Are you burned out? … Here we discuss nutrient, thyroid, and adrenal burnout and how to address burnout with targeted orthomolecular nutrition, adrenal/thyroid therapy, and  lifestyle approaches.

MindCheck provides weekly in-depth information on the orthomolecular approach to coping with mood, behavior and psychotic disorders.  This series by Dr. Ray Pataracchia N.D. is endorsed by the  Mindful Network – ‘A Better Future for Children’s Mental Health’.

 

Burnout: A Nutrient & Lifestyle Perspective

Burnout: What is it?

Burnout is a state of chronic exhaustion coupled with feeling frustrated and powerless.  It is associated with emotional withdraw from activities, poor motivation, and lack of productivity.  There are many physical and emotional health problems associated with burn out as well.

Nutrient, Thyroid, and Adrenal Burnout

Nutrient depletion is often a common denominator in burnout.  There are several common nutrient and physiological imbalances that can cause burnout.  Nutrient deficiency or can cause imbalances in thyroid and adrenal function.

A compromised adrenal gland is associated with adrenal exhaustion burnout.

The thyroid gland is also associated with burnout.  We often see lack of energy and thyroid compromise in such cases.

Other Metabolic Causes of Burnout

Other causes of burnout and low energy include heavy metal overload, the lack of iron, an environmental toxic load, digestive compromise, protein deficiency, and methylation comprise.  It is also not uncommon to see states of panic in burnout.

Four Steps to Avoiding Burn Out

A heavy workload is a common cause of burnout.  A heavy workload can occur when you over-commit yourself to work, family, or other pursuits.

The pressure to earn a living tends to be the biggest culprit in burnout; many put unrealistic demands on themselves with longer work hours.

In todays’ technical age, the constant stream of work related emails and texts often extends into our home environment.  Job insecurity, the feeling of being unfairly treated, co-worker conflict, unclear work task prioritization, and the inability to control your work environment are also common burnout scenarios.

The four steps to avoid burnout are evaluate, prioritize, learn to say no, and get adequate rest and relaxation.

Evaluate

When you are burnt out you tend to let important things slide that you would normally not.  It is essential to evaluate what is important and maintain the essentials.  Good health, family, and relationships are typically the most important things.  It can be difficult to accept a trade-off of one aspect of your life for another.

Prioritize

If you can simplify your life you are better off.  A simpler lifestyle will reduce stress.

From an employment perspective you may have the option to work less hours or have your employer reduce your job demands.  Happiness in life does not have to be all about money.  You might also be able to reduce costs and save for the future.

Learn to Say No

Some of us are involved in unrealistic lifestyles that are in many ways a means to an end, and the solution may be simple, just say ‘no’.  You may need to say ‘no’ to work/family/relationship commitments by having a solution-based discussion of your priorities with those involved.  A solution-based approach meets the needs of all parties involved.  You should prioritize tasks that you are in agreement with doing and be firm on the tasks that you are not.

Rest and Relaxation

You need to take time for yourself and, get adequate rest and recreation.  Recreation can be as simple as going for a walk, taking a drive, getting exercise, taking up a hobby, or experiencing nature.  Friendships and relationships should extend well beyond the workplace.