What to do if you are suffering from burnout

Published on 14 January 2024

Worn out from work demands? Here’s how to identify, prevent and treat burnout before it worsens.

Is your heavy workload and other commitments causing you to suffer from burnout – a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion?

Don’t beat yourself up over it, as you are probably not alone. In fact, an October 2022 survey commissioned by CNA found that burnout — rather than COVID-19 restrictions — was the leading factor that affected mental well-being in Singapore during the pandemic.

The heightened pressure of achieving success — alongside other stressors such as the rising cost of living — can increase your risk of burnout, especially for working adults. While stress is how our body usually responds to everyday or specific pressures, burnout could be more serious. Those experiencing burnout might feel overwhelmingly exhausted or even dread going to work or fulfilling their commitments. They may also become less productive or even feel detached from those around them.

Burnout — recognise the signs

Dr Luke Hong, a Senior Resident Physician with the Department of Psychological Medicine at the National University Hospital, noted that burnout usually begins with considerable mental strain to do well, which eventually turns into a sense of futility and possibly cynicism. These psychological signs might then also manifest physically, such as through tiredness, difficulty sleeping, and reduced enjoyment.

"Some people might start to develop anxiety, symptoms, panic attacks, just really feeling on edge,” he said, noting that individuals might be unaware that they are suffering from burnout. “It really depends on one’s threshold. Their state of burnout could just end up becoming a norm for them, turning chronic and progressing into anxiety and depressive disorders,” added Dr Hong.

Take the quiz below to find out if you could be suffering from burnout:

  
As a clinical physician, Dr Hong sees patients who have progressed beyond burnout. These individuals, who are mostly working adults, may have depression or even specific anxiety disorders, such as generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder or agoraphobia (fear of leaving their safe environment).

“It is known that higher stress rates can increase risk of stomach ulcers, because of increased gastric acid production. And burnout coping behaviours such as smoking and drinking alcohol, also come with their own associated risks,” explained Dr Hong.

  
How to prevent burnout

While the above mentioned scenarios may sound intimidating, don’t feel overwhelmed. Dr Hong advised that burnout can be averted by maintaining a good support network, which can come in the form of co-workers, an understanding supervisor and employer, or friends and family who are willing to lend their ears.

“Sometimes when you all commiserate together, it can make an unpleasant situation more light-hearted. In a way, it becomes a shared bond that makes everyone feel encouraged,” suggested Dr Hong.

Going hand-in-hand with that is work-life balance, which means knowing when to switch off from work, getting enough sleep, exercise, and family/leisure time. This, however, may require an attitude adjustment.

 “Instead of falling into cynicism and saying, ‘Oh, but the work will never be finished, we will all just suffer anyway’, you can change your mindset to, ‘We will continue to do our best but what comes, comes; we’ll deal with it together, my team is good’,” advised Dr Hong. 

Meanwhile, it is also helpful for friends, family, co-workers or even superiors to initiate regular check-ins with individuals who may be at risk of burnout. Even something as simple as meeting someone for a meal can help create a safe space to discuss certain concerns. 

“If someone is slow in their work or unable to do the tasks that they used to do, maybe it is not because they are incompetent, but they could actually be having some problems,” he said.

When to seek professional help

It is always advisable to practise self-care to stave off burnout, but it is also important to know when to seek treatment for your mental health.

“Seek help when you find that there's dysfunction — for example if you don't have the energy or motivation to go to work, or when you feel that it is affecting your day-to-day activities,” advised Dr Hong. “You may be very snappy, irritable, shouting at your family, unable to focus at work and preoccupied with your thoughts,” he added.

He shared that about 80 to 90 per cent of his patients are prescribed medication, and they also learn coping mechanisms so that they can stop their medications after about six months to a year. “The medicine only treats symptoms but not the underlying cause of the stressor,” he explained.

Finally, he emphasised that burnout is very common for working adults and should not be seen as a sign of weakness or incompetence. “Everyone could do with a counsellor or a therapist as a guide. The goal is to develop a therapist within you,” he said. 

  
In consultation with Dr Luke Hong, Senior Resident Physician, Department of Psychological Medicine, NUH.