Anxiety & Stress
Burnout
Exhaustion that sleep does not fix, built up from prolonged work or caregiving stress. Often paired with detachment from the things you used to care about.
What it can feel like
- Deep tiredness that rest does not relieve
- Feeling cynical, numb or detached from work
- Sense of failing or never doing enough
- Headaches, gut problems, frequent minor illness
- Dreading the start of the week
Not everyone has every symptom, and you do not need a label to deserve support.
Things that help
Find the smallest real reduction
Recovery needs a drop in load, not a better attitude. One boundary, one delegated task, one cancelled commitment is a start.
Protect recovery time properly
Book rest the way you book meetings, and keep it unclaimed. Scrolling on the sofa is not the same as recovery.
Reconnect with one thing that is yours
A walk, a hobby, a friend outside work. Identity beyond output is part of the repair.
Want to actually do these? Save them to your practices and tick them off as you go.
Add to my practicesWhen to reach for more support
If exhaustion has lasted months, or you feel hopeless, speak to a GP. Burnout and depression can look alike and often overlap.
Often looked at together
Agoraphobia
Fear of situations it would be hard to escape from or get help in: public transport, queues, open spaces, shopping centres, being far from home.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder
A persistent, free-floating worry that rarely settles, even when there is nothing specific to worry about. The body stays on alert, so rest feels impossible.
Health Anxiety
Persistent fear of being seriously ill, or of becoming ill, based on bodily sensations and reassurance that never quite lasts.