Burnout—it happens to all of us at one time or another. The ongoing pressures of work leave you exhausted, unmotivated, and helpless. Turns out that washed-out and washed-up feeling has an official medical diagnosis, according to the International Classification of Diseases, or ICD-11, the World Health Organization’s handbook for helping medical providers diagnose diseases.
As CNN reports, burnout is now in the ICD-11’s section on problems regarding employment (or the lack thereof). The handbook characterizes burnout by three dimensions:
The handbook cautions that the diagnosis of burnout refers specifically to work-related experiences and shouldn’t be applied to other areas of life. However, the effects of burnout can be felt at home, on the job, and everywhere in between, according to HelpGuide.org International, a global nonprofit organization that provides mental health education and support.
HelpGuide.org notes that you may be headed toward burnout if:
The article goes on to list the physical, emotional, and behavioral signs and symptoms of burnout. Some of these include:
Fortunately, there are as many ways to address burnout as there are symptoms. Experts agree that one of these is exercise. An article in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine called “Efficacy of Exercise Therapy in Persons with Burnout. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” notes that “The effect of physical activity on burnout may be ascribed to psychological changes.” For example, physical activity:
If you’re suffering from burnout, the last thing you may want to do is physical activity. Binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix with a limitless supply of ice cream may sound a lot more appealing. Or perhaps you’re suffering from burnout-related muscle pain. It could simply be you don’t know how to get started—how do you decide how much or what types of exercise are best for you?
Physical therapists can motivate you to move, and they can help you go about it the right way. Dr. Kevin Prue, a North Carolina-based PT, says that a physical therapist can perform a mobility screen to determine which exercises are appropriate for you and which ones to avoid. They can also help design an exercise program based on your goals, fitness level, and medical history. You’ll be more likely to stick with an exercise program that fits your needs and interests and that isn’t likely to cause injury.
Burnout may be an official diagnosis, but it doesn’t have to be a chronic one. With the proper remedies, including help from your physical therapist, you can boost your physical, mental, and emotional capacities and be ready to take on the world (or at least life).