Burnout Breakdown: What It Feels Like - and What Burnout Therapy at The Farley Can Offer

Esther Dietrichsen-Farley
Apr 26, 2024
3 min read

Updated: 13 minutes ago

Burnout isn’t just about being tired.

It’s when your inner resources are depleted - emotionally, mentally, physically - and yet life keeps demanding more.

You’re functioning, but just barely.

You’re showing up, but something in you is going offline.

This blog offers a breakdown of what burnout really is, why it often gets missed, how it can affect your daily life, and what to expect from therapy if you're ready to explore support.

Illustration of a person sitting alone at a desk, facing a bright surreal landscape — symbolising the emotional tipping point between burnout and breakdown.

What Burnout Actually Is

Burnout is more than stress. It’s a chronic state of emotional and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to stress - especially when that stress is tied to roles where you feel responsible, trapped, or unable to rest without guilt.

The World Health Organization defines burnout as:

“A syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”¹

Psychologists Maslach & Leiter describe it through three key components:²

Exhaustion - not just physical tiredness, but emotional depletion
Cynicism or depersonalisation - distancing from your work, your life, or even people you care about
Reduced sense of accomplishment - a growing sense of inadequacy or disconnection from meaning

Though the term often applies to professional settings, burnout can come from any ongoing role that demands more than you can sustainably give: parenting, caregiving, studying, surviving.

Why Burnout Gets Missed

Many people with burnout look composed from the outside. They’re still working, still managing. That’s part of the difficulty - high-functioning burnout can mask the severity of what’s going on. (I’ve explored this more specifically in a separate post, if it resonates: What High-Functioning Burnout Feels Like)

Research from Bianchi et al. shows that burnout can mirror depression in both symptoms and biological markers, making it even easier to dismiss or misattribute.³

Another 2022 review highlighted how long-term burnout affects cognitive function - impairing memory, attention, and emotional regulation.⁴

You might find yourself:

Snapping at small things, then feeling guilt
Forgetting words mid-sentence
Crying for “no reason”
Feeling like you’ve lost your spark, but can’t explain why

And all the while, the inner critic might whisper: “Other people are coping. Why can't I?”

But burnout isn't a failure of resilience - it's a signal. One that deserves attention, not suppression.

What Burnout Can Feel Like

Clients often describe it like this:

“I feel emotionally flat, like nothing moves me.”
“I can’t focus like I used to — even emails feel too much.”
“I keep thinking I just need a good night’s sleep, but even that doesn’t help.”
“It’s like I’m here, but not really present.”

These are not personality flaws. They're signs that your nervous system is on survival mode - conserving energy, shutting down non-urgent functions, and trying to protect you.

As Dr. Gabor Maté writes, “When you shut down feeling to survive, you also shut down joy.”⁵

What to Expect from Therapy for Burnout

Therapy isn’t about fixing you.

It’s about creating a space where you don’t have to perform, cope, or explain your way into being understood.

At The Farley, I offer private therapy for burnout that’s grounded in a person-centred, relational approach. This means:

We begin where you are - not where you “should” be
The pace is yours
You don’t need the right words to begin
We pay attention to both mind and body, gently rebuilding connection where there’s been disconnection

Whether you're based in Southampton or looking for private therapy online UK, this is a space where you can slow down, be seen, and start to feel human again - without pressure. Get in touch if you'd like to know more.

The Farley