Burnout describes a state of pronounced emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion resulting from chronic overload — most commonly in a professional context, but increasingly also in private life.
It is typically characterized by the feeling of being “burned out”: persistent exhaustion, emotional detachment from work, and a perceived decline in performance are central features.
Exhaustion syndromes can gradually develop into depressive disorders or be accompanied by anxiety and sleep disturbances. Early diagnostic assessment is therefore particularly important.
Symptoms
Symptoms often develop gradually:
Emotional symptoms:
Persistent exhaustion
Inner emptiness
Irritability
Cynicism or emotional detachment
Cognitive symptoms:
Concentration and memory problems
Indecisiveness
Rumination
Physical symptoms:
Sleep disturbances
Headaches or muscle tension
Gastrointestinal complaints
Increased susceptibility to infections
Those affected often report feeling unable to recover adequately, even after periods of rest.
Types
Burnout is not an independent psychiatric diagnosis in the strict sense, but rather a clinical picture with different manifestations:
Work-related burnout
Caregiver burnout (e.g., among caregiving relatives)
Stress-related exhaustion syndromes
It is important to differentiate burnout from:
Depressive episodes
Anxiety disorders
Somatic symptom disorders
Physical illnesses (e.g., thyroid dysfunction)
Causes
The development is multifactorial:
Chronic professional overload
High levels of perfectionism and sense of responsibility
Lack of recovery phases
Persistent emotional strain
Imbalance between demands and available resources
Structural factors such as working conditions and lack of social support also play a central role.