Burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion resulting from prolonged, excessive stress, typically work-related. It's characterised by cynicism, detachment, and a sense of ineffectiveness. Burnout is not simply being tired; it's a serious condition that can have significant health consequences if not addressed. Therapy helps you recover, understand what drove you here, and build a more sustainable way of living.
Talking therapy gives you space, away from work and away from the people affected by your burnout, to be honest about how depleted you actually are, which is often the first step people skip when trying to power through. From there, therapy addresses both recovery (rebuilding your resources and wellbeing) and the deeper patterns that made you vulnerable to burnout in the first place: perfectionism, people-pleasing, boundaries, and identity overinvestment in work. Without this deeper work, burnout tends to recur.
General information, not medical advice. Editorially checked against UK clinical guidance and NHS information. Reviewed .