NEWS CENTER Maine sat down with Rebecca Hoffmann, MA, LMFT, and director of MaineHealth Behavioral Health, to discuss burnout and its impact on daily life.
PORTLAND, Maine — If you are feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, unmotivated, or depressed, it might be more than stress; it could be burnout. What might sound like an abstract term is actually something many Americans are experiencing today.
NEWS CENTER Maine sat down with Rebecca Hoffmann, MA, LMFT, and director of MaineHealth Behavioral Health, to talk about what burnout is, how to spot it, and how to recover from it. You can watch the full interview on our NEWS CENTER Maine streaming app now.
Hoffman explained burnout by using the analogy of a bucket. She said throughout your day, you fill your bucket with tasks that need to be completed. As you check these items off your list, your bucket becomes lighter. Burnout, she explained, is when that bucket is overflowing, never emptying, and you now feel overwhelmed, hopeless, and pushed to your limit.
Instances where taking a walk or having lunch with a co-worker used to relieve everyday stresses but no longer do; that is a sign of burnout. If you find yourself going home at the end of the day and need to sit by yourself in a dark room, that is also a sign of burnout, Hoffman said. It’s the feeling of being completely depleted.
In the workplace, burnout can be caused by understaffing, being overworked, unclear expectations from management, or financial concerns, Hoffman said. She noted that those working in education and healthcare are reporting the highest rates of burnout.
Now, burnout isn’t just experienced in the workplace. It can be experienced at home from financial struggles, a heavy emotional load, household work, parenting, and more. Burnout can impact anyone, Hoffman said.
Hoffman theorized that the pandemic was a true catalyst for this uptick in burnout. Times were uncertain and frightening when COVID-19 spread across the globe. Professions were working with less, for longer hours, and sometimes under impossible conditions.
We spoke of ways to treat burnout, from therapy to acupuncture to medication. Hoffman stressed how serious burnout is, but also reassured that help and support are available to get you through it.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call the Maine Crisis Line at 1-888-568-1112.
You can also call or text 988 for a suicide and crisis lifeline.
You can watch our full conversation with Rebecca Hoffman below or anytime on our NEWS CENTER Maine streaming app.
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