Are you burnt out or depressed? There’s one important difference

If your summer holiday already feels like a distant memory, you’re not alone. Burnout – a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion following prolonged stress – has been described in workplaces since a 5th century monastery in Egypt.

Burnout and depression can look similar and are relatively common conditions. It’s estimated that 30% of the Australian workforce is feeling some level of burnout, while almost 20% of Australians are diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives.

So what’s the difference between burnout and depression?

Depression is marked by helplessness and burnout by hopelessness. They can have different causes and should also be managed differently.

What is burnout

The World Health Organization defines burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” resulting from excessively demanding workload pressures. While it is typically associated with the workplace, carers of children or elderly parents with demanding needs are also at risk.

Our research created a set of burnout symptoms we captured in the Sydney Burnout Measure to assist self-diagnosis and clinicians undertaking assessments. They include:

• exhaustion as the primary symptom

• brain fog (poor concentration and memory)

• difficulty finding pleasure in anything

• social withdrawal

• an unsettled mood (feeling anxious and irritable)

• impaired work performance (this may be result of other symptoms such as fatigue).

People can develop a “burning out” phase after intense work demands over only a week or two. A “burnout” stage usually...

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