Do you wake up tired even though you slept for 7 hours? Do you work all day, yet feel as if nothing ever gets finished? Do you sit down in the evening and can’t remember what you did for the past 8 hours? Do you feel you are not in control of your own life? This is not normal – and you are not alone.
Part 1: Diagnosis (what is really going on)
WHO statistics: 60% of employees report symptoms of burnout. This is not weakness – it is a sign that your nervous system has been running in alarm mode for too long.
When we live in constant chaos:
- The brain switches into survival mode (not creative mode)
- Irritability, relationship problems – these are a symptom, not the cause
- Insomnia, muscle pain, stomach problems – the body says what the mind keeps quiet about
Important: You are not the problem. The problem may be how you respond to the situation you find yourself in.
Part 2: Why you have put off talking to a psychologist until now
- “I don’t have time”
- “It will drag on for years”
- “I have to sort this out on my own”
- “Maybe it will pass”
Let me try a simple analogy: If you have toothache and just carry on, waiting for the pain to go away on its own – nothing will change. It will get worse and worse, and then you will pay more at the dentist’s.
Therapy works exactly the same way. The sooner you act, the less “pain” you carry with you.
Part 3: How therapy changes the game – in concrete terms
Therapy is not just talking about problems (you can do that with a friend). It is an active analysis of patterns – in other words, discovering:
- Why do you keep doing the same thing while expecting a different result?
- What lies behind the feeling “I have to be perfect”?
- Where does self-sabotage come from?
Concrete results after 8–12 sessions: ✓ Less muscle tension ✓ Better sleep ✓ Clearer boundaries at work (“no” without guilt) ✓ Better relationships – because you stop being irritable ✓ A sense of agency – you know what to do in difficult moments
Part 4: Practical exercises (for right now)
Exercise 1: Tension map (5 minutes)
- Where in your body do you feel tension? (neck, jaw, back, stomach?)
- When did you first notice this tension? (yesterday, a month ago, years ago?)
- What must have happened for it to last this long?
Exercise 2: A break during the day (every day)
- 3 minutes: turn your face towards the sun, close your eyes, focus on your breathing
- Nothing more. That is enough for your brain to switch off alarm mode for a moment.
Part 5: Doubts you might have
“Will this help me if the problem is at work?” Good question. Therapy won’t change your job – it will change how you respond to your job. You will know what you are entitled to, what you can change and what you need to accept. That will give you strength.
“How long will it take?” It depends. Everyone’s process is individual. Statistically, for moderate burnout it is around 3–4 months (one session a week). The sooner you act, the faster it goes.
If you feel you are living on autopilot – I invite you to a consultation. At the session you will learn more about what is going on and decide which plan of action will suit you best.
You can feel better. It is all within your reach.