October has been declared Mental Health Awareness Month with the aim of educating the public about mental health, and reducing the stigma and discrimination that people with a mental illness are subjected to.
Depression or burnout?
Have you ever found yourself wondering if you should consult your doctor for persistent tiredness?
In your analysis, you sleep well, you find enough time to rest, you eat well, but the tiredness does not go away.
You start resenting your work, avoiding family and friends and developing a very short temper. Everyone around you tells you that you have changed. The boss complains about your work performance, your partner tells you that your sexual drive is low and, quite frankly, concerning.
Well, among many possible ailments, you could be suffering from either depression or burnout.
What is the difference, you ask?
Depression and burnout are very similar with a lot of overlapping symptoms.
Depression is a complex disease resulting from a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors.
Burnout is primarily caused by chronic work stress. That is right, your job can make you sick.
■ Emotional experience: Depression involves persistent sadness, hopelessness, a low mood, and thoughts of deliberate self-harm.
Burnout is mainly characterised by emotional exhaustion, poor work performance, and emotional detachment.
■ Physical and mental symptoms: There is a lot of overlap here. In both conditions there is fatigue, poor sleep, headaches, low frustration tolerance, poor concentration, and forgetfulness.
The big difference is that if you have burnout, you will feel better after a period of good rest and being away from the stressful environment.
Unfortunately, depression does not improve with work or time off alone. You will need to consult with a doctor to get adequate treatment. Depression is a medical condition that needs professional treatment.
For professional help and advice on mental health, please use the following resources to find out more about all the programmes available at the M-Care Optima Hospital.
For more information, contact the hospital at 051 502 1800. Additionally, follow and subscribe to the Youtube channel Free State One.
