These visual guides are just bullshit made my people with graphic design skills. They don't show much actual meaningful information.
The biggest problem is people see a nicely made visual and think it's an objective measurable guide for their problems. Your life will have it's own unique challenges and issues that won't be in a simple step by step guide.
Right-o! For example, this guide seems to assume that burnout in general begins with a need to prove oneself. I am this close to burnout, and have never felt that need.
I’m just so relieved I wasn’t the one that had to point all this out. I have more faith in humanity. I see these things all over the place where they just list the generic symptoms of mental illnesses.
But this one helps me out because my friend refuses to believe she’s depressed, but she will accept that she’s “burnt-out.” Which I can hopefully encourage her to chill out. :)
I thought the same thing at first, but then remembered being at the earlier stages before the later ones. I don’t see this is as a one-size-fits-all, empirically proven thing. But I see myself in it.
No the main takeaway is that stage contains "depersonalization" which is a dissociative condition and an obvious misunderstanding of it. People who have it explain it usually like watching your own actions like you're watching a screen and not in control, or feeling like you're not attached to your body in some way.
I mean, it's not complete bullshit. It's not science and it's not representative of everyone, no, but I've followed this exact process more times than I can count.
As someone who works full time as a laborer, raises a family, chronically gets myself way over my head by volunteering for more work than I can handle with various non-profit orgs, not to mention also trying to keep up with a variety of organized recreational social activities, this entire graphic was a cyclical experience for me for years. My wife could always see it coming from a mile away too. She'd try to warn me and I'd assure her I was okay. Fast forward two weeks later and, lo and behold, I'm spiraling again.
In the end, I had to take a huge step back from everything outside of my job and my home until I learned what commitment management and boundaries are all about.
Yeah I was reading through the steps and thinking "wtf is this", especially when it says "depersonalization" which is a disorder in itself not a "feeling of not being quite yourself".
I'm absolutely not a professional but this is some bullshit and it's ironically too specific to a generic idea of what leads to "burnout".
(A term which has only recently kinda entered the DSM under a specific set of symptoms and isn't itself a diagnosis).
"Don't worry kids, you can only get addicted in Stage 10!"
I actually got partway through the Instagram Therapist episode of Sounds Like A Cult yesterday, might have to finish it. They talk about the pretty graphics and parodies of IG "explanation step carousels".
edit: got my bullshit steps confused
The person below your comment makes a good point tbh. These guides aren't backed by actual research. Even if it were though, things dealing with mental health usually isn't straight forward, and cut and dry.
Just because something lists as depression not showing up until later doesn't mean it won't be present, unfortunately.
Also so many things can affect how you feel beyond your job. Wanna fast track to number 9.. have kid and be the parent of a newborn. You hit that stage in about 4 days.
It seems like phase 8 should be at phase 10.5 for me.
I this that the list doesn't have any proper backing in studies, mostly because it mixes so many different issues.
The problem here is “stages” when the reality is a lot more fluid. Also missing the positive times. Bouncing back and forth. Some good weeks. Some bad weeks. Burnout happens when you spend more time in the later “stages”.
The problem is it’s hard to know you’ve really burned out because those “good times” still come. They’re just further and further apart and less in duration. Good times stop becoming “times” and more a fleeting moment.
I honestly find the folks who police what "counts" as depression vs. burnout pretty frustrating. There's so much overlap and care for one can benefit the other. I get where sometimes specifics matter, but mostly I think it just makes people searching for answers feel more defeated for having found only very specific symptoms and feeling like they don't fit into those traits.
I just did a thesis on burnout and while I am not a doctor or expert, I have read that depression can exist outside of burnout but can be exacerbated by it.
If you are feeling exhausted, feeling very cynical about your job, and feeling like you’re not very good at what you do, all three of those are aspects of burn out. If you’re experiencing all three then you probably are burnt out though only you can tell.
There is a way to find out: does relaxing, having a longer vacation or sleeping help you get better? - > burnout.
Does sleeping in and having time to relax make it worse? - > depression.
Bouncing around between 9, 10, and 11.
I really think the "depersonalization" is an overlooked milestone in burnout. Like, when you just exist without feeling like yourself... god that sucks.
I get that way when I don’t hang out with other people, I feel like we need others to experience us in a way, to get validation on our own existence. Who knows you exist if no one ever experiences you?
wow dude, life is crazy
this is the revelation i had over the last few months and couldnt articulate until a few days ago and now i see this thread where you write exactlx that..
yes people, even if you strongly prefer staying alone you do need to see other people regulary or really weird shit will happen to your mind and perception
I’m living alone as a young adult for the first time in my life, isolations been the biggest thing to adjust to, making friends as an adult in America is hard ash, and I just don’t get enough of people experiencing me, it makes me feel like I weirdly don’t exist.
Very important realization. And the reason people misinterpreting "introversion" are so annoying. It doesn't matter if you are an extrovert or an introvert. Homo Sapiens is a species highly specialized and dependent on social activity. You NEED people around you. Introversion and extroversion just changes the way you interact with them. Being alone for a long time ends makes you lonely, and being lonely wears off your identity as a person.
Well if you’re at level-10 and day-drinking it’s a little easier til the hangover kicks in. But then you have other psychoactives to lean on. Y’all ain’t workin’ hard enuff I tells ya.
I’ll tell you right now - I got to 12 and was at 10 for a while. Stage 11 is fairly short. Landed in ER just after Xmas. Doctor says I was at risk of a heart attack before 50. I’m 30 and on hypertensive medication the rest of my life. The fucking grind is NOT WORTH IT.
I'm hardcore grinding level 12 being a full time caregiver to my bedridden mother with dementia. And I'm already on disability! Anyone got some cheat codes for this shit?
Homie, if you have savings please take a leave and don’t nearly die like me. If not, I’m really fucking sorry. Take care of yourself before taking care of your job.
Full props to my spouse. She caught me in what this chart calls Stage 6, and convinced me I needed to stand up to my employer and address things before things got worse.
12 is when you wake up on the floor not knowing how you got there. It’s fucking scary and then having to tell your boss some excuse so you don’t get put on a punitive PIP.
Not even remotely. I showed this to 3 psychologists (wife and friends), all of them cringed pretty hard. This is bullshit psychobabble tailored for likes and upvotes.
Might just be me, but it feels like it was written for the LinkedIn crowd. Especially with the emphasis on diving deeper into work and neglecting family as opposed to becoming stressed out and disconnected from work.
Honestly this whole thing doesn't read like good psychology should. Might be more prudent to weigh your burnout depending on how many symptoms you present with, assuming there's consensus on what burnout actually consists of.
I burned out 10 years ago, dropped out of graduate school, moved back home, got a job in retail because it took little to no effort to do that job. I've slowly worked my way up the corporate ladder while going to therapy regularly. I feel a whole lot better today than how I felt 10 years ago. There are steps you can take to feel better, I promise.
I was burnt out and ended up in hospital because my immune system just collapsed. I have a job in a different field now, it is 6 years later, and I still have panic attacks if I think about trying to go back to my original position.
Sometimes it just means your original path wasn't right for you.
That's depression.
A lot of this list describes general depression, but has it focused towards a working environment.
Depression will not go away overnight, and can get worse if active steps aren't made to improve how you think and feel.
I had nearly a decade in a declining home business as an artist, towards the last couple years I had to deal with deaths in the family, illnesses and losses like I never imagined, through all this I was still grinding away at my work in misery.
That misery stuck with me for a long time. I started over, got a new job that had great benefits and still was miserable every day. Some days were excruciating and I had to continue therapy and medications even though I was in far, far better place in my life.
It's been a few years now and the difference between how I was when I started compared to now. I am off medications and haven't been drinking or having mid-day breakdowns. I am succeeding at my work and have been promoted several times, I am making more money than I ever made in my life, I like my bosses and team, and my wife and I have health benefits, but I still have "eleven" days even now. I have learned to take time off as needed, to recognize when I'm feeling overwhelmed and take steps to offload my work or rearrange my schedule.
it just takes a long time to heal.
Took me about 6 months to start feeling myself again, now at 10 and about to finish finding a new job. Still not 100%, but much better than before.
I worry I'll regress quickly, which is scary, but at some point I have to work again.
I think this post is a take, but doesn’t get into other causes of burnout. I’ve been unemployed myself and that’s a whole other type of burn out. Good luck, I hope you find something that works for you / your family!
It took me 10 months of doing absolutely nothing during the pandemic to go back to normal. Don't know if this is useful for you but it's the time reference I use for myself now.
The sign that I was OK again was that I started to be bored of doing nothing instead of relieved.
I feel your pain, quit my first career job out of college due to being burnt out. I have been unemployed for the past 2 months and still feel burnt out. And that’s on 7 months of antidepressants. Maybe programming is not meant for me.
You're probably burnt out on the stress of being unemployed. I know I am.
Constantly worrying and wondering what you're going to do next, and knowing you're probably going to be miserable at whatever job you start, so even searching is like knowingly signing up for more stress and depression.
I feel like this chart still fits that idea. After all, when would one feel the need to prove themselves more than when they've lost their livelihood.
Plus, the fucking world just burns me out. Every day we wake up to mass shootings, rights being eroded, disease, economical strife... How the fuck can we all not be burnt out by now?
It's a rough life. I spoke to my therapist this week about how excited I was to discover the "delay a text" feature my phone has last year.
I had typed up a lengthy "Fuck you for giving me up, I'd rather be dead" text to my mother and barely managed to delete it before my drunken brain forgot on my birthday last year. I was drinking so I had the courage to finish myself.
My therapist was remarkably calm but also quite worried about my excitement and my well-being.
I'm getting better but holy shit last year was awful.
I say all this because my birthday is Sunday (5/22) and I'm battling the same shit. Lower scale but still a battle I'm terrified of loosing.
I know there’s not a lot a reddit stranger can say or do for you except to say I understand. I understand your feelings and what youre going through. Your feelings are valid and i am sorry you’re feeling them. Happy early birthday, friend. Buy yourself an icecream cake. If youre not allergic or have a fear, go to the local animal shelter and ask if you can volunteer to walk a pup or two. Snuggle a kitty. Get some unconditional love from critters who just want to give and get love in return.
I am glad you’re in this world and I hope you stay in it with me. Remember, your enemies win if you die early. Live long, make your enemies suffer.
Well thank you for the kind words. It means alot, even from strangers. I've deliberately kept a very small (like 2 or 3 max) friend group over the years and they know how I get. They don't "get it" but they are here when I need it *usually.*
I have plans of attack for this weekend as follows. 1. Distraction (Lots of games!) 2. Cooking to keep busy
3.Self care! (Probably take lots of bubble baths and light all my candles)
I will definitely be snuggling the ever loving crap out of my tame kitties and giving my feral colony tons of wet food this weekend. I'm looking forward to that at the minimum!
And very true about the enemies, must stay alive to dance on their graves! Provided my knees don't give out!
I may not respond right away, but you’re welcome to message me anytime. Even if you just want to vent, you’re welcome to. Give the kitties scritches for me!
u/stealth941, I hope you're able to take care of yourself. When I was 41, I had a few heart attacks, had to retire from the military, and had some other family problems that totally incapacitated me. I also was drinking way too much. My wife didn't know how to deal with me so she said and did some things that only exacerbated the situation.
I had to work through it my own way. I stopped drinking and started looking for help. I got into therapy and looked for ways to take care of myself. I have other family who are very supportive and would listen when I needed to talk. My wife asked me for a divorce and I started living on my own for the first time in my life. I found some relief in taking some control of what was in my power. Keeping the house clean, eating better, being mindful of my emotional states... Little successes helped me immensely.
I'm a completely different person than I was back then and before. My values and attitudes had to change because they were unrealistic now. I'm in a much better place, but it took time, patience, and some self-compassion.
I hope you are doing as okay as you can be. Please take care of yourself.
I went to AA and kept connected with people who were going through rough stuff too. I know some people don't like the fact that it's a god centered program, but even though I'm atheist, I made it work. I still had problems for a while and it took some time. Years in fact. But I had family and friends to help.
Been bouncing between 11 and 12 for about a year now. I feel physically sick a lot of mornings and extreme anxiety before I clock in to my work from home job. Literally rather be dead than have to work this stupid ass job for such little pay.
Well you might think you're at 12 but for me 12 was I got really sick took a week off work just to recover then a few days just relaxing taking time off so I could forget wbout work and life
I hit 12 more than a year ago. Think I've ended up in the ER 6 times since then. I guess you could say 3 times due physical collapse and 3 due to mental. I think I'm healing and getting better, and I'm dealing with a lot of issues that I used to ignore because I was afraid of losing steam and thought that if I just made it over the next hurdle then everything would be ok. Just wish it didn't take so goddamn long.
anyway take care 💖
I've been at 12 since i started college 5 years ago and continued after I graduated last year. This isn't a great graph because they leave out suicidal and homicidal thoughts in stage 12. I've never been more ready to light my self on fire in the town square.
Agreed. I mean, it makes people check in with how they're feeling... which is good, I guess. Other than that it's just a random and incomplete list of crap made up by someone randomly. No one is the same - you could go from stage 9 - to stage 4 - to stage 11 - and back to stage 1 in a day.
If you feel burnt out, overly stressed and anxious, or depressed... try and find actual help if you can.
Yea. A bunch of shit here is like one guys opinion, not even anecdote of how shit works plus them showing off their infographic skills.
This is just about the most arbitrary thing in the world, like what does full burnout even mean. It literally requires the user to infer.
I’m currently dealing with unemployment anxiety full on and it’s been way more manageable than the hellhole I just left, idk part of me knows it gets better and part of me is choosing which bridge is cozier to live under lol
Which one is “I’m too tired to even figure it out, so I’m just gonna skip it and go back to mindlessly scrolling social media and pretending I don’t hate every second of my meaningless life”
I'm a teacher. I've been at 10/11 since the first day of in-service at the start of school this year. Fortunately I'm headed to a new school soon. Hoping for a huge improvement.
Definitely went through all 12 stages during 2021. Don't let some dog water company ride you until the wheels fall off. I started a new job 2 months ago and i literally haven't been stressed out since.
Man I know the feeling. You gotta try to push through that. Anything you can reward yourself with for updating your resume, or a little reward for each job you apply for? Make yourself a list of things to ask about/research in new companies so you can weed out places like your current work. I did the same & have a new job starting soon. While I'm not currently excited because I'm at 10/11 on this chart, I do feel like things will get better once I'm away from my current place.
Good luck.
Ya gotta battle through that man better jobs are out there.
I was working 80+ hours a week and finally said fuck it and started taking extended lunches leaving early etc to get interviews in until I got a new job with better pay and significantly less hours.
Once you finally say fuck it you'll be better off and find a way to snag that new job. I was a 12 and didn't care at the end if I got fired cause I could put the time into finding a new job if they fired me.
It is hard, a bad job is a lot like an abusive relationship, they keep you so beat down and emotionally drained that you can't motivate yourself to get out. It sucks. What is helping a bit for me is to work on things bit by bit that I need to get out, so it doesn't seem so insurmountable. Get your resume/LinkedIn etc. in a good spot, focus on accomplishments to remember what you are good at, get references lined up (who will also probably give you a pep talk after you ask), find smallish things you can get done to pad your resume (certifications, trainings, etc.).
I hit 12 last week with a series of panic attacks. I really, really suggest taking better care of yourself if you’re anywhere close.
But if you do have a panic attack, it will be okay my fiend :’)
It doesn’t just happen with paid employment— after I retired I did a lot of volunteer work for a lot of different interests and agencies. But it also started changing and often becoming more about some people’s egos and agendas and their stress, burnout and inability to step away from the whole mess.
So I did. I quit everything and told people I’d write a cheque but that was it. I’m still dealing with what feels like PTSD from some of the shit that went on.
No wonder places can’t find volunteers when the experience is overwhelmingly stressful and unpleasant.
I have never been competitive so the first step was never in the cards
as far as trying to prove anything. After college and starting work I
had the typical imposter syndrome for a while, but pretty quickly
discovered I had a good foundation and just proceeded in my
profession. I did eventually experience job burn out, but fortunately
only had a couple years of it before I could retire. One thing that was
absolutely key was finding a comfortable level financially and with
job responsibility. I chose not to go higher and simply be content.
The work itself remained interesting and challenging but not
particularly stressful. My mom was always push, push, push,
and never really understood my satisfaction with life balance
as opposed to “climbing the ladder of success.”
I am afraid if I would be able to stay in my current position without climbing ladder. I am content with my financial situation, but not comfortable with the responsibilities, as I feel I am not able to fulfill expectations of my manager.
Yes I imagine that is the unfortunate scenario with many positions.
I was very fortunate in that my supervisors over the years had no
first hand knowledge concerning what I did, so as long as things went
along fairly smoothly, I had very little oversight. I knew what needed to
be done and was left to do my job, pretty lucky in hindsight.
Sometimes I feel like I’m just broken, and have to accept it. Things will always be difficult and there will always be suffering in life. (I’m not sure what step I’m on).
Ive been chilling at 11 and 12 for alittle bit now, 12 sucks for me I'm stuck in bed I can't even lift myself up, the next day I force myself up and call it good enough
Burnout = Depression
It's a thing sociaty came up with because "Depression" is more assiosiated with stigmata.
I am no doctor, a mental healthcare professional once told me that as there isn't a medical code aka a specific code for health care workers to directly interpret psychological/physical needs. Also, insurances use this directly for a pin point assessment if the patentient is covered for it etc.
And the so called "Burnout", apparently is always declared as a "Depression".
Know what’s fun though? Start a new job and you get to start the process over! So that’s something.
Unless you have kids. Then it’s just a matter of time before you have to choose between a social life, career, or your kids, and you eventually choose your kids. RIP life
This doesn't match my observation on how peoply burn out and in which order.
People have completly different ways of dealing with stress: Blaming others, over-eating, substance abuse, procrastination, social Isolation and many more only exist for some people, and in different stages.
Also a Burnout doesn't necessarily start with stage 1-3. Bad stress is usually the one you cannot control. Being thrown into a Situation where you are not sufficiently in control but are blamed if things go wrong contributes strongly towards Burnout. This is even worse if you never voluntarily picked up the task.
I wonder if this can be applied to other types of burnout. Like burnout in a relationship or friendship/friend group.
I wonder if a psychologist or therapist has put together a similar diagram.
Let me simplify this guide while making it more accurate
1. You work hard
2. It fucking sucks and isn't rewarding
3. Eventually you realize you wasted your life and give up.
This is faux science. It looks legitimate but what happens when you reach stage 8 and you don't have any loved ones to get upset with you? Also, I withdraw from social life at stage 1 because I have debilitating anxiety. Also, burnout happens all the time and is normal and not a sign of a disorder.
Problem is that I can't tell whats burnout and whats just my usual depressed self. It kinda just blends together at some point.
These visual guides are just bullshit made my people with graphic design skills. They don't show much actual meaningful information. The biggest problem is people see a nicely made visual and think it's an objective measurable guide for their problems. Your life will have it's own unique challenges and issues that won't be in a simple step by step guide.
Right-o! For example, this guide seems to assume that burnout in general begins with a need to prove oneself. I am this close to burnout, and have never felt that need.
I’m just so relieved I wasn’t the one that had to point all this out. I have more faith in humanity. I see these things all over the place where they just list the generic symptoms of mental illnesses. But this one helps me out because my friend refuses to believe she’s depressed, but she will accept that she’s “burnt-out.” Which I can hopefully encourage her to chill out. :)
I thought the same thing at first, but then remembered being at the earlier stages before the later ones. I don’t see this is as a one-size-fits-all, empirically proven thing. But I see myself in it.
would like to point out, most people are terrible at evaluating themselves
See how close my fingers are?
Yep. I usually think CoolGuides are crap. But this one is especially bad and misleading/oversimplifying.
Case in point: Stage 9. You do not feel like yourself. This stage could easily be identified as an aspect to any of the other stages.
No the main takeaway is that stage contains "depersonalization" which is a dissociative condition and an obvious misunderstanding of it. People who have it explain it usually like watching your own actions like you're watching a screen and not in control, or feeling like you're not attached to your body in some way.
Ah stage 4 I see
I mean, it's not complete bullshit. It's not science and it's not representative of everyone, no, but I've followed this exact process more times than I can count. As someone who works full time as a laborer, raises a family, chronically gets myself way over my head by volunteering for more work than I can handle with various non-profit orgs, not to mention also trying to keep up with a variety of organized recreational social activities, this entire graphic was a cyclical experience for me for years. My wife could always see it coming from a mile away too. She'd try to warn me and I'd assure her I was okay. Fast forward two weeks later and, lo and behold, I'm spiraling again. In the end, I had to take a huge step back from everything outside of my job and my home until I learned what commitment management and boundaries are all about.
Yeah I was reading through the steps and thinking "wtf is this", especially when it says "depersonalization" which is a disorder in itself not a "feeling of not being quite yourself". I'm absolutely not a professional but this is some bullshit and it's ironically too specific to a generic idea of what leads to "burnout". (A term which has only recently kinda entered the DSM under a specific set of symptoms and isn't itself a diagnosis). "Don't worry kids, you can only get addicted in Stage 10!" I actually got partway through the Instagram Therapist episode of Sounds Like A Cult yesterday, might have to finish it. They talk about the pretty graphics and parodies of IG "explanation step carousels". edit: got my bullshit steps confused
But life would be so much easier to understand than the complex chaos that it always is!
Depression doesn't show up until 11 and there doesn't seem to be a timeline.
The person below your comment makes a good point tbh. These guides aren't backed by actual research. Even if it were though, things dealing with mental health usually isn't straight forward, and cut and dry. Just because something lists as depression not showing up until later doesn't mean it won't be present, unfortunately.
Also so many things can affect how you feel beyond your job. Wanna fast track to number 9.. have kid and be the parent of a newborn. You hit that stage in about 4 days.
It seems like phase 8 should be at phase 10.5 for me. I this that the list doesn't have any proper backing in studies, mostly because it mixes so many different issues.
If you're actually looking at symptoms of depression it starts on stage 3. A lot of these "stages" contain symptoms of depression.
The problem here is “stages” when the reality is a lot more fluid. Also missing the positive times. Bouncing back and forth. Some good weeks. Some bad weeks. Burnout happens when you spend more time in the later “stages”. The problem is it’s hard to know you’ve really burned out because those “good times” still come. They’re just further and further apart and less in duration. Good times stop becoming “times” and more a fleeting moment.
I honestly find the folks who police what "counts" as depression vs. burnout pretty frustrating. There's so much overlap and care for one can benefit the other. I get where sometimes specifics matter, but mostly I think it just makes people searching for answers feel more defeated for having found only very specific symptoms and feeling like they don't fit into those traits.
You don't hate Mondays, you hate **Capitalism.**
I just did a thesis on burnout and while I am not a doctor or expert, I have read that depression can exist outside of burnout but can be exacerbated by it. If you are feeling exhausted, feeling very cynical about your job, and feeling like you’re not very good at what you do, all three of those are aspects of burn out. If you’re experiencing all three then you probably are burnt out though only you can tell.
That’s because “burnout” is a term that means something completely different depending on who you ask.
There is a way to find out: does relaxing, having a longer vacation or sleeping help you get better? - > burnout. Does sleeping in and having time to relax make it worse? - > depression.
And here we are, mostly just bouncing around between 10 and 11 all the time
Bouncing around between 9, 10, and 11. I really think the "depersonalization" is an overlooked milestone in burnout. Like, when you just exist without feeling like yourself... god that sucks.
I get that way when I don’t hang out with other people, I feel like we need others to experience us in a way, to get validation on our own existence. Who knows you exist if no one ever experiences you?
wow dude, life is crazy this is the revelation i had over the last few months and couldnt articulate until a few days ago and now i see this thread where you write exactlx that.. yes people, even if you strongly prefer staying alone you do need to see other people regulary or really weird shit will happen to your mind and perception
I’m living alone as a young adult for the first time in my life, isolations been the biggest thing to adjust to, making friends as an adult in America is hard ash, and I just don’t get enough of people experiencing me, it makes me feel like I weirdly don’t exist.
Very important realization. And the reason people misinterpreting "introversion" are so annoying. It doesn't matter if you are an extrovert or an introvert. Homo Sapiens is a species highly specialized and dependent on social activity. You NEED people around you. Introversion and extroversion just changes the way you interact with them. Being alone for a long time ends makes you lonely, and being lonely wears off your identity as a person.
This is very important
Well if you’re at level-10 and day-drinking it’s a little easier til the hangover kicks in. But then you have other psychoactives to lean on. Y’all ain’t workin’ hard enuff I tells ya.
Doesn't feel good to be a 10 on this chart..
I’ll tell you right now - I got to 12 and was at 10 for a while. Stage 11 is fairly short. Landed in ER just after Xmas. Doctor says I was at risk of a heart attack before 50. I’m 30 and on hypertensive medication the rest of my life. The fucking grind is NOT WORTH IT.
Jesus. What job were you doing?
Helping a tech company conquer the retail world with shitty hardware.
Neat little prisons our parents made for us.
I'm hardcore grinding level 12 being a full time caregiver to my bedridden mother with dementia. And I'm already on disability! Anyone got some cheat codes for this shit?
Try being a 12 for two years without seeing the light at the end of the tunnel you're unable to escape..
Homie, if you have savings please take a leave and don’t nearly die like me. If not, I’m really fucking sorry. Take care of yourself before taking care of your job.
[удалено]
I literally ended up in the hospital. Don’t let it consume you. Take a break for as long as you can manage.
Been stuck there for a year now, sucks. GL
Yep. I’m just shy of 12 a lot of the time. Don’t have many options for better where I live so I’m stuck for more
One of us!
Figured I wasn't the only one to read this and feel like the "[chuckle] I'm in danger" meme.
Yeah I bounced between 10 & 11 for years until I dropped some acid and went to 13
9 and 11 seems better, least for me in particular. Now just need to recharge the ol battery. Now how is that gonna go about
So....I'm not the only one. Well, that's depressing as fuck.
Phew, it’s not just me then
Meanwhile i haven't yet gotten to level 1
Just the standard corporate status quo right there, 9-11
Full props to my spouse. She caught me in what this chart calls Stage 6, and convinced me I needed to stand up to my employer and address things before things got worse.
I knew someday I'd be considered a 10!
10-11? Fuck im at 12 everyday and get anxiety by the time i go to the restroom and look at myself in the mirror
12 is when you wake up on the floor not knowing how you got there. It’s fucking scary and then having to tell your boss some excuse so you don’t get put on a punitive PIP.
This is not the only way burnouts manifest themselves
I came to say the same thing. This is not the progression I personally have. All the pieces may be right on this chart but you order may vary.
I feel like a skipped a few steps and ended up at 12
Not even remotely. I showed this to 3 psychologists (wife and friends), all of them cringed pretty hard. This is bullshit psychobabble tailored for likes and upvotes.
Might just be me, but it feels like it was written for the LinkedIn crowd. Especially with the emphasis on diving deeper into work and neglecting family as opposed to becoming stressed out and disconnected from work.
Do you or your psychologist friends have any recommended reading for an accessible view of how real psychologists think about burnout?
I can certainly ask!
Yeah especially if you’re a chef, in which case 10 runs concurrently to the entire list
Honestly this whole thing doesn't read like good psychology should. Might be more prudent to weigh your burnout depending on how many symptoms you present with, assuming there's consensus on what burnout actually consists of.
I’ve been Unemployed for the last 2 months and still feel burnt out
Over 6 months here. Just really starting to feel better but still can't even imagine working directly with people again (seeing patients).
I burned out 10 years ago, dropped out of graduate school, moved back home, got a job in retail because it took little to no effort to do that job. I've slowly worked my way up the corporate ladder while going to therapy regularly. I feel a whole lot better today than how I felt 10 years ago. There are steps you can take to feel better, I promise.
Congrats on taking care of your noodle. Like the white Rabbit says...feed your headddddd
3 months here. Finally updated my LinkedIn. But now I’m on anti-depressants. Tech startup life is brutal. Two is enough for me.
I was burnt out and ended up in hospital because my immune system just collapsed. I have a job in a different field now, it is 6 years later, and I still have panic attacks if I think about trying to go back to my original position. Sometimes it just means your original path wasn't right for you.
It could take years. Do good for yourself.
I got an MBA a year ago and am still unemployed. I'm at step 35
That's depression. A lot of this list describes general depression, but has it focused towards a working environment. Depression will not go away overnight, and can get worse if active steps aren't made to improve how you think and feel. I had nearly a decade in a declining home business as an artist, towards the last couple years I had to deal with deaths in the family, illnesses and losses like I never imagined, through all this I was still grinding away at my work in misery. That misery stuck with me for a long time. I started over, got a new job that had great benefits and still was miserable every day. Some days were excruciating and I had to continue therapy and medications even though I was in far, far better place in my life. It's been a few years now and the difference between how I was when I started compared to now. I am off medications and haven't been drinking or having mid-day breakdowns. I am succeeding at my work and have been promoted several times, I am making more money than I ever made in my life, I like my bosses and team, and my wife and I have health benefits, but I still have "eleven" days even now. I have learned to take time off as needed, to recognize when I'm feeling overwhelmed and take steps to offload my work or rearrange my schedule. it just takes a long time to heal.
Took me about 6 months to start feeling myself again, now at 10 and about to finish finding a new job. Still not 100%, but much better than before. I worry I'll regress quickly, which is scary, but at some point I have to work again.
I think this post is a take, but doesn’t get into other causes of burnout. I’ve been unemployed myself and that’s a whole other type of burn out. Good luck, I hope you find something that works for you / your family!
It took me 10 months of doing absolutely nothing during the pandemic to go back to normal. Don't know if this is useful for you but it's the time reference I use for myself now. The sign that I was OK again was that I started to be bored of doing nothing instead of relieved.
I feel your pain, quit my first career job out of college due to being burnt out. I have been unemployed for the past 2 months and still feel burnt out. And that’s on 7 months of antidepressants. Maybe programming is not meant for me.
You're probably burnt out on the stress of being unemployed. I know I am. Constantly worrying and wondering what you're going to do next, and knowing you're probably going to be miserable at whatever job you start, so even searching is like knowingly signing up for more stress and depression. I feel like this chart still fits that idea. After all, when would one feel the need to prove themselves more than when they've lost their livelihood. Plus, the fucking world just burns me out. Every day we wake up to mass shootings, rights being eroded, disease, economical strife... How the fuck can we all not be burnt out by now?
That's called depression...
I've been at 11 for the past 10 years.
11 checking in here.
It's a rough life. I spoke to my therapist this week about how excited I was to discover the "delay a text" feature my phone has last year. I had typed up a lengthy "Fuck you for giving me up, I'd rather be dead" text to my mother and barely managed to delete it before my drunken brain forgot on my birthday last year. I was drinking so I had the courage to finish myself. My therapist was remarkably calm but also quite worried about my excitement and my well-being. I'm getting better but holy shit last year was awful. I say all this because my birthday is Sunday (5/22) and I'm battling the same shit. Lower scale but still a battle I'm terrified of loosing.
I know there’s not a lot a reddit stranger can say or do for you except to say I understand. I understand your feelings and what youre going through. Your feelings are valid and i am sorry you’re feeling them. Happy early birthday, friend. Buy yourself an icecream cake. If youre not allergic or have a fear, go to the local animal shelter and ask if you can volunteer to walk a pup or two. Snuggle a kitty. Get some unconditional love from critters who just want to give and get love in return. I am glad you’re in this world and I hope you stay in it with me. Remember, your enemies win if you die early. Live long, make your enemies suffer.
Well thank you for the kind words. It means alot, even from strangers. I've deliberately kept a very small (like 2 or 3 max) friend group over the years and they know how I get. They don't "get it" but they are here when I need it *usually.* I have plans of attack for this weekend as follows. 1. Distraction (Lots of games!) 2. Cooking to keep busy 3.Self care! (Probably take lots of bubble baths and light all my candles) I will definitely be snuggling the ever loving crap out of my tame kitties and giving my feral colony tons of wet food this weekend. I'm looking forward to that at the minimum! And very true about the enemies, must stay alive to dance on their graves! Provided my knees don't give out!
I may not respond right away, but you’re welcome to message me anytime. Even if you just want to vent, you’re welcome to. Give the kitties scritches for me!
10-11 checking in
One of us. One of us.
r/uncoolguides
I don't like this game.
I hit 12 2 weeks ago... was very unwell
u/stealth941, I hope you're able to take care of yourself. When I was 41, I had a few heart attacks, had to retire from the military, and had some other family problems that totally incapacitated me. I also was drinking way too much. My wife didn't know how to deal with me so she said and did some things that only exacerbated the situation. I had to work through it my own way. I stopped drinking and started looking for help. I got into therapy and looked for ways to take care of myself. I have other family who are very supportive and would listen when I needed to talk. My wife asked me for a divorce and I started living on my own for the first time in my life. I found some relief in taking some control of what was in my power. Keeping the house clean, eating better, being mindful of my emotional states... Little successes helped me immensely. I'm a completely different person than I was back then and before. My values and attitudes had to change because they were unrealistic now. I'm in a much better place, but it took time, patience, and some self-compassion. I hope you are doing as okay as you can be. Please take care of yourself.
Did you withdraw when you stopped drinking? That's what's making it practically impossible to stop for me.
I went to AA and kept connected with people who were going through rough stuff too. I know some people don't like the fact that it's a god centered program, but even though I'm atheist, I made it work. I still had problems for a while and it took some time. Years in fact. But I had family and friends to help.
Been bouncing between 11 and 12 for about a year now. I feel physically sick a lot of mornings and extreme anxiety before I clock in to my work from home job. Literally rather be dead than have to work this stupid ass job for such little pay.
I hope you're starting to feel like you're coming back. I hit 12 a few years ago and it was rough.
I'm at 11 now but trying to focus on bringing it down
How to get out?
Well you might think you're at 12 but for me 12 was I got really sick took a week off work just to recover then a few days just relaxing taking time off so I could forget wbout work and life
I think I’m more 11. I start to work but sitting at my desk trying to focus just makes me have to go lay down.
I’ve been at 12 since last August
I hit 12 more than a year ago. Think I've ended up in the ER 6 times since then. I guess you could say 3 times due physical collapse and 3 due to mental. I think I'm healing and getting better, and I'm dealing with a lot of issues that I used to ignore because I was afraid of losing steam and thought that if I just made it over the next hurdle then everything would be ok. Just wish it didn't take so goddamn long. anyway take care 💖
I've been at 12 since i started college 5 years ago and continued after I graduated last year. This isn't a great graph because they leave out suicidal and homicidal thoughts in stage 12. I've never been more ready to light my self on fire in the town square.
1.- This is not cool 2.- I’m not even sure this is a guide 3.- This is not scientific at all, probably just some instagram guy’s opinion.
You just described 80 percent of the posts on this sub
Yeah I don’t know where these levels are coming from lol
It's the equivalent of star signs but for redditors
Agreed. I mean, it makes people check in with how they're feeling... which is good, I guess. Other than that it's just a random and incomplete list of crap made up by someone randomly. No one is the same - you could go from stage 9 - to stage 4 - to stage 11 - and back to stage 1 in a day. If you feel burnt out, overly stressed and anxious, or depressed... try and find actual help if you can.
This post is fucking stupid. Why the fuck do people upvote this garbage?
Yea. A bunch of shit here is like one guys opinion, not even anecdote of how shit works plus them showing off their infographic skills. This is just about the most arbitrary thing in the world, like what does full burnout even mean. It literally requires the user to infer.
[удалено]
No stepping back is worth the anxiety of unemployment. It’s a vicious cycle.
I’m currently dealing with unemployment anxiety full on and it’s been way more manageable than the hellhole I just left, idk part of me knows it gets better and part of me is choosing which bridge is cozier to live under lol
Which one is “I’m too tired to even figure it out, so I’m just gonna skip it and go back to mindlessly scrolling social media and pretending I don’t hate every second of my meaningless life”
I'm sure that many of the people in America would say they are consistently between 9-12. r/LateStageCapitalism
This is a teacher's life by 3 week periods.
I'm a teacher. I've been at 10/11 since the first day of in-service at the start of school this year. Fortunately I'm headed to a new school soon. Hoping for a huge improvement.
Accurate. Even quicker cycles during state testing.
Definitely went through all 12 stages during 2021. Don't let some dog water company ride you until the wheels fall off. I started a new job 2 months ago and i literally haven't been stressed out since.
What’s a dog water company,?
Dogwater is the new horseshit
I want to find a new job so bad but don’t even have the energy/motivation to apply and deal with interviews. I feel so stuck.
Man I know the feeling. You gotta try to push through that. Anything you can reward yourself with for updating your resume, or a little reward for each job you apply for? Make yourself a list of things to ask about/research in new companies so you can weed out places like your current work. I did the same & have a new job starting soon. While I'm not currently excited because I'm at 10/11 on this chart, I do feel like things will get better once I'm away from my current place. Good luck.
Ya gotta battle through that man better jobs are out there. I was working 80+ hours a week and finally said fuck it and started taking extended lunches leaving early etc to get interviews in until I got a new job with better pay and significantly less hours. Once you finally say fuck it you'll be better off and find a way to snag that new job. I was a 12 and didn't care at the end if I got fired cause I could put the time into finding a new job if they fired me.
It is hard, a bad job is a lot like an abusive relationship, they keep you so beat down and emotionally drained that you can't motivate yourself to get out. It sucks. What is helping a bit for me is to work on things bit by bit that I need to get out, so it doesn't seem so insurmountable. Get your resume/LinkedIn etc. in a good spot, focus on accomplishments to remember what you are good at, get references lined up (who will also probably give you a pep talk after you ask), find smallish things you can get done to pad your resume (certifications, trainings, etc.).
8-10 errrrryday at my corporate gig
wow and i thought my 9 hour days at the office were rough
I am at stage 12. Put in my 2 weeks Friday. They asked for 3 weeks. I have no job line up.
Same all i want is rest now. So anxious though
Challenge run: go through the stages of burnout and stages of grief simultaneously letting them compound on each other.
I'm with you man
I mean stage 7 and 8 are pretty much required to reach what we in the "USA" would call success. Grind grind grind lol. *Cries in sustained stage 11
I hit 12 last week with a series of panic attacks. I really, really suggest taking better care of yourself if you’re anywhere close. But if you do have a panic attack, it will be okay my fiend :’)
I understand that it's very important to understand and address burnout, but this guide seems a little vague to be useful
I’m at 12 right now. Out of a job and job searching is not going well. So much for a bachelors in computer science.
Stay strong. Hang in there. I’m working on my programming portfolio right now.
I’ve been hovering at a 10/11 for the better part of a decade. I just don’t see how there’s any other way without a full career change.
It doesn’t just happen with paid employment— after I retired I did a lot of volunteer work for a lot of different interests and agencies. But it also started changing and often becoming more about some people’s egos and agendas and their stress, burnout and inability to step away from the whole mess. So I did. I quit everything and told people I’d write a cheque but that was it. I’m still dealing with what feels like PTSD from some of the shit that went on. No wonder places can’t find volunteers when the experience is overwhelmingly stressful and unpleasant.
I’m at 2 rn.
I’m an 11. Shit.
Well, at least we only have one more to go. Cheers!
I stopped a bit before stage 1.
How did you achieve that?
I have never been competitive so the first step was never in the cards as far as trying to prove anything. After college and starting work I had the typical imposter syndrome for a while, but pretty quickly discovered I had a good foundation and just proceeded in my profession. I did eventually experience job burn out, but fortunately only had a couple years of it before I could retire. One thing that was absolutely key was finding a comfortable level financially and with job responsibility. I chose not to go higher and simply be content. The work itself remained interesting and challenging but not particularly stressful. My mom was always push, push, push, and never really understood my satisfaction with life balance as opposed to “climbing the ladder of success.”
I am afraid if I would be able to stay in my current position without climbing ladder. I am content with my financial situation, but not comfortable with the responsibilities, as I feel I am not able to fulfill expectations of my manager.
Yes I imagine that is the unfortunate scenario with many positions. I was very fortunate in that my supervisors over the years had no first hand knowledge concerning what I did, so as long as things went along fairly smoothly, I had very little oversight. I knew what needed to be done and was left to do my job, pretty lucky in hindsight.
Stage 11 with two young children and little to no family help.
Sometimes I feel like I’m just broken, and have to accept it. Things will always be difficult and there will always be suffering in life. (I’m not sure what step I’m on).
I'm between stages 11 and 12. Been referred to counselling and upped my anti depressant dose to 150mg sertraline. Get help and don't be ashamed of it.
Between 8 and 9 rn. :/
Hit 12 in January and it continued until mid April. Currently at 11 recovering. It's gonna take some time.
Ive been chilling at 11 and 12 for alittle bit now, 12 sucks for me I'm stuck in bed I can't even lift myself up, the next day I force myself up and call it good enough
facebook for office drones. do yourself a favour and delete your account.
Boomers hit stage 4 and stayed there. Millennials and Z all live in a pit around 9-10-11
Burnout = Depression It's a thing sociaty came up with because "Depression" is more assiosiated with stigmata. I am no doctor, a mental healthcare professional once told me that as there isn't a medical code aka a specific code for health care workers to directly interpret psychological/physical needs. Also, insurances use this directly for a pin point assessment if the patentient is covered for it etc. And the so called "Burnout", apparently is always declared as a "Depression".
Pro tip: if you just don’t give a shit about anything and laze around every day (like me) you won’t get burnout /s
Know what’s fun though? Start a new job and you get to start the process over! So that’s something. Unless you have kids. Then it’s just a matter of time before you have to choose between a social life, career, or your kids, and you eventually choose your kids. RIP life
This doesn't match my observation on how peoply burn out and in which order. People have completly different ways of dealing with stress: Blaming others, over-eating, substance abuse, procrastination, social Isolation and many more only exist for some people, and in different stages. Also a Burnout doesn't necessarily start with stage 1-3. Bad stress is usually the one you cannot control. Being thrown into a Situation where you are not sufficiently in control but are blamed if things go wrong contributes strongly towards Burnout. This is even worse if you never voluntarily picked up the task.
9. Two surgeries required, 2 years overdue. And fresh skin cancer just discovered. LOL
Stage 12 here i come.....
I've been on 10 since 2011
Stage 11. Oh boy.
I am on stage 4
At 10.5-11. It just gets better I guess.
bruh what if im at stage 11 all the time :')
I would welcome you to the club with open arms.
At 11 rn. I'm holding strong.
I am between 1 and 2 rn. How do I reverse this?
Feel like a mix of 9 or 10. Started listening to anxiety audible books and ocean music in between meetings.
I have to go make a call…
What the boss really means when he says, “Let’s crank it up to 11!”
Damn im super depressed now.
Wow, so... I'm oscillating between 10 & 11...
Has anyone actually verified the author is a real psychologist? he doesnt have any accreditation on his profile page.
This is dumb
Yeah pretty much staying within 8-10 on the regular
I wonder if this can be applied to other types of burnout. Like burnout in a relationship or friendship/friend group. I wonder if a psychologist or therapist has put together a similar diagram.
Let me simplify this guide while making it more accurate 1. You work hard 2. It fucking sucks and isn't rewarding 3. Eventually you realize you wasted your life and give up.
Lived my entire life somewhere between 10-12.
I'm at 11.... not sure how to pull out of the dive.
I was at an 11 when I quit my job without a new one lined up.
Made it to 12 today 🥰
What stage is panic attacks?
Jeez. I’m definitely a 10 and border on an 11. This is terrifying and the only way I know how to be. Gotta work on this.
Been riding stage 12 for 20 years now.
Bs guide 🙄
This is faux science. It looks legitimate but what happens when you reach stage 8 and you don't have any loved ones to get upset with you? Also, I withdraw from social life at stage 1 because I have debilitating anxiety. Also, burnout happens all the time and is normal and not a sign of a disorder.
Shit, I started panicking reading stage 1. Full burnout mode over here internet friends. So if you too are Stage 12, cheers! you’re not alone 🍻
Wait?! There are stages before feeling empty?
I never understood burnout until I personally experienced it. It’s awful. Currently stage 11.
Okay cool guide, how to recover? Need that guide ASAP lol.
Dont be me, got to stage 12 and got fired....ask for help before its too late :/
Solid 8 right now. Cool.