or you are completely ignoring it, like I was), as well as encouragement for you to know that you don’t have to endure feeling like this; there are resources available to help.

What anxiety can look like

• The mental side: constant worry, racing thoughts, anticipating problems.
• The physical side: tension, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, feeling “wired.”
• The behavioral side: overthinking, reassurance-seeking, avoiding things, difficulty making decisions.
• *Anxiety can persist even when there isn’t an obvious external reason.*

What burnout can look like

• Emotional and physical exhaustion.
• Feeling depleted rather than simply tired.
• Cynicism, irritability, detachment, or losing enthusiasm for things that once mattered.
• Reduced capacity and difficulty functioning at your usual level.
• *Individuals who experience prolonged demands, responsibility, pressure, or lack of recovery are particularly susceptible to burnout.*

Anxiety vs. burnout: what’s the difference?

Anxiety	Burnout
“Something bad might happen.”	“I can’t do this anymore.”
Mind is constantly activated	Energy and capacity feel depleted
Worry/anticipation is prominent	Exhaustion/disengagement is prominent
Can happen without prolonged overwork	Usually develops after sustained stress/demand

Note that none of this is mutually exclusive.  Your mind can be constantly activated AND your energy can feel depleted.

When anxiety and burnout overlap

Chronic stress can leave someone both exhausted and hyper-alert.  You can be physically depleted while your mind refuses to slow down.  This can be common in individuals who are high-functioning and keep pushing through without taking time to recover.  If this speaks to you, it’s very helpful if you can take time to survey your feelings and symptoms to inform how you can create a system that can make your daily life more efficient and less stressful.

A few questions to ask yourself
This blog is by no means intended to diagnose someone.  However, if you were to meet with a professional (doctor or therapist), the following questions would be very beneficial to reflect upon and can offer valuable insight into how to help:

• What happens when I finally have nothing I need to do?
• Do I feel afraid/worried, or mainly exhausted and unable to care?
• Have I been operating under sustained pressure for months?
• What has happened to my sleep, concentration, patience, and enjoyment?
• Am I resting but never actually recovering?

What to do next

Having a label doesn’t give you a direct road map on what to do.  While it can be helpful, you don’t necessarily need a label to start feeling better. Rather:

• Take your symptoms seriously.
• Slow down, looking at what’s driving the stress, creating space for recovery, and getting appropriate professional support when needed.
• At Creekside Health Coaching, I create space for clients to reflect on what is driving their stress and together, we set goals on how to reduce that.  Health coaching is not a substitute for professional mental health and if needed, I am happy to refer clients to mental health professionals.

You don’t have to wait until you’re completely depleted

The sooner you take action and talk to someone about how you feel, the sooner you can start feeling better.  Don’t wait for a crisis to start taking action!

Remember, you don’t necessarily need to know which one it is before you deserve support. Start with a conversation and explore options for action.  If you would like to schedule a free wellness support strategy session with me, click here.