What are the Differences Between Burnout & Depression
What’s the difference between being depressed and burnt out?
How can you tell and does it even matter?
We’ve all been there. We get exhausted, both mentally and physically. We need a break from school or work, from sport, from family, from the world.
We ask ourselves… Am I depressed? Is this normal? Will this pass? What should I do?
Burnout typically results from chronic stress, particularly when an athlete feels overworked, under-valued, or emotionally drained. It can be characterized by feelings of apathy, cynicism, resentment, irritability, a loss of empathy, or a sense of a loss of control. Athletes may lack motivation or feel a loss of enthusiasm for their sport. They might also feel drained during training or competition but still enjoy social activities outside of athletics.
Depression stems from biological, psychological and environmental factors. While depression can arise during a period of high stress, it is not always related to stress and can impact athletes regardless of their workloads. Depression involves pervasive feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness (or guilt), and a loss of pleasure (anhedonia) in activities that normally elicit joy. These feelings feel endless and impact all areas of life, not just sport. Furthermore, depression leads to high levels of fatigue, athletes may feel depleted across all aspects of life.
While it can be tough to distinguish between the two, burnout usually elicits the above reactions to a particular life role while depression affects a person’s overall mood and quality of life. Furthermore, burnout symptoms tend to improve with time away from the stressor and/or rest while depression symptoms persist regardless of a break and may require therapeutic intervention.
Here’s one simple way to try to discern between the two. Think of a hobby or an activity that normally brings you joy. If you don’t have the energy for that activity but wish that you did, you may just be burnt out. If you don’t find those activities enjoyable at any level, than this could be a sign of depression. It’s called anhedonia; the inability to enjoy activities once treasured.
What to do if you think you’re burnt out:
1. Look out for yourself and take a mental health day or two. Fill the day with a mix of rest and some enjoyable activities you’ve been hoping to get to.
2. Unplug – Phones, iPads, TVs … give them a break. Especially before bedtime. The non-stop bombardment of news and constant consumption of media only adds to the weariness.
3. Get some fresh air and raise that heart rate. Exercise and fresh air help everything. Find an enjoyable activity to get the blood flowing and those muscles working. Pick an activity outside of your sport that you’ve been curious about.
4. Count your blessings. Even the role that makes you cringe right now has a long list of ‘pros’. Write them out and take them to heart. Even a small change in perspective can make a significant difference.
What to do if you think you’re depressed:
1. Move – Physical activity is a necessary element of positive mental health. Get outside, rain or shine. Walk … take in your local area … and breathe. Notice five new things about your neighborhood that you haven’t observed before.
2. Reach out – Depression is not something you need to tackle alone. There are professionals throughout your area with the proper training and experience to help you today. Don’t wait. You deserve help and depression is treatable.
Whether you have depression or burnout, you are most certainly not alone. If you feel lost and are not sure where to begin, start by scheduling a complimentary discovery call with one of our team members today. We’d be honored to hear from you.