Community Voices for Health

By Eoin Moriarty, Internal Medicine Physician Assistant at Signature Healthcare

I’d like to start this blog post with a common case that is often seen in the primary care setting. The patient presents with symptoms of low mood, irritability, short temper, feelings of hopelessness, and they are unclear as to why. They have a great home life; they have passions that they’re interested in; they enjoy their work, but they note that it has been more hectic or stressful recently. It’s almost as if these symptoms appeared overnight. After further discussion with the patient, it is apparent that they are likely suffering from burnout.

“Burnout” is a term that we use to describe someone who is mentally or physically exhausted due to constantly working. One can imagine if you’re working throughout the week and your responsibilities continue to increase; it would likely make you very irritable. It can make someone feel overwhelmed, drained, and lost. Burnout is a relatively new term, but it is believed to have been present for decades as the demands of our jobs have increased. Believe it or not, there are also cases that look into the possible health issues that can arise with burnout, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and decreased immune status.

Symptoms of Burnout Image by macrovector on Freepik

As serious as burnout is, thankfully there are solutions that can be used to avoid or prevent it. For example, since the primary cause of burnout tends to be work-related, patients are advised to first notify both their primary care provider and their work supervisor. If your supervisor is aware, they may be able to help lighten your workload and prevent worsening of your symptoms. Other solutions include prioritizing sleep, taking breaks/vacations, and doing activities that you are passionate about.

To those who suffer from burnout, you are not alone. I have suffered from burnout as a Primary Care PA. I can count multiple times that I’ve prioritized my work over sleep, spending time with my family, and focusing on my passions, but in the end, I felt much worse. Thankfully, I addressed the situation and was able to focus on my passion for fitness; therefore, my way of combating work-related burnout is to hit the gym when my shift ends. I promise you that if you implement some of these tips, you will feel the burnout wash away!