Table of Contents
What happens in the body when you are stressed
If we feel “threatened”, we still react like Stone Age people: the hypothalamus in the brain releases messenger substances that reach the adrenal cortex via the bloodstream at lightning speed. This is where the stress hormone cortisol is produced. In addition, adrenaline is produced in the adrenal medulla. This puts the entire body on alert, preparing it for “flight or fight”. If we can eliminate the threat or expose it as harmless, the tension will subside, the stress hormones will be reduced, and the metabolism and psyche will switch back to resting mode.
What goes wrong in a burnout in the body
For example, if you cannot (or are not allowed) to do anything about it at work that you can hardly do the work, your stress hormone levels will be permanently elevated and your body will be running at full speed all the time. As a result, there is no more relaxation even if the external circumstances invite it. This weakens the immune system and causes those affected to perceive the stress as even more onerous. At the same time, they try even harder to resist it. There is often a feeling that experts call “learned helplessness”, a feeling of being at the mercy. The burnout trap snaps shut.
Typical causes of burnout
The causes of burnout could not be more diverse and are as individual as the person affected. In general, a distinction is made between internal and external risk factors that can cause burnout. The inner factors include beliefs such as high expectations of oneself, doubts about one’s own actions and difficulties in admitting helplessness. External factors that can increase the risk of burnout are an excessive workload, a lack of recognition and a loss of control. People who have low self-esteem are just as prone to burnout as people who push forward with a lot of ambition and determination.
This is why women are more likely to suffer from burnout
According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) , women are more often affected by burnout than men. In Germany, around 5.2 percent of women and 3.3 percent of men suffer from the typical symptoms. It is assumed that men tend to concentrate more on individual and cognitive abilities, while in women it is mostly social and emotional factors that determine everyday life. For them, burnout is therefore increasingly accompanied by emotional exhaustion and pressure to perform on a social level.
The three stages of burnout
How high is your risk that your life situation will burn you out? Put it to the test: If you have two or more “level one” points, you should seek help and try to make your everyday life less stressful. If “level two” already describes your situation, you should no longer hesitate to go to a psychologist, doctor or naturopath. Even with a level three answer: get professional help immediately.
Stage One First signs of exhaustion
- sleep disorders
- Pain, irregular heartbeat, ringing in the ear… All disturbances without an organic cause
- increased work activity
- reduced performance
- irritability and vulnerability
Stage Two The exhaustion increases. People sometimes don’t recognize themselves – their behavior has changed.
- Aggressive outbursts
- Blind activism
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- feelings of powerlessness
- concentration problems
Stage Three Body, mind and spirit are heading towards total exhaustion. The will to live dwindles.
- Apathy
- suicidal thoughts
- Depression
How can you protect yourself from burnout?
In order to avoid emotional exhaustion in the first place, everyone should find their own personal method of coping with stress. Burnout symptoms are not to be taken lightly, which is why it is all the more important to make everyday life as stress-free as possible and to ensure enough deceleration. Always make sure that you get enough sleep and that you give yourself a well-deserved break from time to time. Perhaps relaxation exercises such as meditation or autogenic training will help you switch off. Also, exercise a lot in the fresh air and practice a sport that is good for you. A healthy and balanced diet is also important.
Burnout: Find help here
If you suffer from burnout, you should seek medical or psychological treatment. In this way, the causes of your complaints can be clarified and behavior changes can be trained. Via the innovative platform of the German Federal Association for Burnout Prophylaxis and Prevention e. V. (DBVB) and on you can find professional help in your area that specializes in burnout. The same applies to the search for psychotherapists by the German Psychotherapists Association (DPtV) .
