Burnout and depression are similar emotional states, so there’s bound to be confusion between them. They are so identical that the debate on whether they’re the same has been raging for decades in Psychology. Too many burnout and depressive symptoms overlap.1Bianchi, R., Verkuilen, J., Schonfeld, I. S., Hakanen, J. J., Jansson-Fröjmark, M., Manzano-García, G., … & Meier, L. L. (2021). Is burnout a depressive condition? A 14-sample meta-analytic and bifactor analytic study. Clinical Psychological Science, 9(4), 579-597. Some researchers see burnout as a form of depression.2Schonfeld, I. S., & Bianchi, R. (2016). Burnout and depression: two entities or one?. Journal of clinical psychology, 72(1), 22-37.
Burnout and depression are negative mood states caused by chronic, unresolvable stress.3Schonfeld, I. S., Bianchi, R., & Palazzi, S. (2018). What is the difference between depression and burnout? An ongoing debate. Rivista di psichiatria, 53(4), 218-219. At the root of burnout is emotional exhaustion, an emotional state that closely resembles the depressive state. Both depression and burnout lead to a significant loss of energy and lack of motivation. Other similarities between burnout and depression include:
- Irritability
- Feelings of despair
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Negative perception
- Hopelessness
- Impaired memory
- Impaired concentration
Key differences
While chronic, unresolved stressors cause both depression and burnout, the latter is often the result of the accumulation of minor stressors over time. Burnout is typically caused by small but significant problems that affect a specific life area- such as work or relationships. The accumulation of these problems leads to feelings of overwhelm, the strongest sign of burnout.
Burnout demands that you take a break from whatever is burning you out. If your burnout is job-related, you can take a break and do self-care activities like hobbies or connecting with someone close to you.
These activities refresh you, and you can tackle the problems at work with renewed energy and a fresh perspective.
In contrast, depression is caused by chronic, unresolved stress generated from a major life problem such as losing a job, breaking up with a partner, etc. Depression, from a major problem in one life area, can negatively affect all your other life areas. It reduces your motivation to zero and shuts down your entire life.
Forget self-care activities; you can’t even find the energy to do simple daily tasks like getting out of bed.
While burnout and depression symptoms overlap, depressed individuals are more likely to be suffering from:
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
- Lowered self-worth
- Passive suicidal ideation
- Social withdrawal4Tavella, G., Hadzi-Pavlovic, D., Bayes, A., Jebejian, A., Manicavasagar, V., Walker, P., & Parker, G. (2023). Burnout and depression: points of convergence and divergence. Journal of Affective Disorders, 339, 561-570.
Burnt-out people, unlike depressed people, are more likely to experience:
- Anxiety5Koutsimani, P., Montgomery, A., & Georganta, K. (2019). The relationship between burnout, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 429219.
- Loss of empathy
- Non-melancholic depression
In non-melancholic depression, when positive things happen- like doing self-care activities or getting a compliment, mood tends to improve. This is not the case with depression, in which positive events typically do not improve mood.
