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Stress, Burnout - Quick Overview

By Dr. Arch Hart

Burnout - characterized by disengagement.
Stress - characterized by overengagement.

Burnout - emotions are blunted.
Stress - emotions become over-reactive.

Burnout - exhaustion affects motivation and drive.
Stress - exhaustion affects physical energy.

Burnout - produces demoralization.
Stress - produces disintegration.

Burnout - can best be understood as a loss of ideals and hope.
Stress - can best be understood as a loss of fuel and energy.

Burnout - depression is caused by the grief engendered by loss of ideals and hope.
Stress - depression is caused by the body's need to protect itself and conserve energy.

Burnout - produces a sense of helplessness and hopelessness.
Stress - produces a sense of urgency and hyperactivity.

Burnout - produces paranoia, depersonalization and detachment.
Stress - produces panic, phobic, and anxiety-type disorders.

Burnout - may never kill you, but your long life may not seem worth living.
Stress - may kill you prematurely, and you won't have enough time to finish what you started.