'Worry Burnout' Is Running Rampant—Here Are the Signs You're Suffering From It, and What to Do

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Political polarization, loneliness and seemingly endless stress have deeply impacted mental health—and even physical health. And one feeling that it has created for many people is a term coined "worry burnout."

"Worry burnout refers to a feeling of being exhausted and fed up by worry. On the one hand, we are too tired to keep worrying, but on the other hand, we can't relax," says Dr. Inna Khazan, Ph.D., a Harvard-trained clinical health and performance psychologist, board-certified in biofeedback and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. "We want to stop caring because we simply don't have the energy or the motivation to keep it up, but we also can't let it go."

She adds that it's similar to the experience when you are "too tired to sleep."

Perceived danger, from the 2020 pandemic and onward thanks to the hellish news cycle in which we live, does a number on our nervous system.

"When this goes on for a long period of time, the system no longer works effectively, and we may experience a sense of numbness or dissociation or depletion," says Dr. Ling Lam, Ph.D., a licensed psychotherapist, a TEDx speaker and lecturer in counseling psychology at Santa Clara University.

Related: 60 Ideas for How to Spend a Mental Health Day

Signs of Worry Burnout

There are a few tell-tale signs you may be dealing with worry burnout. These include:

A feeling of stagnation and emptiness

"Worry takes a significant emotional toll, and getting stuck in worry often produces a feeling of meaningless meandering over the same topics over and over again," says Dr. Khazan. "This worry displaces emotional and cognitive activity that would otherwise lead to meaningful activity guided by a sense of purpose. Worry burnout often comes with lack of meaning and purpose in our daily lives."

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Engaging in numbing, dissociating or avoidant behaviors

"Dissociation makes the unbearable temporarily bearable," says Dr. Lam. "This set of responses serves to minimize the overwhelm by restricting incoming signals that further trigger the stress system (avoiding news) or muting the emotional reaction (with food, substances or mindless TV shows)."

Feeling physically drained

"In addition to emotional energy, worry also drains us of physical energy. Our futile efforts to control worry use up our blood glucose, a basic fuel needed for our brains and bodies to function properly," says Dr. Khazan. "This leaves us feeling physically exhausted, further exacerbating the lack of motivation and lack of purposeful action on our part."

Related: Always Tired? 10 Reasons You're So Tired All the Time

Feeling despair, hopelessness and helplessness

"The body stops caring about potential danger since it perceives there is nothing it can do about it anymore, analogous to the learned helplessness where we just emotionally give up and no longer feels any sense of agency over the situation," says Dr. Lam.

Getting stuck in the "what if’s"

"One of the major reasons for worry burnout is an attempt by our minds to gain control over the uncertainty. Human minds don't like the state of uncertainty and will often go to great lengths to reduce it and gain a sense of control," says Dr. Khazan. "Oftentimes, these attempts to gain control over the uncertainty include a steady stream of 'what if' scenarios that we play over and over in our minds trying to come up with solutions to all possible worst-case scenarios."

She adds that while the likelihood that any of these scenarios will actually come to pass is extremely low, and the chances that one of the solutions we come up with will fit the situation are even smaller. So, we end up wasting time and energy, further taking away our emotional and physical resources from actions that could be meaningful and productive.

Related: Burnout Is Now a Medical Diagnosis: Here’s What You Need to Know

How to Overcome Worry Burnout

If you're struggling with worry burnout, there are a few strategies you can implement to help you overcome it. Here's what to do:

Differentiate what is and is not in your control, and focus on what you can control

"Ask yourself what you actually have control over in that situation. Then, focus on actions under your control—it may be calling a friend to get some support or offer support to them, or doing a breathing practice, engaging in an act of kindness, doing a gratitude practice, or some other activity that increases your sense of meaning and purpose," says Dr. Khazan. "You might respond to the 'what if' questions with 'I don’t know', to remind your mind to disengage from unproductive rumination, and move on to a meaningful activity that is under your control."

Practice mindfulness

"Engage in mindfulness practices, especially ones that involve gentle movement, like yoga, tai chi, walking meditation," says Dr. Lam. "Though sitting meditation is also helpful, some kind of gentle movement may help the body safely move out of shutdown mode."

Related: What is Mindfulness? The Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness

Practice "heart rate variability" breathing

"Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the rhythmic changes in your heart rate, the way your heart rate is constantly going up and down," says Dr. Khazan. "Higher heart rate variability means that your body and mind are better able to adjust to changes in the internal and external environment, be resilient in the face of challenges, and adjust your energy levels to match the demands of your situation or activity."

To practice HRV, take a normal-size breath in through the nose while counting to four, at one-second intervals. There is no need for a particularly big or deep breath. Breathe out through the nose or pursed lips, as if you are blowing out a candle, while counting to six, at one-second intervals. Practice your HRV breathing for 20 minutes a day most days a week.

"This type of breathing has been scientifically shown to increase HRV and improve resilience, health, and wellbeing," says Dr. Khazan.

Invest in nourishing relationships

"Our brain is wired as a social and relational brain. Feeling safe in connection with other people (or pets) help the body relax," says Dr. Lam. "As the body relaxes, the tension built up with the chronic stress activation can be gently discharged."

Practice artistic expressions or other embodied activities

"Painting, dancing, massage, playing music, sculpting, butterfly hugs … anything that involves working with your hands and using your body," says Dr. Lam. "Embodiment is the practice of paying attention to your sensations. By paying attention to the body sensations, we can gently wake up the body from numbness back into aliveness."

Related: Work Burnout Is a Real Problem—Here Are the Top Signs You’re Dealing With It, and What to Do

Be kind to yourself

"Since much of the reason for our worry is not under our control and not something we can do much about, sometimes the only choice we have is to respond to ourselves with kindness," says Dr. Khazan. "Rather than wasting energy on trying to control or stop worry, and then beating up on ourselves for not being able to do it, allow yourself to engage in a self-compassion practice."

She says it might go like this: 'This is a moment of difficulty. All people feel this way sometimes. May I find peace and be kind to me."

Dr. Khazan adds that responding to worry with kindness will allow you to move forward rather than continue getting stuck. That's a mentality we can get behind.

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Sources

• Dr. Inna Khazan, Ph.D., Harvard-trained clinical health and performance psychologist, faculty member at Harvard Medical School and board-certified in biofeedback

• Dr. Ling Lam, Ph.D., licensed psychotherapist, TEDx speakera nd lecturer in counseling psychology at Santa Clara University