If you have burnout you are not alone

If you are feeling a little low energy and not like your usual self, you are definitely not alone.

Most people who come to see me are feeling that way too.

Burnout is real, and something we all need to understand.

Why we’re burnt out now

Burnout is a medical and psychological term for what happens when you’ve reached your limits, mentally, emotionally and physically.

We’ve all needed to do a lot of adapting, especially since Covid times.

Keeping on top of what is happening in the world can feel like another ‘job’ on top of whatever else we need to do each day.

We’ve been absorbing and processing a lot of bad news for a long period of time.

Even if you can count yourself lucky in a lot of ways, that doesn’t mean that everything’s fine.

Managing change, even positive change can be draining.

Emotional stress with shock, fear, sadness and guilt takes away our energy.

Supporting family, friends and colleagues who are going through a hard time is ’emotional labour’ and can contribute to burnout.

Mental, emotional and physical signs

• You don’t want to get out of bed
• It’s hard to concentrate
• You’ve lost motivation
• You feel achy and tired
• Your stomach is bloated
• You’re having trouble sleeping
• You’re turning to food, alcohol or drugs to make yourself feel better

What are you dependent on?

When you’re burnt out you need something to get yourself through the day.

• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Carbs
• Alcohol

If you’re not taking care of yourself, you’ll reach for the things on that list more often.

I’m going to be honest here and say that I rarely have a day when I don’t have dark chocolate, and I enjoy a glass of wine (though I often just have tonic water with lots of ice as a pick-me-up).

I’m sharing because I want you to know that I’m not judging you and you are definitely not alone.

But maybe, like me, you can use them as a signpost.

If you find that you’re becoming dependent on them, or if you feel they are a prop that’s not really working, it could be time to try something different.

Tests can be useful

If you are experiencing fatigue, it is worth getting some blood tests to check and ‘rule out’ the following:

• Vitamin D deficiency
• B12 deficiency
• Iron deficiency
• Low thyroid

If you don’t already take magnesium and Vitamin D supplements, I recommend you start them today and see how you feel in a few weeks.
[Related post: Vitamin D, the full story]

Gut Microbiome, DNA and blood tests are strongly recommended for insights into the underlying causes of fatigue.

Tip: Pick ONE thing

If you’re ready to take some action to help yourself recover from burnout, start small.

Don’t try and change all your habits at once.

Pick one issue to focus on and write a list of all the things you could do to support yourself.

Lists are a great tool, especially if you incorporate them into a weekly and monthly plan and review cycle. [Related post:  A helpful list for your new month]

Then decide one or two small things you can do today.

Feeling sluggish? Go for a daily walk. Use a body scrub in the shower to get your lymph moving.

Hard to concentrate? Have a nap after lunch and go to bed half an hour earlier. Take a Magnesium supplement.

Low mood? Stop reading the news. Watch something that makes you laugh instead. Start high potency Vitamin D.

Achy and tired? Have a bath and an early night. Take Magnesium and Vitamin D.

Feeling bloated? Drink more water. Find an after dinner herbal tea. Try a multi strain probiotic.

Trouble sleeping? Take a shower and put lavender on your pillow before bed. Take Magnesium.

Make it easy to do

When you’ve decided on the change you want to make, try to make it nicer and easier to do.

Write it down, add it to your calendar, stick up a post-it note, tell someone to remind you or nag you. 🙂

Try to make it into a new habit if you can. [Related post: How to create a calming self-care routine]

Reward yourself when you do it.

Rewarding yourself could be as simple as:

• Telling someone
• Writing it in your journal
• Ticking it off on a list or chart
• Making a note on your calendar
• Setting up a reminder

A few more ways to be kind to yourself

This is not an original list, but maybe there’s something here that speaks to you.

• Buy some flowers
• Spray your room with essential oils, or burn them in a diffuser
• Light candles or tea lights in the morning to start your day
• Buy a mister and plant food for your plants and watch them flourish
• Start a journal and write a few notes in it each day
• Cut up magazines and make a vision board
• Buy a colouring book and pens or draw
• Declutter your photos and make albums with happy memories
• Make time for a phone chat with a friend
• Write a postcard to someone you care about and post them
• Take a long bath and apply body lotion afterwards
• Take supplements daily (put them somewhere you won’t forget)
• Listen to music or comedy while you cook
• Clean and declutter one area of your home that’s bugging you
• Pick a yoga video and do it daily until you are ready for a new one

Small steps make a big difference over time.

Help for skin, hair, hormones and sleep

Physical health problems I’ve see alongside burnout include:

• Skin breakouts
• Hair loss
• PMS
• Irregular periods
• Insomnia
• Hot flushes
• Headaches
• Fatigue

Stress affects the adrenals and this affects your skin, hair and hormones in all kinds of ways. [Related post: Hormones are not to blame for your period problems]

If you also have a history of antibiotics, birth control or other medication, this will have affected your gut which means the impact is far greater.

This is not something you can easily fix with self-help.

A different approach

A homeopathy consultation is not like a visit to a doctor.

First consultations are 70 minutes long and we focus entirely on you.

It’s a calm, warm, confidential space for us to talk about your physical, mental and emotional symptoms.

Homeopathy and homeobotanicals are prescribed for you as an individual.

I also recommend a Gut Microbiome test and perhaps a DNA health test.

When I evaluate your current symptoms I look for underlying causes that include:

• The impact of shock and trauma
• Side effects of past medication
• Nutrition and gut health

I create a personal treatment plan that includes:

• Homeopathic medicines – sourced from Helios Pharmacy
• Homeobotanicals – organic herbs custom blended for you
• Nutritional advice – dietary changes and selected supplements
• Support and information – you are understood and empowered

Steady and lasting change

Homeopathy works best as a course of treatment.

I expect to see steady improvement from the beginning.

Your course of treatment will depend on how long you have been unwell, so it’s hard to predict.

Many people see significant improvement within six months, but a year is also common.

This is not because homeopathy is slow, but rather because the body needs time to heal itself.

Recovery is a journey

The first step is to acknowledge your burnout and that you are in need of extra kindness and care.

Recognise how you are feeling is normal and you are not alone.

Consider:

• What do I want to stop doing?
• What do I want to start doing?
• What do I need to adjust?

Then take it from there.

Recovery from burnout is a journey, and it starts with a small step.

What will yours be?