You Are Burned Out And Don't Even Know It

The term "burnout" has nuanced meanings depending on the context in which it's used, especially when comparing its use in Europe and medical journals versus common American slang. Here's a breakdown:

### In Europe and Medical Journals

- **Definition**: In European discourse and medical journals, "burnout" is primarily understood as a psychological syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three main dimensions: overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment from the job, and a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.
- **Recognition**: European countries and the medical community treat burnout more formally, often recognizing it as a significant health issue that can have severe implications for individuals' mental and physical health. There is a stronger emphasis on diagnosing and treating burnout through medical and psychotherapeutic methods.
- **Work Culture**: The understanding and approach to burnout in Europe can also reflect broader work culture attitudes, with some countries placing a strong emphasis on work-life balance, recognizing the importance of vacation time, and legislating working hours to prevent overwork.

### In Common American Slang

- **Definition**: In common American slang, "burnout" can still refer to the state of extreme exhaustion due to stress from work or other responsibilities. However, the term is often used more loosely and can describe a broader range of experiences, including general fatigue from any source, not just the workplace.
- **Cultural Context**: The use of "burnout" in American slang might not always carry the same medical or formal recognition as it does in Europe or medical discourse. While awareness of mental health issues is increasing in the U.S., societal attitudes towards work and stress might sometimes glorify overworking, making formal recognition of burnout less prevalent.
- **Broader Use**: Additionally, "burnout" in American slang can refer to someone who has become disenchanted or disengaged due to past excessive use of drugs or someone who is seen as failing to meet societal expectations of success. This usage diverges significantly from the medical definition.

### Summary

The key difference lies in the formal recognition and approach towards "burnout." In Europe and medical journals, there's a structured understanding and treatment approach towards burnout as a significant health issue, deeply tied to workplace stress and mental health. In contrast, in common American slang, while the term can refer to similar feelings of exhaustion due to overwork, it's often used more broadly and casually, sometimes extending to non-work-related exhaustion or even describing a lifestyle or personality type. This difference in usage reflects broader cultural attitudes towards work, mental health, and societal expectations in these regions.

The conceptualization and recognition of burnout vary significantly between countries, notably between Sweden and the USA. These differences reflect broader attitudes towards work, mental health, and well-being, as well as the influence of healthcare systems and cultural norms on the understanding of psychological syndromes.

### Sweden

In Sweden, burnout is recognized with a particular emphasis on its severe physiological and psychological impacts. The Swedish approach to understanding and treating burnout includes:

- *Medical Recognition:* Burnout is recognized as a serious medical condition that can lead to profound physical and mental exhaustion, significant memory loss, inability to concentrate, and even physical incapacity to perform daily tasks.
- *Symptomatology:* The symptoms associated with burnout in Sweden encompass more than just emotional exhaustion or cynicism related to work. It includes severe symptoms such as changes in brain function, memory loss, and an overall inability to function in daily life.
- *Treatment Approach:* Sweden has specialized clinics for the treatment of burnout, indicating a structured healthcare approach to address the syndrome. The treatment is comprehensive, potentially involving medical, psychological, and occupational interventions.
- *Cultural Context:* The Swedish approach reflects a broader societal recognition of the importance of work-life balance, mental health, and the physiological impacts of chronic stress.

### United States

In the United States, the understanding of burnout, particularly in the medical and occupational context, has traditionally been more focused on the psychological aspects, though this is expanding:

- *Definition:* Burnout in the U.S. is often defined by the World Health Organization's description focusing on three main dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, primarily in the context of the workplace.
- *Recognition and Treatment:* While awareness of burnout is increasing in the U.S., it has not traditionally been recognized as a medical diagnosis by itself in the general healthcare system. Treatment and recognition might vary greatly depending on the healthcare provider, with a focus often placed on stress management, mental health counseling, and lifestyle adjustments.
- *Research and Discussion:* The discussion around burnout in the U.S. has been growing, especially in the context of workplace wellness programs and within specific professions with high levels of occupational stress, such as healthcare and technology.
- *Cultural Context:* The U.S. work culture, which often values long hours and high productivity, may contribute to the prevalence of burnout. However, there is an increasing push towards recognizing the importance of mental health and work-life balance.

### Comparison

The key differences between Sweden and the USA in defining and treating burnout lie in the recognition of the condition's severity and the scope of symptoms considered. Sweden's approach is more medicalized, recognizing severe physiological symptoms and changes in brain function as part of the syndrome. This leads to a comprehensive treatment approach that includes specialized clinics. In contrast, the U.S. has traditionally focused on the psychological aspects of burnout, with a growing but still evolving recognition of its seriousness and implications for health care and workplace policies.

Both countries are moving towards a better understanding and management of burnout, reflecting a global shift in recognizing mental health as a critical component of overall well-being. However, Sweden's approach, by including more severe symptoms and a structured healthcare response, indicates a more advanced recognition of burnout as a significant health issue that requires specialized treatment.

Finally a meaningful description of burnout.

I “have it all”. Loving wife, kid that is not too difficult, financially stable, no debt, and a job that I truly enjoy - yet I am completely empty inside…

For me the factors nailed it.
I WANT to work a lot, I like it and my line of work favors people who contemplate work problems off-hours.
But I have also done it for many years in various companies and end up burned out and dissatisfied after a few years.
This video made me realize that this yield gap is the problem.
I am a righteous person and unfairness hits me like a truck. But I am also ambitious and goal driven. I don’t mind others getting rewarded, I really am a “everyone wins” type of person. The challenge is when there is no reward to be had, especially when the company misuse the trust and pretend there is. Or worse; distribute it unfairly.
I used to call this the “carrot on a stick”, but this description of the factors is much more suitable for communicating the issue with the workplace.
Ironically the carrot analogy is pretty cynical.
I realized when I get to the cynical atage it is over and Instart wanting to job-hop. Undoubtedly some aspects of my personality driving this, but I rarely recover from disappointment.
Then I get a new job, truly happy and fulfilled for a while, until I realize the new job is not offering any progression either.

Another aspect I feel I have overlooked is the likelihood of managers also being burned out.
Dealing with employee burnout, especially if reward/fairness related, could be their “insurance company” task.
Too many companies reduced HR to operations of hiring and firing. They are not there to support the managers and their teams in dealing with burnout.

This is the single most educational video and best explanation of burnout I've ever seen. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge 🙏

lmao his opening statement is me 100% wtf

I don’t even know how I’m still alive at this point. Well, I do; my father referred to it as “cussed muley stubbornness”. It’s a genetic trait. We just like fighting. 😤

I think you can have both

Just hearing these symptoms and their possible causes layed out in front of me was hugely healing! I work at a big tech company and with this last crunch I was constantly struggling with that whole “but I’m so lucky to be here” mentality. I actually did also notice I wasn’t as empathetic as usual and it kinda spooked me, but had no idea it was related. I just thought I was becoming a terrible, irritable, negative person.
I kept googling burnout because I wasn’t sure what was happening but knew something was. My teammates and I were all acting like this, and had new physical ailments popping up too.

This video was incredibly useful in a ton of ways, thank you so much

Watching this at 4 am because I can’t sleep thinking about my job...

It's hard to spot also

“Everything is going to go to shit no matter what I do”

Yeah, that’s tech lol

Does it apply only to work? Because I am at uni now and the symptoms correlate so much. Lack of empathy, energy, enjoyment

Too much repetition. He repeats himself too much. This could have been summarized in 4 minutes.

i needed this

This was very helpful, and you explained it in a very simple and relevant way. I'm 100% burnout, and sadly it's mostly self-inflicted

I feel so called out…

I feel like I'm burned out from an incredibly low stress job. Which feels a bit ironic. I just don't....care...about my job....at all anymore. I'm a Security Guard. Responsibilities slowly got stripped away from myself and the crew. So now we just sit as check in "guards." It was...manageable when I was able to have a small gaming device or my phone. But new management said "No." to that. So now we just sit there for 8 hours. I pace constantly in and around the booth. The problem is I'm kind of stuck. I'm at 24/hr+benefits where I'm at. I know when I go to another place, I'll have to start all over at 16/hr.

what if there is a system in the work place that wants to only take advantage of you?

I feel like I was burnt out the day I was born and my life has been me slowly trying to pull myself out of that.

Having burnout sucks.
I really want to get going and live my life but i just feel stuck and immobile.
I just stay in bed all day, like to fantasize about a brighter future, try and improve while only being stuck in bed but it just feels always like its not enough.
I have improved in some areas but this immobility or lack of action really tests my patience.
I lack energy for others,
Can’t handle even video games for how heavy the losses feel and how little enjoyment i get from wins,
Wish to get out more and have a fulfilling life but this system that just feels like i keep grinding or causing friction and have turmoil on basic decisions.
So stressful

Very in depth and in formative explanation

Wild that this popped up in my feed right now. I am a software developer and I love my job but I have trouble being motivated to do it. I get paid way more than I did in my other career but I feel like I’m underpaid but since I make more than before and I worked hard to get here I feel weird complaining. I’ve been working 10+ hour days 6 sometimes 7 days a week in hopes of getting a major salary bump in 2 months but damn am I tired.

I workout, socialize, go to the doctor, hydrate, cook, and play video games but nothing feels fulfilling.

So with that being said, if there are any bad bitches that want to take advantage of me now’s the time.

Absolutely relevant and disambiguating of a phenomenon that presents with features that belong to so many other DX(s).

T H A N K Y O U !!!

Companies always try to sell their healthy and balanced corporate cultures in the hiring process, but those values are rarely delivered on. It just looks good on the job fair recruitment poster or job posting.
Just demonstrated my burnout cynicism.

I would like to see if you have done a program on getting burnout, fired or quitting due to ADHD & cPTSD which up until recently was NEVER discussed NOR admitted in the workplace..

Example. Before COVID I had a small room in office w another salesperson. I was in sales & successful. COVID happened and I was one of the few happy people because for a year I got the WHOLE office to myself. Let me add I didn’ choose to “😢believe in COVID nor did I get it. After COVID my small company moved to a fancy 4 room office, with one room for the CEO, one for owner, one for sales mgr then stuffed 15 people neck to neck in one room. Like 10 techs & 5 salespeople. The noise KILLED me. I didn’t quit they ended up terminating my position. I had no knowledge of this life long condition but I have experienced burnout over and over.

With the loud noise of sales calls and tech support my brain could not cope. I could not focus. That was the end of my success.

At that time, I’d had symptoms since age 7. But notwithstanding 10-12 therapists over the years, NO ONE diagnosed the problem. I was an over achiever since grade school. Graduated honors, second in class of 600. Straight As in college. Many presidents clubs. Owned several of my own businesses. The challenges have been surmountable by OUTWORKING everyone. I lasted 13 yrs in a major sales career . As time went on the issues became worse. Or my burnout increased not sure which.

Right now I am a SoloPreneur and I adapt. But it has been hell working for other companies from SoHo to Fortune 500.

Wonder if any other HealthyGamers ever experienced anything similar? Or you have suggestions HOW a person with ADHD and/or cPTSD can inform a workplace and get a job, and receive accommodations that allow them to survive and achieve optimal performance levels given they may never hire you in the first place if they understand your condition.

Thank you so much for this! 🙏 I've been feeling guilty about being cynical about my awesome job but I now get it. There may be things "in the way" of enjoying my awesome job, and I zero introspection about my own motivations, so I'll start there

I am so burnout that I exploded at work yesterday. In a few weeks I’ll quit my job and I cant fucking wait it.

This was really great. Thank you

This was an excellent video. I like how you defined the six areas of burnout. I also like how you noted that there’s intersectional between the external stimuli (work) and internal psychological structures/beliefs. I also like how you described how people (like myself) didn’t think I was burned out, because objectively my life is good.

This is all real. I worked 3300 hrs last yr and full time single parent. I can get right out of bed no problem. However
Short fuse-check
No enjoyment-check
No relationship-check
No Friend group-check
No inspiration-check
Im still gonna keep grinding tho. Still gonna hit the gym, amd still always gonna be there for my son. Have no other choice. Going to work is the easy part. The loneliness is what gets to ya after a while.

I think one of the contributors is lack of time off. In the US we have terrible pto packages. There is never enough time to rest or take a break of significant meaning and those big trips you save up time for are few and far between.

no it should NOT BE YOUR JOB to talk to scammy scummy insurance sharks

This really speaks to me as a med student doing clinical rotations but kinda wishes to go into game dev. Everyday I study and do rotations for 12 hours, then only having 2-3 hours a day for learning game dev/refreshing myself with games. Even with all that, I still can't answer the majority of questions thrown at me by my proctors, I don't feel like I'm getting any smarter or better at both fronts, and my game is kinda stuck in dev hell.

The longer I do this the more tired I am, the less I can concentrate on studying because I feel like it's gonna be in vain anyways 😂😂

Oh yeah, cus you can totally just tell your boss "Hey, you're asking too much of me" without either getting fired, or getting yourself permanently affixed to the "never promote this person" list.

Who's watching this in 2024 trying to decide whether to go to work or take a sick day?

Isn't the solution pretty simple? If you are burned out, get a job with nicer colleagues and bosses. And if that doesn't work, rebel against the insatiably demanding shareholder class that rules over our society.

This sounds odd, and im not an entrepenuer, but I think im burnout as an individual who is not employed (as like a self improvement-aholic).

Like im obsessed with doing protocols \ habits \ activities and taking care of myself mentally and physically and micromanaging every part of my life from smaill thigns like brushing to social life to financial life to academic life etc. Because i have learned some psychology and neurobiology, im using what i know to try and optimize things and feel okay \ enough. Its most all driven by this emotion, though it is valid because if i let myself go without my system and self improvement and self managing, i fall down to all flavors of technological addiction \ escapism. Striking a balance seems so impossible and tiring but this was helpful i would say.

Thank you dr K

This hits a bullseye. I'm 55, in a job I've loved for 35 (no mistake) years, and now I'm also my elderly Dad's caretaker. I'm ashamed to feel burnt out with a 27 hour shift (actually 40 if you count lunch hour and commuting). I'm so done with running after time. If I take 30 minutes to watch a show, I've got to "pay for it" by catching up with getting some chores done before bedtime. I'm also short-fused with by boss who's keen on rubbing my nose ito my mistakes but won't say a nice word for a good move...

what happened to me is I got the Let-Down Effect, it's much much different, research it!

What if you are burnt out with major depressive disorder at the same time?

What if a job tick all the boxes? 😅

This is so extremely helpful

Brilliant video describing burnout. I couldnt figure out why my cramps and sleep paralysis where so severe. Workplace and workload were subconciously taking a massive toll on my body n mind

Wow. I did 4 years working in a biochem lab on emerging infectious diseases. My supervisor and the other tech would sit down with me at lunch and they'd speak entirely in Russian. They started a rumor I was dyslexic and would criticize the way I tore tinfoil. I would get home and weep because I felt so isolated and wasn't even getting my name on our papers.

When I quit, our collective boss, (PI) told me my "stamina was astounding" and it was amazing to see that someone had been noticing. She's since written me more recommendations than I can count.

Good luck all. 2024 is a killer.

I'm burned tf out of my job.. 14 hrs a day 70 to 80 hrs a week ...2 hr drive time construction job so there's no getting asked less of because someone has to pick up the slack. There's no finding another job because nothing in my field pays this unless I leave my entire family much granted it's only $35 an hour. I hate every second of being there, but I love my family with all I have and I have to keep a roof over their heads and full belly's

Can "burnout" or "emotional exhaustion" be caused by college also? Combination of work, school, personal life, poor life choices that can lead to consequences and financial issues... i often find myself burying myself in playing video games to cope, which I know isn't healthy at an excessive amount.

Today I snapped at my roommate, who's been nothing but supportive in my battle. I managed to apologize, but I'm still feeling guilty