Burnout is the opposite of resilience; it is the eroding of your capacity to thrive. In the field of child welfare, it is estimated that over 50% of staff experience some level of burnout. The core symptoms of burnout are emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. It is caused by ongoing levels of demand and stress beyond a person’s internal and external resources. Working too long out of “the kindness of your heart” while your own needs take a distant back seat results in deep exhaustion. Burnout impacts many in the caring professions as well as family caregivers. Everyone is negatively impacted: the caregiver, the people that they help, and their larger community.  

The primary symptom of burnout is emotional exhaustion, being so tired of caring that you find it hard to care at all. This can lead to depersonalization where you are cynical and negative about the people you are called to care about. You no longer see them as people; you see them as burdens partly because your own humanity has been ignored for so long. From here you may develop a reduced sense of personal accomplishment, you feel like a failure, like there is no point and that nothing you do makes a difference. Along the way maladaptive coping can show up in a “loss spiral” where you numb out, blow up, or are absent just to have some relief. These strategies accelerate the cycle of depletion.  

There are negative consequences for all involved. The person providing care can develop headaches, digestive issues, or other physical symptoms. Anxiety, depression, strokes, and heart attacks are possible results. Depersonalization and a cynical attitude can result in poor care, anger, dismissal of needs, or absenteeism. Clients or loved ones may be hurt or neglected. Whole systems struggle as a burned-out co-worker or family member leaves more work for others. No one wins when you burn out. 

Prevention is powerful.  It requires awareness that erosion is happening and a willingness to act now. It requires a belief that you are worth it and that you deserve a smooth path. It requires the courage to change the things you can and to set boundaries with people and systems who expect your self-sacrifice. It takes less effort in the long run although it seems harder now. Using healthy coping strategies, you can prevent your own burnout and set an example for people and systems around you. 

The primary cause of burnout is the expectations of providing help or care for long periods of time with inadequate resources or support. Noticing the symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment is the first step. Seeing the negative consequences for all involved can give you the motivation to address it. Wielding your own power to take preventative measures changes the path you are on. Prevent burnout. Build your resilience and capacity to thrive. 

Peace,

Laura