Burnout Vs. Depression – How To Tell the Difference
Burnout versus depression- how do you tell the difference? Burnout is usually thought of as something that happens professionally or caused by work stress. But the way it makes you feel can feel similar to depression. A common definition is that it has three components: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy.
In this video I discuss how to tell the difference between depression and burnout, how burnout develops and some ways to avoid it or deal with it once you have it.
SHOP THE MENTAL WELLNESS STORE https://mentalwellnessspace.store/
GET YOUR FREE SELF-COMPASSION GUIDE to help replace harmful self-talk http://SelfTalkHelp.com
JOIN MY MENTAL WELLNESS COMMUNITY. Take your mental health education to the next level. https://MentalWellnessSpace.com
GET MY ANXIETY BOOK https://amzn.to/3vWdJAX
WANT TO START IN THERAPY? Here’s a convenient and affordable option with my sponsor BetterHelp
https://Betterhelp.com/drmarks
For a monthly fee, you get a REAL licensed therapist with whom you can meet weekly by phone, video or chat. You can also send daily messages.
For a full review of the service, watch this video https://youtu.be/kDs9HxGnyxw
If you use this link you will get a 10% discount on your first month. https://betterhelp.com/drmarks This is an option I’ve researched. I get a referral commission if you sign up.
Here are some videos reference in the video
Depersonalization video
Depression playlist
https://goo.gl/eFCdQo
References
Maslach C, Schaufeli W, Leiter M. Job burnout. Ann Rev Psychol. 2001;52:397-422.
The Tired, Retired, and Recovered Physician: Professional Burnout Versus Major Depressive Disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 2018 Aug 1;175(8):716-719.
Bianchi R, Schonfeld IS, Laurent E: Is burnout separable from depression
in cluster analysis? A longitudinal study. Soc Psychiatry movement Psychiatr Epidemiol 2015; 50:1005–1011
Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.
I upload every Wednesday at 9am, and sometimes have extra videos in between. Subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss a video https://goo.gl/DFfT33
27 Comments
WATCH NEXT – DEPRESSION VS FEELING DEPRESSED https://youtu.be/9RtYX7p3MKw
Work isn't normal
Who does the song at the end?
The aim of this artificial differentiation is to hide the fact that ”depression” is a state of high stress. Psychiatrists have a tremendous amount of blood on their collective hands.
Thank you. Great information. ❤
Omg…so I was experiencing both burnout and depression at my last job 😖
Can have both?
I'm not saying burnout is the worst problem for a person to face, but I am saying that I'm tired of writing this comment.
After you get back from Bora Bora, Jane will now be the one burned out.
You don't mention extreme debilitating physical exhaustion that in my case always follows a period of hypomania. I'll burn an average of 4500 calories a day for 5 days running and then crash for 3 days uable to do anything.
Come collect your man
Great video, which provided me with some clarity with my own issues. Thanks. 1 Jul 2025
I've been depressed for about a year after a major loss and I'm coming out the other end now but I don't really recognise myself, I've gained so much weight and my outlook on life is quite different. I tried a vacation and it didn't make a difference.
Personal satisfaction from work?? You’re funny…. People weren’t made to be slaves to corporations until they die.. there is no satisfaction at work
Lol, I don't have the Sunday evening dread. I think my weekend is over from Fri 😂😂. I know it's time to change my job because of being burnt out. I'm making plans to leave.
I DONT KHNOW WHAT I FEEL NOW I WANT TO MAKE END TO MY DAY I FEEL THAT AM NOTHING EVERY ONE IS BETER THEN ME BUT I DONT KHOW IF IT BURN OUT OR DEPPRETION I PASS MY BAC THIS 2 YEAR AND I WORK SO HARD BUT MY NOTE AT SCHHOL WASN'T GOOD BECAUSE FAVEORITISM THE FINAL RESOLT IS AFTER ONE WEEK
I THINK AM DEPRESSED I JUST ONE TO DEAD
No one at my workplace can do what I do, so even if I take a week or two off, most of my work will be stacked up waiting for me.
I kept wondering if I was depressed. I wasn’t sad just tired, unmotivated, numb. Turns out, it wasn’t depression. It was burnout from constant overstimulation. Reset Your Body and Mind by Morgan Lane helped me see the difference and more importantly, heal from it. That 30-day reset brought my energy, sleep, and focus back things I didn’t even realize I lost. If you’re not sure what’s wrong, start with a reset. You’ll feel the shift.
Burn out can definitely lead to depression if you cant resolve what is burning you out. I just resigned from a job due to burnout and it was definitely setting me up to fall into a depression.
Extra fun when you get both.
This is such a vital distinction, and I appreciate you bringing it up. Understanding the difference between burnout and depression is key to addressing the right root causes and finding the appropriate path to healing. I work with high-performing leaders who often face burnout and are learning how to recognize these subtle signs early, so they can reset and recover before it leads to deeper emotional struggles like depression.
this is very helpful!
I started my career feeling driven, but now I feel like a shell of myself. What began as burnout feels like it’s turned into depression. I don’t feel like I can recharge or recover. I’m unmotivated, filled with dread, and exhausted, even the smallest decisions feel overwhelming.
I have had burnout three times. I literally have to leave work for months. Usually 3 to 6 months. Vacations do nothing.
Are both at the same time possible?
My work keeps trying to force me to be social. I can do that one on one with little problem but in a group setting I have always had issues. Especially in loud environments. I can’t hear properly because my brain refuses to focus on one conversation. It tries to hear them all, so maintaining focus in a group setting is really hard for me. And those boisterous chatty people who love to hear themselves talk and never shut up are quite intimidating to me so I never feel like I have a chance to contribute to the conversation. I wind up just standing there pretending to watch and use other people’s reactions as social cues. I wish they would just accept that I am meant to be a back office worker and let the extroverts do the communicating with the clients. I’m not the person you want out there trying to drum up new business. The depressing part is when management won’t listen to these things I already know about myself and just let me be. Just suck it up and go. Heh…yay, I’m going. 😢