Burnout Symptoms, Causes, and Recovery – A Clinical Psychologist’s View
- Oona McEwan
- Sep 29
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 7
Burnout is Not “Just Stress”
Conversations about burnout have grown rapidly in recent years. The World Health Organization now recognises burnout as an “occupational phenomenon,” reflecting how many people are struggling with chronic work stress.
But what exactly is burnout? How is it different from everyday stress? And most importantly - how do you recover?
As a clinical psychologist, I want to shed light on the signs, underlying causes, and evidence-based strategies that actually work.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is more than being tired or fed up with your job. It’s a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, usually linked to work or life demands.
According to the WHO, burnout is characterised by three key features:
Exhaustion – feeling drained, depleted, unable to recover with rest.
Detachment or cynicism – a sense of disconnection from your work, colleagues, or even your personal life.
Reduced performance – difficulty concentrating, decreased productivity, feeling ineffective.
Unlike short-term stress, burnout doesn’t go away after a weekend off. It builds slowly, often unnoticed, until people feel they “can’t go on.”
Signs of Burnout You Shouldn’t Ignore
If you’re wondering whether you might be experiencing burnout, look out for these warning signs:
Persistent tiredness, even after sleep
Feeling irritable, anxious, or low in mood
Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Increased reliance on caffeine, alcohol, or other coping habits
Feeling disconnected from friends or family
Dreading work, even small tasks
Many people describe it as “hitting a wall” – no matter how hard they push, their energy and motivation won’t return.
Why Burnout Happens
Burnout is often framed as a personal failing (“I just need to toughen up”). In reality, it’s usually a systemic problem. Contributing factors include:
Workplace pressures: unrealistic deadlines, high demands, lack of support.
Role conflict: feeling pulled between competing responsibilities.
Digital overload: constant emails, messages, and blurred boundaries between home and work.
Perfectionism: internal pressure to never make mistakes or show weakness.
Lack of recovery time: when rest, hobbies, and social connections are squeezed out.
Burnout in Today’s Workplace
Many workers report feeling unable to manage ongoing stress, especially in high-pressure sectors like healthcare, law, teaching, and social care. Remote and hybrid work has blurred boundaries even further, with people checking emails late into the night.
This isn’t just about productivity – burnout affects mental health, relationships, and even physical health.
Evidence-Based Strategies for Recovery
As Clinical Psychologists, we often help people recover from burnout using evidence-based approaches. Here are strategies that can make a difference:
1. Re-establish Boundaries
Create clear start and finish times for work. Turn off notifications outside working hours. Small changes here can have a huge impact.
2. Address Perfectionism and Self-Criticism
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can help identify and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns that reinforce perfectionism and self-criticism, replacing them with more balanced, compassionate perspectives. When trauma or deep-seated emotional experiences contribute to these patterns, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) can support the processing of past events that underlie harsh self-judgment or chronic feelings of inadequacy.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) further encourages individuals to notice self-critical thoughts without getting entangled in them, while reconnecting with personal values and taking meaningful action even in the presence of self-doubt. Narrative approaches help people re-author their stories, separating their identity from perfectionistic narratives and external expectations, and highlighting strengths, resilience, and preferred ways of being. Together, these integrative approaches support lasting change—helping individuals move from rigid self-evaluation toward self-acceptance, flexibility, and a sense of agency.
3. Prioritise Rest and Recovery
This means more than sleep. Recovery includes social connection, hobbies, time outdoors, and meaningful activities that recharge you.
4. Seek Support
Speaking to a psychologist provides a space to explore not just your symptoms, but the deeper causes: workplace dynamics, personal values, identity, and coping style.
5. Systemic Change
Burnout isn’t only about the individual. If possible, explore workplace adjustments, delegation, or HR support. Therapy can help you navigate these conversations.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you’ve been feeling exhausted, detached, or unable to function for weeks or months, it may be time to seek professional support. Therapy provides tools to recover - but also a safe space to understand how you reached burnout, so you can prevent it in the future.
Final Thoughts
Burnout is real, common, and treatable. You don’t need to “push through” alone. With the right support, recovery is possible – and it often leads to deeper insights about what really matters in life.
If this resonates with you, Reframe Psychology offers confidential therapy sessions online and in person. Contact us here to arrange an initial consultation.
