If you no longer like what you lived for and loved doing.If its causing undue stress,pains,irritability and sleepless nights, take a step back and think.

I am trying to do just that for last several months.Its not easy,but I always step back ,to avoid missing the forest for the trees.It could very well be burnout.I have been there and now I work extra hard to avoid that.

What is burnout?

Burnout is absolute exhaustion physically, mentally, and even socially.When health is all its spheres are out of balance due to excessive chronic stress, burnout can occur.When you literally can’t find any motivation in doing something or pleasure after doing it.Your coping mechanism struggles. You have a feeling of being drained of all energy to do anything. Affects all of us at some point. If not taken care of, various physical and mental health issues crop up.

What are the early signs of burnout one should watch for?

Poor sleep

Chronic anxiety

Pain in the neck, temple, high BP, chronic reflux, burning sensation in the pit of stomach and throat.

Not able to find pleasure in things that previously were enjoyable.

When you are doing your best but don’t have enough time for self needs/family needs often feel empty inside.

Minor niggling health problems (neck pain, back pain your bowels don’t cooperate )

Substance abuse, drinking, smoking drugs.

Lack of satisfaction.

Having to push yourself for small things

What type of personalities are more prone to burnout?

People who are in caring relationships professionally and personally.

Example-

Doctors, nurses, Emergency technicians,

People caring for several family members with no help. Single parents ,parents caring for children and elderly family member without help. Caregivers in families with chronic debilitating physical or mental health problems with lack of help.

Highly driven over ambitious perfectionists can fall into this trap if they don’t maintain work-life balance and factor in self-care.

What are the questions to ask yourself if you suspect you are suffering from burnout

• Am I having fun?
• Am I sleeping well?
• What is giving that burning sensation in my gut?

What questions should people suffering from burnout ask their doctors?

Your doctor will ask the questions. But at the root of it, it’s more about what questions you can ask yourself.Visiting a doctor is essential for taking care of hypertension and other health problems which pike up with chronic stress.

What suggestions do you have for coping with burnout?

• Work out/Exercise 
• Walk 40 minutes every day.
• Eat a balanced healthy diet. 
• Get professional help from a psychiatrist and other registered health care professionals. 
• Do something which helps you forget your worries. Working with your hand helps 
• Painting, baking, gardening are all immersive hobbies that help with achieving flow.
• Anything which is meditative and enjoyable will help lower stress.
• Work-life balance every day is crucial. Avoid too much screen time and social media or gaming overload.

•    An important note-The professional confidentiality clause is essential when you share your problems. So casual social media counseling by self-proclaimed counselors without degrees or licenses is harmful to you medically, socially, and legally. Self-diagnosis and OTC medication can make things worse.

Burnout-related health issues like neck pain, headache, foreign body sensation of throat, chronic reflux, etc are common presenting complaints in an ENT clinic.

Do you think the younger generation is more prone to facing burnout than their predecessors?

Yes, the screen-dependent life can promote anxiety and burnout. Constant social media exposure makes for unrealistic expectations.With the Pandemic, the reduced social interactions can be another problem.

A balance of time spent in nature, gardening, playing outdoor sports, non-screen hobbies have to be a part of everyday life.Burnout is a sign of poor lifestyle choices. You can choose to design it better. Also, getting help early on to avoid serious health issues is crucial. I am a doctor and I started blogging in 2014 .Stress was one of the reasons I took to writing.

Some excerpts from this was used for an article by my Lawyer -Blogger friend Noor Anand Chawla in this article.The questions were what made me want to talk about burnout.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2021/jul/04/the-burnout-epidemic-among-professionals-and-how-to-overcome-it-2324129.html

I am writing this for CauseAchatter and Blogchatter Half Marathon and the Ultimate Blogging Challenge.