Burn-out
What Is Burnout?
A burn-out is the body’s response to a prolonged period of excessive stress. You feel figuratively “burned out” due to long-term emotional exhaustion and physical fatigue. Burn-out is a common complaint. Every year, one in six people experience burn-out symptoms. A burn-out is the result of prolonged emotional overload and stress. You may experience physical exhaustion and emotional instability as a result of your body not having enough time to recover after effort.
A burn-out is not the same as being overworked or overwhelmed. Feeling overworked usually results from a short period of overload or stress. A burn-out, on the other hand, is caused by long-term overload or stress.
How do you recognise burn-out symptoms?
With a burn-out, you may experience both physical and psychological symptoms. Physical symptoms can include fatigue, headaches, dizziness, or pain in your abdomen or chest. You may become sensitive to stimuli such as crowds, loud noises, or bright light.
Burn-out can also show up as psychological symptoms, often described as “having an empty battery,” excessive worrying, feelings of powerlessness, or concentration problems. You may feel irritable, lonely, and disconnected from others.
The following symptoms may indicate a burn-out:
- You experience tension, physical exhaustion, problems with concentration and/or memory, and restless sleep. Worrying and a constant sense of urgency are also common.
- You lose control over situations or feel powerless. You may feel that you no longer have control over your life or the problems you are facing.
- Your symptoms make daily activities difficult or even impossible, whether at home, at work, or in social situations.
- You struggle to make decisions and remain stuck in doubt, unable to move forward.
- You feel insecure about yourself or the choices you need to make, which may cause you to withdraw.
- You are (very) irritable, and small setbacks feel like major challenges. You may react more sharply than you normally would.
- Because of your symptoms, you no longer function at home, at work, or for example in traffic as you used to.
How does a burn-out develop?
A burn-out usually does not happen overnight. Often, you have been doing too much for a long time and taking too little rest. You may sleep poorly, always feel “switched on,” and feel like you have to keep going.
Your body can cope with this for a while. It switches to a kind of reserve battery. You may notice that you get tired more quickly, react more emotionally, or have trouble concentrating — yet you continue.
But that reserve is not unlimited. If you push yourself beyond your limits for too long, it eventually runs out. At some point, your body or mind simply stops working. Your body pulls the emergency brake. That moment is often referred to as a burn-out.
What can you do yourself?
Recovering from a burn-out takes time. Your body has worked hard and now needs to rest. Professional help from a psychologist is not always necessary; you can already take many steps toward recovery yourself.
1. Take rest (and take it seriously)
Rest is not a luxury, but a necessity. Schedule rest moments during the day and treat them as appointments with yourself. This could be a short walk, lying down without stimuli, or simply doing nothing. Give your body the chance to recover from the physical and mental effort it has made.
2. Create a regular daily routine
Wake up and go to bed around the same time each day. Eat at regular times and alternate effort with relaxation. Structure provides safety for your body and brain and helps calm your nervous system. You do not always have to stop working entirely — work can help provide structure and a sense of purpose.
3. Listen to your limits
Practice noticing signals of fatigue or tension. Do you get headaches? Feel irritable? Experience pressure on your chest? See these as signals, not as weakness. Ask yourself: what do I need right now? Listen to the answer — and act on it.
4. Gradually build up activities
You may want to quickly return to your “old self,” but recovery happens step by step. Start small. Even a short activity can be enough to feel satisfied with what you have achieved.
5. Reduce stimuli
With a burn-out, your system is often oversensitive. Limit screen time, busy social commitments, and multitasking. Choose to focus on one task at a time and create more calm — in yourself, in your schedule, and in your social life.
6. Talk about it
You don’t have to do this alone. Share honestly with people you trust about how you are really doing. This can be relieving and helps prevent you from pushing on when you are actually exhausted.
7. Be kind to yourself
A burn-out is not a sign of failure. Often, it affects people who are committed, responsible, and caring — people who have gone beyond their limits for too long. Try to treat yourself with the same kindness you would show a good friend.
Treatment
Burn-out is not an official diagnosis within mental health care. This means that treatment for burn-out symptoms is not automatically reimbursed by health insurers. However, burn-out symptoms can resemble or stem from a mental disorder such as depression, an anxiety disorder, or trauma.
Only when there is an established DSM-5 diagnosis can treatment be reimbursed through basic health insurance. Even if your insurer does not cover the costs, iPractice can still support you effectively.
Treatment for burn-out often focuses on restoring balance, learning to recognise personal limits, and breaking patterns of overload. Helpful therapies include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and solution-focused therapy. Guidance often also includes attention to stress regulation, energy management, and self-care.
More information
The costs of burn-out guidance are not reimbursed by health insurers. See also costs of treatment. Sometimes employers provide a budget for guidance or treatment for burn-out. If there is a DSM-5 diagnosis, nearly all insurers reimburse treatment costs with a referral from a general practitioner.
FAQ
Stress can be temporary and disappear after rest. With burn-out, recovery no longer happens. You feel emotionally exhausted — often physically as well — and even small tasks can feel overwhelming.
Feelings of guilt or shame are common with burn-out. In treatment, there is space to explore these feelings. You learn how to set boundaries without having to justify yourself or feel “weak.”
Prevention is an important part of recovery. You learn to recognise signals, distribute your energy more effectively, and take better care of yourself — helping you prevent overload in the future.
Sometimes it’s helpful to temporarily postpone work activities. In many cases however, continuing to work is actually beneficial. Work provides structure and a sense of purpose. Often, adjusted work arrangements can be made in consultation with your employer. We support you in finding this balance and can involve your occupational physician or employer if needed.
