Is It Depression or Burnout? Signs to Watch For and How to Get Help
- David McDaniel, LCSW
- Sep 17
- 2 min read
We often hear people say they feel “burned out” or “depressed,” but how can you tell the difference? The truth is, burnout and depression share many symptoms and sometimes overlap in ways that make it hard to sort out what’s really going on. Whether you’re constantly exhausted, emotionally drained, or feeling like a ghost of yourself, it’s important to know that both conditions are real and treatable.
Signs of Depression and Burnout
Depression doesn’t always announce itself with tears or dramatic changes. It can settle in quietly, like a fog you didn’t notice rolling in. You feel low or irritable, and things that once made you happy now… don’t. Small tasks feel like climbing uphill in wet socks. Sleep and appetite rise or fall without warning. It’s hard to focus or make even basic decisions (What’s for dinner?). And sometimes, these symptoms are accompanied by thoughts of death or self-harm, which deserve immediate support and care.
Burnout, on the other hand, tends to sneak in after too many deadlines, too many demands to meet, and not enough room to breathe. It’s not an official diagnosis, but it’s very real. You wake up feeling wiped out, like you charged your mind all night and still woke up at 2%. Work that once felt meaningful starts to feel heavy, even pointless. Motivation fades, performance dips, focus gets fuzzy, and patience gets thin. Your body starts waving red flags in the form of headaches, tight muscles, or restless nights.
Depression can show up in any context, while burnout tends to develop around prolonged stress in specific areas, usually work, caregiving, or overwhelming obligations. But the two can feed into each other, and untreated burnout may eventually descend into clinical depression.
Bubble Baths Aren’t Always Enough
When you're running on empty, the clichéd self-care advice—bubble baths, yoga, journaling—might not be very appealing. Sometimes the most restorative choices are the unconventional ones: setting boundaries without apologizing, saying “no” without over-explaining, playing a song that matches your mood, or taking a walk without trying to problem-solve anything along the way. It’s okay — really! — to put your phone on airplane mode for an hour. Rest doesn't have to look a certain way, and… repeat after me… you don’t need to “earn” it to deserve it.
For those who tend to overwork or hold themselves to high, unrelenting standards, slowing down can feel almost impossible. That’s where simple mindfulness can help. A few minutes of stillness, several deep breaths before the next task, or even taking a moment to watch the swirl of milk in your coffee can begin to break the cycle of burnout and bring you back into the present.
We’re Here When You’re Ready
If you’re wondering whether burnout has taken hold, you don’t have to figure it out alone. At Bodhi Counseling, we take a trauma-informed approach that honors your full story, because no two people experience burnout or depression in exactly the same way.
Reach out today to connect with one of our therapists or schedule a consultation with our nurse practitioner. Our clinicians are here to help you sort through what you’re feeling and find a path forward that fits your needs.
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