“I Can't Do This Anymore:” What to Do If You Are Experiencing Burnout

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat “I Can’t Do This Anymore” Feels LikeSymptomsIdentifying the CausesHow to Cope With Feeling This Way

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What “I Can’t Do This Anymore” Feels Like

Symptoms

Identifying the Causes

How to Cope With Feeling This Way

Close

All of us have moments when we say to ourselves, “I can’t do this anymore.” Usually, these are times when you feel exhausted, depleted,overwhelmed, and unable to manage life’s stressors.

In other words, if you’re saying to yourself, “I can’t do this anymore,” you might be experiencing the symptoms of burnout.

Reaching a breaking point like this isn’t enjoyable, but when looked at the right way, it can be thought of as a wake-up call to make some changes in your life, and to figure out new ways of managing your stress.

Let’s take a look at what burnout may look like, what the causes are,how to cope, and when it may become necessary to seek out mental health support.

Press Play for Advice On Dealing With BurnoutThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcastshares how to combat feelings of burnout. Click below to listen now.

Press Play for Advice On Dealing With Burnout

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcastshares how to combat feelings of burnout. Click below to listen now.

When the words “I can’t do this anymore” pop into your head, you are usually at a place in your life where you feel emotionally, mentally, and physically unable to cope with everyday things.

Maybe you have been working ahigh-stress joband were trudging through for a while, but then your boss tossed you a project that felt impossible to manage, and you reached your breaking point.

Perhaps you are a parent who has been dealing with cranky, sick children for several days. Today you found out your furnace needs to be replaced, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Burnout isn’t the same as feeling generally tired or overwhelmed.Usually, people who are experiencing burnout have been trying their best to keep it together, but then one thing after another piled up, and they just didn’t have the strength to continue.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) says that there are three defining characteristics of burnout. The WHO classification of burnout pertains to burnout at work, but these characteristics can apply to other situations that might cause you to experience intense overwhelm and defeat.

Signs of BurnoutThe three main characteristics of occupational burnout are:Depleted energy and exhaustionNegative feelings, cynicism, and a desire todistance oneself from workFeeling unable to continue to be professional and effective

Signs of Burnout

The three main characteristics of occupational burnout are:Depleted energy and exhaustionNegative feelings, cynicism, and a desire todistance oneself from workFeeling unable to continue to be professional and effective

The three main characteristics of occupational burnout are:

If you are experiencing burnout, you may have gotten to the point where you feel a lack of empathy towards others, and a feeling like you “just don’t care” anymore.You may feel as though nothing you do really matters, and that you are unable to accomplish anything.

Burnout and feeling like you “can’t do this anymore” can have physical manifestations as well. You may experience headaches, stomachaches, muscle soreness, and altered sleep and eating patterns.Burnout can increase the risk of substance abuse as well,and people who are feeling burntout may turn todrugs and alcoholfor soothing.

Burnout vs. Other Mental Health Issues

You can experience burnout whether or not you struggle with other mental health conditions. But it’s important to distinguish between feelings of burnout and mental health conditions like depression so that you can get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

If you are experiencing signs of burnout, along with feelings of hopelessness, very low self-esteem, suicidal ideation,or if you suspect you might be battling depression, please contact a mental health professional.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

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ADHD Symptom Spotlight: Burnout

Burnout usually is related to workor caregiving roles but it can happen to anyone who is experiencing a build-up of stress or finds themselves in a situation where their resources are depleting quickly, especially if they are not getting outside support.

Many people are experiencing burnout right now in light ofCOVID-19. Burnout is on the rise and you are not alone if you are experiencing it.

Some of the individuals most prone to burnout include nurses, doctors, teachers, and social workers,but anyone who works in a job rife with responsibilities and pressure is vulnerable to burnout. People who are part of marginalized communities, andsocial justice activistsmay be prone to signs of burnout as well.

The most common cause of burnout include:

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If you are in a place where you are saying to yourself, “I can’t do this anymore,” you shouldn’t feel that you areless thanorinadequatein any way. Often, when someone has reached this point, it’s because there is too much on their plate. The truth is, there’s only so much one person can handle.

So one of the first things you can do if you have reached a breaking point is to assess your life responsibilities and see if there is anything that can be changed.

Ask yourself questions like:

In addition to trying to change your life circumstances so that they are more manageable, there are some self-care techniques that you may consider adopting to help manage your feelings and your energy so that you don’t continue to feel bogged down quite so much.

The American Psychological Association (APA) recommends:

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How to Prevent Burnout

A Word From Verywell

Sometimes people are quick to brush off feelings of “I can’t do this anymore,” thinking that they should try to toughen up or push themselves through. But burnout is a real thing, and if left unaddressed, it can have consequences for your emotional, physical, and mental health.

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8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).Depression: What is burnout?

World Health Organization.Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases.

Midwestern University.What is burnout?

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Depression: What is burnout?

Clay R.Are you burned out?Monitor on Psychology. 2018;49(2):30.

Maslach C, Leiter MP.Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry.World Psychiatry. 2016;15(2):103-111. doi:10.1002/wps.20311

Wilson S.Avoid the burn. American Psychological Association. 2011;3:17.

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