What Is the Difference Between Burnout and Depression?

Oct 5

5 min read

The difference between burnout and depression?

You feel exhausted, you don't feel like yourself and things that used to feel manageable now take enormous effort. You may be struggling to concentrate, finding it difficult to get through the day, feeling irritable or withdrawn, and wondering whether you simply need a break.

But what if a holiday doesn't seem to help?

Many people ask whether what they are experiencing is burnout or depression. The two can look very similar, and sometimes they occur together. Understanding some of the differences can help you think about what might be happening and when it may be worth seeking professional support.

What is burnout?

Burnout is generally associated with prolonged or excessive stress, particularly when there is ongoing pressure without enough opportunity for recovery. It is often associated with work, but burnout is not limited to employment. Caring for a family member, studying, parenting, managing ongoing relationship difficulties or living under sustained pressure can also leave someone feeling depleted.

You may feel:

emotionally and physically exhausted
overwhelmed by demands that previously felt manageable
increasingly irritable or frustrated
detached from work or other responsibilities
less motivated
unable to switch off
as though you are simply going through the motions

Sometimes burnout develops gradually.

You keep pushing because you feel that you have to. You tell yourself that things will settle down after the next deadline, once the children are older, once the project is finished, or once life becomes a little less demanding. But the pressure continues. Eventually, you may reach a point where you feel as though you have nothing left to give.

What is depression?

Depression is more than feeling sad or having a difficult period. Depression can affect mood, motivation, thinking, sleep, appetite, energy and the way you experience yourself and the world around you. Someone experiencing depression may feel persistently low, empty, hopeless or emotionally numb. They may lose interest in things they would normally enjoy and find it difficult to experience pleasure.

Other experiences can include:

significant changes in sleep or appetite
difficulty concentrating
low energy
feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
withdrawing from other people
feeling hopeless about the future
finding everyday tasks unusually difficult
thoughts about death or suicide

Depression does not always look like sadness. Some people become irritable, others feel numb or disconnected, some continue going to work and meeting their responsibilities while feeling very different internally.

So, what is the difference between burnout and depression?

One useful distinction is where the distress seems to be centred, although this alone cannot tell you whether you are experiencing burnout or depression.

With burnout, your exhaustion may be closely connected to a particular source of ongoing stress.

You may think:

“I can't do my job anymore.”

“I just need a break.”

“I can't keep dealing with all of these demands.”

You may still enjoy things outside the area causing the stress. For example, you may feel completely drained by work but feel more like yourself when spending time with friends, going away for the weekend or doing something you enjoy. With depression, the loss of energy, motivation or enjoyment may extend across different areas of life. You may find that things you normally enjoy no longer feel meaningful. You may withdraw from people you care about, lose interest in hobbies and struggle to imagine things getting better.

But there is considerable overlap.

Someone experiencing burnout can become depressed. Someone experiencing depression can also feel completely exhausted by their responsibilities.

This is one reason it can be difficult to tell the difference on your own.

What if you feel better when you're away from work?

This can sometimes be a useful clue, but it is not a definitive test. If you feel significantly better after time away from a particular source of stress, burnout may be part of what you are experiencing. But if you continue to feel exhausted, hopeless, numb or disconnected even when the pressure is removed, it may be worth considering whether something more than burnout is happening.

It is also possible to experience both.

A weekend away may give you temporary relief without addressing the underlying depression, anxiety or other difficulties contributing to how you feel.

Burnout isn't simply being tired

Most people become tired when they have been working hard or dealing with a stressful period.

Burnout tends to involve something more persistent. You may begin to feel emotionally detached from the things that are exhausting you or you may become cynical or resentful. You may find yourself thinking, “I don't care anymore,” when you previously cared deeply. Sometimes this can be particularly confusing for people who are used to being capable and responsible.

You may wonder:

“Why can't I handle this anymore?”

“What's wrong with me?”

“I used to be able to cope with all of this.”

The problem may not be that you have suddenly become less capable. It may be that you have been functioning under pressure for too long without enough space for recovery.

Why pushing through doesn't always work

When people begin feeling exhausted, their first response is often to try harder. They become more organised, work longer hours, try to exercise more, sleep better or become more disciplined. These things can be helpful, but sometimes the answer isn't simply to become better at coping.

It may be worth asking:

What am I continually asking myself to cope with?

Are the demands realistically sustainable?
Are you carrying responsibilities that could be shared?
Are you finding it difficult to say no?
Are you putting pressure on yourself to perform at a level that leaves no room for rest?
Are there relationship difficulties, unresolved emotions or other stresses that are contributing to how depleted you feel?

Sometimes understanding the pattern is just as important as finding ways to manage the symptoms.

When should you seek help?

You don't need to know whether you have burnout or depression before reaching out for support. If you have been feeling persistently exhausted, overwhelmed, low, disconnected or unlike yourself, it is reasonable to talk to a mental health professional. This is particularly important if your symptoms are affecting your relationships, work, sleep, daily functioning or ability to care for yourself. And if you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or feel that you may be at risk of harming yourself, seek urgent professional help rather than trying to determine whether what you are experiencing is burnout or depression.

Burnout or depression? You don't have to figure it out alone.

Burnout and depression are not always easy to separate. Sometimes what begins as prolonged stress develops into something more. Sometimes depression makes ordinary responsibilities feel overwhelming, a

nd sometimes both are present at the same time.

Rather than asking only:

“What is wrong with me?”

it can be more useful to ask:

“What has been happening in my life, and how has it been affecting me?”

Understanding your circumstances, your patterns of coping and what you have been carrying can help make sense of what you are experiencing. If you recognise yourself in this article, you do not need to wait until things become unbearable before asking for support.