How to Prevent and Cope with Medical Burnout
Medical burnout with a "full-time" chronic condition is so real and so very frustrating and exhausting. This is something I and many others who have chronic conditions or illnesses really struggle with and have been feeling mentally and physically depleted from it.
Medical burnout isn't only a "feeling," it happens in your body and is more common than you might think in the chronic condition community. Whether it's the constant appointments, medical bills, logging in your symptom, hospital stays or refilling prescriptions it’s important to address burnout as soon as possible to keep yourself healthy and happy. Otherwise, your condition may worsen & can result in worsened health outcomes, poorer mental health, and a host of other problems that shouldn't be swept under the rug.
How to identify whether or not you’re experiencing a Medical Burnout:
The signs of medical burnout are often similar, if not the same as the symptoms you’d experience with any type of burnout. This includes components such as:
Emotional exhaustion: Feeling really low when medical treatments get overwhelming or to be able to do small, simple things that your chronic condition restricts you from doing. This can also impact your physical exhaustion where your body has just had enough and is overworked.
Cynicism or irritability: Feeling negative or easily triggered about whether your condition will ever improve due to your symptoms or the efficiency in your medical life.
Detachment or withdrawal from others: When your mind and body are burnt out from the constant fluctuation of energy and unpredictability from coping with your chronic condition, it can numb you and lead you to detach from others. Having those who don’t understand your condition or what it feels like, can also stop you from fully engaging or opening up.
Apathy/feeling ineffective: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, concern, or motivation to do anything. In particular, you may feel apathetic about taking your meds, going to your doctor's appointments or therapy or just doing anything to help you take care of your body.
Anxiety or stress: not being sure of what the future of your chronic illness will hold.
Ways to prevent Medical Burnout with a Chronic Illness
Taking action and addressing burnout as soon as you identify the signs is an extremely important process in bettering your health (both physical and mental) and preventing it from worsening. For those who suspect they might be on the road to medical burnout, some strategies you can take to help combat or mitigate it include:
Balance and Self Care- Care for your mind body and soul
Taking a break or a little step back from medical appointments where you can (if you’re able to) and working out a schedule where you can safely and responsibly skip (or reschedule an appointment to another time), I find, helps a lot with my mental health. Making time and space to do non-medical things gives you that extra time to help reset your mind, body and soul and feel refreshed, ready to take on your appointments again.
Finding the balance and building in a time to unwind and relax after your appointments (or in your everyday regular routing) is also helpful. Even if it’s for 10 minutes, decompressing and incorporating self-care reduces the symptoms of stress and anxiety and gives your body and mind time to reset, rest and rejuvenate. I like to do some meditation, go for a walk or watch an episode of a TV show on Netflix.
Taking things one step at a time
The schedule of living with a chronic condition most of the time can be overwhelming. It’s important to be kind and gentle with yourself and take things slowly, no matter how stressful it gets. It’s okay to take things one day or one minute at a time. If you push yourself too hard and don’t look after yourself it can lead to complete burnout which can ultimately negatively impact your physical and mental health.
Find a community
Surrounding yourself with people who have similar struggles and understanding what you go through is important for preventing medical burnout. These communities have members that show compassion, empathy, validation and support.
Those of us that live with chronic conditions can often feel diminished and hopeless when our bodies continue to fail us, no matter how devoted and dedicated we are to better our health and ourselves. When the personal or professional efforts towards bettering your health don’t produce the desired results, it’s easy to lose hope and motivation to continue on.
If you feel like you're experiencing medical burnout, it's ok to feel this way and is by no means uncommon or weird. When your life is filled with those constant medical appointments, procedures, meds & hospital stays it’s no wonder why you’re exhausted and burnt out. Take a break and take time to focus on yourself and practice self-care.
