Stress and burnout
What is stress and burnout?
Stress can feel like your mind is constantly buzzing and your body feels tense all over. Life might feel like it’s too much all at once. You might be juggling too many things and feel like you can’t let any of them drop. When we feel like it’s a real effort to push through the day it can be taxing on our body and feel like we are in “survival mode”.
Burnout happens when you have been stressed for too long without a break. It feels like you’ve been running on empty for too long, and now there’s nothing left to give. Simple tasks can feel heavy, and things you used to care about don’t spark joy. It’s like your battery is not just low; it is completely drained and charging it back up feels impossible. Your body and mind are telling you you can’t go on like this anymore.
Our psychologists are able to offer evidence-based treatment for stress and burnout. We’re here to help, please contact us to find out more, we offer counselling in Footscray and service the Western suburbs.
Signs and symptoms of stress and burnout
Some signs and symptoms of stress and burnout are listed below. The Centre for Clinical Intervention also has a useful fact sheet with some basic stress-management tools, and the Black Dog Institute has a free self-care plan template, available here. Reach Out also has a resource to help you identify if you’re burnt out, and ways to manage. While useful, these resources may not be a replacement for therapy. If you’ve been burnt out from work or have a Workcover claim, we have Workcover psychologists who are able to support you. There is a good evidence-base for therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialetical Behaviour Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for stress and burnout.
Psychological symptoms of stress and burnout
- Feeling “on edge”
- Feeling easily irritated
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Having a racing mind that won’t slow down
- Feeling like there’s always a clock ticking in the background
- Feeling totally drained; mentally, emotionally and physically
- Losing motivation, even for things you love
- Feeling numb or detached
- Struggling to concentrate
Physical symptoms of stress and burnout
- Tightness in shoulders and neck.
- A racing heart
- Getting headaches or feeling pressure in your head.
- Stomach feeling in knots or upset
- Restlessness
- Shallow breathing
- Feeling jittery, tense, or on edge
- Wake up feeling tired all the time
- Feeling tight in your body (shoulders, jaw, stomach)
- Feeling run down or unwell
So, what can I do?
Unmanaged stress that persists for too long can imapct our enjoyment of life, the quality of our relationships and our ability to do the things we want to. It can also lead to other conditions like anxiety and depression. Burnout is a serious condition, and can impact us in similar ways, but last much longer. If you are feeling stressed and find that it’s becoming difficult to manage, it might be time to seek help. Our psychologists are able to work with you to understand the reasons for your stress and help you find ways to manage it.
Get in touch to help us match you with a find a psychologist near me who might be a good fit for you.
Medicare rebates are available, and we offer telehealth appointments. We also have Workcover psychologists, TAC psychologists and offer telehealth psychologists.
Psychology FAQs
Have a question? Take a look below… these are some of the common questions we get.
Ready to talk?
Please get in touch today to have a chat to our friendly team so we can match you with an appropriate psychologist. If you are an existing client, you can book online.