Ask anyone if they’ve been feeling burnt out recently, and chances are their answer will be “Yes.” Not only are we working harder – not just at work, but also for our kids, friends, and family – but we also have much less effective relaxation strategies, turning to things like screens that provide ongoing stimulation rather than much needed relaxation.
This is leading to many people experiencing what we call “burnout.” It’s also very common in those with anxiety, as they have overlapping symptoms and impact. While these are two distinct challenges, they are often co-occurring and interact in many ways.
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is not yet considered to be a diagnosable condition, but it is still something we acknowledge in the mental health world. Burnout is a form of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by chronic stress – particularly in work, caregiving, or academic environments. It develops gradually as the body and mind try to cope with sustained pressure, often without adequate rest or emotional relief.
People experiencing burnout often report:
- Feeling detached or emotionally numb
- A loss of motivation or fulfillment
- Difficulty concentrating or maintaining productivity
- Fatigue that persists despite rest
- Irritability, withdrawal, or a sense of hopelessness
Burnout does not happen overnight. It develops when demands continually exceed emotional and physical capacity, leading to a state where the nervous system remains overstimulated for too long and eventually begins to shut down.
How Anxiety Differs — and Overlaps
Anxiety is the body’s natural response to perceived threats. It activates the “fight or flight” system, increasing alertness and readiness for action. In small doses, this can be useful. But when the sense of threat never resolves – when work, relationships, or life pressures keep the body in a constant state of tension – anxiety becomes chronic.
You can read more about anxiety on my anxiety therapy page, or reach out if you feel you have anxiety. We talk about anxiety often on this blog, so don’t forget to follow for future posts.
While they are separate conditions, anxiety and burnout often reinforce each other. Anxiety keeps the body and mind overactivated, while burnout results from the exhaustion of maintaining that state for too long. Over time, this cycle can make both conditions feel inescapable.
Someone with both burnout and anxiety may feel constantly tense, yet emotionally drained. They may worry excessively about performance or responsibilities, but lack the energy or focus to meet them, leading to guilt, self-blame, and deeper fatigue.
How Burnout Leads to Anxiety — and Vice Versa
The two conditions are also connected through the body’s stress response system. Chronic stress increases the release of cortisol and adrenaline. Initially, this creates the hypervigilance and restlessness associated with anxiety. When these systems remain active over weeks or months, they eventually deplete the body’s energy reserves, resulting in burnout.
Likewise, burnout can heighten anxiety. When mental resources are low, even ordinary challenges can feel overwhelming. The nervous system, already fatigued, becomes more sensitive to stress, perpetuating feelings of fear and unease.
This cyclical relationship can make it difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Left unaddressed, it can impact sleep, concentration, mood, and physical health.
Recognizing When You’re Stuck in the Cycle
The interaction between burnout and anxiety can appear subtle at first. Many people attribute the symptoms to temporary overwork or life stress. But over time, emotional exhaustion, irritability, and loss of motivation combine with restlessness, worry, and tension – creating a pattern that becomes increasingly difficult to break.
Common signs include:
- Persistent fatigue that does not improve with rest
- Racing thoughts or difficulty calming the mind
- Feeling detached or unmotivated despite continued effort
- Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, or digestive issues
- Difficulty concentrating or completing tasks
- A sense of dread toward responsibilities once viewed as manageable
Recognizing these signs early allows for more effective intervention before the cycle deepens.
Addressing Both Burnout and Anxiety
Treatment often involves targeting both the emotional exhaustion of burnout and the physiological arousal of anxiety. Therapy can provide tools for emotional regulation, cognitive restructuring, and stress management, while also helping to explore deeper patterns that contribute to chronic overextension.
An effective plan may include:
- Developing healthier work-life and emotional boundaries
- Identifying thought patterns that reinforce stress or self-criticism
- Practicing mindfulness and grounding techniques to calm the nervous system
- Prioritizing rest and realistic goal setting
- Building awareness around perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies
By addressing the underlying causes of both burnout and anxiety, individuals can begin to restore balance, motivation, and mental clarity.
Moving Toward Recovery and Balance
Burnout and anxiety are signals – not signs of failure, but messages that something in the system needs recalibration. Through reflection, boundaries, and emotional care, it becomes possible to recover energy, reduce overactivation, and approach responsibilities with renewed focus rather than chronic strain.