Image Source: Docs Medical Group
Local – As the year draws to a close, many people have found themselves feeling unusually drained, irritable and emotionally weighed down.
The familiar year-end pressures, combined with the strain carried throughout the months, have contributed to a noticeable dip in overall well-being.
Industrial Psychologist Ras Naidoo noted that these experiences had become increasingly widespread across different groups and life situations.
He explained that the combination of financial pressures, constant digital stimulation and emotional overload had left many individuals functioning with far less resilience than usual.
He emphasised that burnout was not restricted to intense professions or high-pressure workplaces.
It affected anyone whose physical, emotional or mental reserves had been depleted for an extended period, regardless of their role or background.
“Burnout affects anybody. I mean, it doesn’t necessarily mean whether your job is, you know, intense or not intense, whether you are a domestic worker or a surgeon or a pilot. Bernard basically tells me that when your body just can’t go anymore.”
Distinguishing Stress from Burnout
Naidoo explained that people often use the words “stress” and “burnout” interchangeably, even though they refer to very different states.
Stress, he said, was usually temporary and linked to immediate pressures that eased once the situation improved or once proper rest was taken.
Burnout, in contrast, developed when stress remained unmanaged over long periods, slowly draining a person’s drive, energy and sense of identity.
“Burnout is different. Burnout is more prolonged. It’s sort of unmanaged stress that drains your energy and motivation and can even impact your identity.”
Competition, Comparison and Modern Pressures
Naidoo observed that much of today’s emotional strain stemmed from long-standing patterns of comparison.
People grew up being measured against peers, and that pattern continued into adulthood through expectations of success, achievement and lifestyle.
He warned that this cycle often feeds negative inner dialogue, leaving people feeling inadequate and placing them under continuous pressure to perform, thereby increasing the risk of burnout.
“Society naturally says to us, we need to sort of have that competitive edge… we naturally want to compare ourselves because we possibly want to try and be a bit better if that makes sense.”
Prevention, Self-Awareness and Early Warning Signs
Naidoo stressed that identifying early signs of emotional strain was essential. Subtle changes in sleep, appetite, mood, concentration, or physical well-being often appeared long before a person reached complete burnout.
He encouraged individuals to pay attention to these signals rather than dismissing them, explaining that the body often communicated distress long before the mind acknowledged it.
“You need to be self-aware, and you need to listen to your body. Aches and pains, pimples, muscle cramps, stomach ache, headache, loss of appetite. Your body will tell you when something is not right.”
He added that tracking daily moods through an “emotional weather chart” could help people recognise patterns, respond earlier and prevent stress from escalating into complete burnout.
