Burnout and depression are not the same…

A German newspaper article I read recently suggested that burnout and depression are the same; that burnout is the ‘luxury version’ of depression. 

Their argument was that only losers become depressive and burnout is for winners, or former winners. 

We could drive a big red bus through the holes in this argument! 

Depression is far more than feeling sad, blue or down. It is much more like a complete absence of hope and usually entails a loss of self-confidence, self-esteem, self-care and self-compassion.

With burnout, any anger felt is directed not inwardly in self-recrimination, but outwardly towards the company or organisation one works for and blames that for our predicament. 

Burnout is the result of a build-up of chronic stress and need to prove one’s worth in the workplace.  It is, in fact, relatively easy to deal with. 

If you want to know more, let's chat.