Can A Doctor Help Me With A Depression
Yes, your doctor can help with your depression condition. But note that there are other mental health and medical experts, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors, who treat different mental states. If you have a severe mental illness, it would be best to book an appointment with a psychiatrist.
Psychiatrists are physicians who can assess, diagnose, or treat depression and other mental disorders. They can prescribe medications like antidepressants to treat your condition. Suppose their treatment plans dont work with your state. In that case, they can refer you to other medical professionals such as a counselor or psychologist who can apply their professionalism to offer a lasting solution.
What Are Symptoms Of Burnout
Burnout symptoms vary depending on which phase of burnout youre in. In general, there are three symptoms to be aware of: exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment.
Exhaustion: This fatigue presents itself both mentally and physically. The energy you typically have is zapped by persistent exhaustion.
Depersonalization: This is a feeling of indifference. In other words, you start to feel numb. For example, you may become more cynical in your inner workings or lack the ability to communicate effectively with people.
Reduced personal accomplishment/performance: This tends to manifest when you feel your work is insufficient and youre incapable of performing your work. For example, you may lose pleasure in work you previously received joy from. Your usual creativity may wane, and it can become harder to concentrate.
Symptoms may also present as physical, emotional or behavioral.
Physical symptoms include:
- Work-related anger outbursts
Signs And Symptoms Of Burnout
Most of us have days when we feel helpless, overloaded, or unappreciatedwhen dragging ourselves out of bed requires the determination of Hercules. If you feel like this most of the time, however, you may be burned out.
Burnout is a gradual process. It doesnt happen overnight, but it can creep up on you. The signs and symptoms are subtle at first, but become worse as time goes on. Think of the early symptoms as red flags that something is wrong that needs to be addressed. If you pay attention and actively reduce your stress, you can prevent a major breakdown. If you ignore them, youll eventually burn out.
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Burnout Is Usually Caused By A Specific External Factor
The main difference between depression and burnout is burnout can almost always be traced to a specific stressor or event, Russiano said. That could be something temporary, like a deadline thats been looming over you for a few weeks, or something bigger and more systemic, like a lack of childcare, being underpaid at work, or having a micromanaging boss.
A good test to tell if what youre dealing with is burnout versus depression is to notice if you feel dread around one specific thing. If Sunday evenings are unbearable and your weekends are dominated by dread around the upcoming work week, that may be a sign that youre experiencing work-related burnout. If youre feeling generally malaisedtired, disinterested, and unmotivated inside and outside of workand you cant think of a reason why, that may be a sign you have depression.
With depression, Russiano said its much harder to isolate a cause. Sometimes people can point to a recent event, like a loss or life change, but often its more systemic. Its really hard to pinpoint exactly what the originating cause was because theres so many things going into it, Russiano said.
Affected Area Of Life
Burnout affects only one area of life. For example, if you are burned out due to work, it mainly affects your professional life. Burnout is seen very commonly in people who work in the health care sector. Nurses, doctors, counselors, first responders, etc., are more likely to go through burnout.
On the other hand, in depression, you will undergo a change in every area or aspect of your life. Your work or studies will suffer. It can cause disturbances in your relationships. Additionally, it can cause problems with your spouse, family members, friends, co-workers, etc.
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How Do I Recognize A Depression
Although you may experience depression only once, some people suffering from the condition often have multiple episodes. You can use different signs and symptoms to tell if youre suffering from depression. While some people only experience mild symptoms, others can encounter severe symptoms when suffering from depression. The most common signs you can use to identify if youre suffering from depression include:
- Loss of interest in some activities once enjoyed
- Feeling sad most of the time
- Changes in appetite gaining or losing weight
- Being easily frustrated or irritated
- Eating too little or too much
Its essential to note that some people can sometimes experience most of these symptoms, which might not necessarily mean suffering from depression. Equally, not everyone suffering from depression will experience all of these signs.
Accept That The Two Arent Entirely Separate
Finally, the hardest step: Understanding and accepting that burnout and depression are not entirely distinct psychological conditions. Thus far, youve seen how to distinguish one from the other based on causal factors, your response to treatment and coping techniques, and the potential need for professional help. Now, its time to look at the overlap between the two.
Remember that burnout is a mental or emotional condition caused by your external environment. Most of the time, this environment is the workplace. It often leads to sadness, self-isolation, and many more symptoms like those that characterize depression. Of course, with proper treatment, these can go away. Yet, when left unchecked, they can develop into a more severe problem.
For example, suppose you remain in the same job that makes you unhappy, or you fail to address the offices toxic relationships and dynamics. In that case, early burnout can snowball into a depressive episode. This can have lasting consequences on your life and wellbeing, so its important to recognize burnout symptoms as soon as possible.
Its crucial to recognise that, although many things distinguish burnout and depression, they are not entirely unrelated. Scientists arent even sure about the extent to which they overlap and have found significant evidence for strong associations between these conditions and anxiety. Forcing explanations for the separation of the two conditions may lead you to avoid necessary treatment.
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Depression: What Is Burnout
Many of us know someone who has had to take a break from work due to burnout. But what exactly is this set of symptoms? And what’s the difference between burnout, “normal” exhaustion and ?
The term burnout was coined in the 1970s by the American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. He used it to describe the consequences of severe stress and high ideals in helping professions. Doctors and nurses, for example, who sacrifice themselves for others, would often end up being burned out exhausted, listless, and unable to cope. Nowadays, the term is not only used for these helping professions, or for the dark side of self-sacrifice. It can affect anyone, from stressed-out career-driven people and celebrities to overworked employees and homemakers.
Surprisingly, experts don’t always agree on what burnout actually is. This has consequences: Because its not exactly clear what burnout is and how it can be diagnosed, it’s also not possible to say how common it is.
Treatment Options For Burnout And Depression
There are many ways one can address burnout and manage their symptoms of depression. Self care, therapy, medication, meditation, exercise and taking a break are all positive ways to cope with symptoms. For burnout specifically, having an outlet or an activity planned for after work may help you to balance out where you are putting all of your energy.
Just like with depression, it is important to do the work of forming new habits. Burnout-focused therapy may include stress management, values work and distress tolerance skills. Cognitive and behavioral approaches are widely accepted as the first line of treatments for depression and burnout.
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Summary Of Main Findings
During the last decade, research regarding the relationship of burnout and depression, and burnout and anxiety, has grown. As we observed from our database search on the studies that measure the aforementioned relationships, the research in this field of area has increased in recent years, with the majority of the studies being conducted during the last year . The interest on clarifying these relationships appears to be growing stronger and by conducting the present meta-analysis we wanted to clarify whether there is an overlap between burnout and depression, and an overlap between burnout and anxiety. Overall, burnout research is growingparticularly when it comes to small-scale occupational studies, but the research tends to be varied, and applies a range of different instruments to measure burnout . It is possible that employees who have been diagnosed with a depressive and/or an anxiety disorder might also suffer from burnout . Indicatively, Maske et al. found that 59% of individuals who have been diagnosed with burnout they were also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, 58% with an affective disorder, i.e., depression or a depressive episode and 27% with a somatoform disorder. In other words, the similarities between burnout and depression and burnout and anxiety might lead to false diagnosis or it is possible that burnout might be overlooked on the account of these similarities, resulting in false treatments of the individuals who suffer from it.
Is It Burnout Or Depression Know The Difference
Although they might feel similar at times, there are underlying differences between burnout and depression
Burnout is a state of utter demotivation, mental and physical exhaustion, and a complete lack of interest in activities, generally related to work. Depression is a state of sadness that persists for a long time. At the face of it, both might feel similar at times. But these are distinct, with the latter a mood disorder that requires a proper diagnosis and treatment, while the latter is not recognised as a mental health disorder. Since, at times, they might feel the same, hence there is a need to clear the confusion. And, hence, to know the difference between the two, Onlymyhealth spoke to Mr. Krishna Veer Singh, Co-founder & CEO, Lissun, which is a tech-enabled mental health startup based in Gurugram, Haryana.
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Do I Just Have Burnout Or Is It Actually Depression
In May 2019, the World Health Organization expanded its definition for burnout in the International Classification of Diseases. The revised version zeroed in on burnout as an occupational phenomenon, characterized by feelings of energy depletion,increased mental distance from ones job, and reduced professional efficacy. Or, in simpler terms, exhaustion and apathy to the point that a persons ability to do their job suffers.
It may be a new definition, but it sounds familiar, right? While burnout technically only applies to these feelings when they arise from work stress, it shares a lot of its symptoms with another, pervasive mental health malady: depression. On paper, the two are very similar. Depressions symptoms are listed as anything from loss of interest in things you once enjoyed and increased fatigue to difficulty thinking and feeling worthless. And physically, as therapist Melissa Russiano told VICE, the two often feel the same, at least at first.
To help you figure out which issue you may be dealing with, VICE spoke with Russiano, who treats both burnout and depression in her practice all the time, about the differences and why they matter. She emphasized that, no matter what youre dealing with, a visit to a therapist can be a helpful place to start.
Understand What Leads To Burnout
Although depression and burnout are very closely related mental health conditions, the former is far more permanent than the latter. Whereas depression is a chronic medical condition that can manifest either continuously or periodically, burnout is triggered by your external circumstances. Of course, burnout can have lasting effects like depression. However, it does persist in the same intensity.
To start, youll need to know how to identify the most common causes of burnout, so youll have a point of comparison for your current situation :
- Losing control. Millions of people have suffered through this specific factor this year. When you feel that major aspects of your job are out of your hands , its easy to get worn down by apprehension.
- Note: This might extend to circumstances that directly affect your ability to do your job. Imagine that management fails to provide you with the appropriate tools to work effectively, such as out-of-date software or faulty hardware. Youll be unusually stressed even while performing basic work duties, as the lack of preparation makes the job harder.
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Tip : Make Exercise A Priority
Even though it may be the last thing you feel like doing when youre burned out, exercise is a powerful antidote to stress and burnout. Its also something you can do right now to boost your mood.
Aim to exercise for 30 minutes or more per day or break that up into short, 10-minute bursts of activity. A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours.
Rhythmic exercise, where you move both your arms and legs, is a hugely effective way to lift your mood, increase energy, sharpen focus, and relax both the mind and body. Try walking, running, weight training, swimming, martial arts, or even dancing.
To maximize stress relief, instead of continuing to focus on your thoughts, focus on your body and how it feels as you move: the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the wind on your skin.
Consult A Psychiatrist And Psychotherapist
As previously stated, treating depression is not as simple or straightforward as addressing problems related to burnout. For the latter, its relatively easy to find solutions on your own. Yet, depression calls for complex treatment that may last for months or even years, in some cases.
Further, if your MDD does stem from childhood trauma or abnormalities in your brains function or nerve structure, you are not equipped to issue an accurate diagnosis on your own. Treatment methods and coping practices must be based on a thorough psychiatric evaluation of your past and present mental and emotional health.
The activities listed above can offer temporary relief for your experience with MDD. Still, the sadness, lethargy, cognitive challenges, and other permanent or chronic symptoms related to this illness will surely resurface without a trained professional leading you through the healing process. A few benefits you can reap from psychiatric and psychotherapeutic help with depression include :
- Professional insight into past or present life circumstances that may be harming your mental health
- The development of weekly or daily goals that help you work through past trauma that may be contributing to your declining mental health
- Support and validation for your feelings
- Identification and elimination of self-harming or self-sabotaging behaviours
- The development of long-term coping skills
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How Do The Causes Of Burnout And Depression Differ
Burnout is often caused by excessive stress for a prolonged period. Its most commonly work-related, though some people think its possible to experience burnout due to non-work situations, such as caring responsibilities, parenting, or wider family relationships.
Its often a gradual process and risk factors for experiencing burnout can include things like compassion fatigue, lack of recognition and reward, going a long time without a break, large amounts of pressure, unreasonable expectations, unmanageable workload, lack of control, lack of choice, and lack of autonomy.
Depression isnt usually caused by a single circumstance or event. Often, several different things will feed into it. Sometimes we wont be able to pinpoint anything specific at all. Some of the things that can contribute to depression include traumatic events, medical conditions, family circumstances, medication, culture, genetics, having a child, and family history.
Burnout Vs Depression: How To Know The Difference Between Both
This year, burnout and depression both skyrocketed in populations worldwide. Both conditions are unfortunately prevalent in adult working populations, yet they require different treatment methods to resolve. Plus, though many symptoms are shared between the two, you can observe many causal factors and psychological and emotional responses to clue you into the differences.
Still, researchers arent too sure where the line is between burnout and depression. The debate goes on as to whether the two are essentially the same, or if one is a temporary disposition, while the other is a chronic illness. The guide below can help you determine whether you are experiencing burnout or depression based on current scientific knowledge and further steps to treat the problem.
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What To Do If You Have Burnout
Recognizing that you have burnout is often the first step to making a plan for recovery. You might not necessarily recognize burnout at its early stages, says Dr. Borland. Its usually once burnout has really taken hold, thats when you might say, Something is really off here. Thats because were so used to going at that 100-mile-an-hour clip. But there are tangible steps you can take to get back on a better path.
Depression Symptoms & Risk Factors
Depression includes symptoms such as loss of interest or pleasure in doing things and a noticeably different change in perspective and experience. There are many signs and symptoms of depression. For example, what used to bring someone joy may not have the same effect on someone while they are depressed.
Depression may also cause physical symptoms like chronic fatigue and increase or loss of appetite. Depression can be extremely debilitating, causing some individuals to isolate and lose the ability to function. It can impact many important areas of functioning, including social relationships, work and/or school.
Common signs and symptoms of depression include:
- Anyone with a history of adverse childhood experiences or trauma history
Help For Depression
Talk Therapy Get help from a licensed therapist. Betterhelp offers online therapy starting at $60 per week. Get matched With A Therapist
Medication Find out if anxiety medication is a good fit for you. Brightside offers a free assessment. Treatments start at $95 per month. Free Assessment
Meditation & Mindfulness Developing mindfulness and practice can lower anxiety. Get started with a Free Trial of Headspace
Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for referrals by BetterHelp, Brightside, and Headspace.
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