Burnout or depression? How to recognize and beat a bad mood?

More and more people on our planet are experiencing exhaustion of the nervous system. The disease affects people with fatigue, lack of desire to do anything and decreased mood. What is such a newfangled phenomenon as burnout and how does it differ from depression?

Burnout or depression?

According to specialists, burnout is more than just "stress at work". It can lead to a decrease in the quality of work and cause low self-esteem.

Burnout is an emotional state when a person does not have the resources to accomplish any task. The person knows that he has a goal, whether it is a job or a sports career, and he makes an effort every day, but the result he gets from his actions is not enough to give him minimal satisfaction. Against this background, he has an inner conflict. Because resources are running out and there is no source of replenishment. Hence there is an inner rejection of what he is doing, and he begins to criticize himself, to torment and break down

If burnout is considered in connection with the professional activity of the patient, then depression, according to the psychologist, is a more all-encompassing concept that affects all aspects of a person's life.

Depression is a persistent long-term condition when a person is in an anxious state that may have started with burnout. If one makes no attempts to change the situation for a long time and gets used to this state every day, then after a while it all develops into depression. In short, depression is a prolonged stagnant emotional state in which a person stays. If depression is not treated, if it is not dealt with, it turns into a persistent neurosis.

Often burnout is separated from depression and described as an independent psychological state. However, according to experts, the symptoms of these diseases can be similar. According to him, both symptoms are often accompanied by a feeling of powerlessness and ineffectiveness.

Burnout is a short-term emotional state in which a person loses the ability to do anything and does not know where to draw new inspiration and replenish his or her resources. Depression is a long-term emotional state, when a person is in a deep stage of inner conflict, inner grief, when it is already necessary to work with a specialist. A person can cope with burnout on his/her own, but with depression it is very difficult and a specialist is needed.

In order to identify burnout, the expert advises you to look at the last days and weeks. A decrease in mood is the first signal. It is worth worrying if sleep is lost or disturbed, if there is a feeling of constant fatigue. These are all initial signs.

If a person has been having mood swings lately, when he comes home from work and wants to just lie down and do nothing, tries to distract himself with funny videos, movies, more fixated on little things, then these are possible signals that a person has emotional burnout . If a person is permanently apathetic, constantly looking for reasons in some people, actions and fixates on negative negative factors, moments - it could be depression.

How do you deal with burnout?

The best way to prevent depression is to observe yourself and your condition, experts say. According to the psychologist, it is very important to correctly diagnose the condition in which a person is.

In the case of emotional burnout or depression, the help of a specialist psychotherapist will be required in order to bring a person out of this state painlessly, with minimal risks and losses to health.

Before depression there will be burnout, to avoid it, it is necessary to observe yourself, be socially active, communicate with friends, change the sphere of activity. In addition to work, it is necessary to give time to your hobbies, trainings, sports activities, social education, that is, do not sit in one place. For example, after work, go to a training session, spend time with friends, attend an event. When a person is socially active, there are many points of contact with society, not only communication with neighbors / relatives, but also with people with common interests, a person will get energy, discharge negativity, replenish resources.