The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

 By: Megan Brewer, LMHC Burnout can be an easy topic to read about cognitively, file away as good information, and then disregard without letting it impact you further. But as we talk about burnout in this article, I encourage you to not only engage it cognitively, but to consider the personal implications for how it affects your own life. Burnout can be discussed in different contexts, such as in our careers or personal lives. but let’s start with a simple definition of burnout that can cover a lot of contexts. Burnout is the depletion of a substance that is needed to keep something going. When we strip the definition of burnout down like this, we can easily see burnout in a number of different areas, such as in the physical, emotional, mental, and relational arenas. Anything that requires something of you—some output of energy or effort—will 1) require you to have what is needed to engage the work you want to do, and 2) require replenishment to keep going. Now, if we th...

 By: Megan Brewer, LMHC Caring for yourself with an emphasis on mental health has become an increasingly familiar topic, and the more we learn about mental health, the more necessary it becomes to pay attention and care well for every part of ourselves. As we discover more about the human brain and body, we recognize the greater need to tend to our internal world because it will ultimately impact all the other parts of us. However, in order to tend well to your mental health, you first have to become aware of your current mental health landscape: How aware are you of what you experience in your daily life or in situations that are out of the ordinary?  Do you know how the things happening to you and around you impact how you feel and think? Do you know how they impact your relationships?   Knowing these things are prerequisites to creating healthy strategies to care for your internal world. The problem is, knowing anything requires us to be activel...

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (lhttps://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs/) lists three areas that elevate the risk of suicide: HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, HISTORY. Health factors Mental health conditions Substance abuse disorders Alcohol abuse disorders Serious or chronic health conditions Chronic pain Limited access to healthcare Sleeping difficulties Environmental factors Stressful life events including death, divorce, or separation or job loss Prolonged stress factors including harassment, bullying, relationship problems Financial or school difficulties Access to lethal means including firearms and drugs Exposure to suicide in the media or community Historical factors Previous suicide attempts Family history of suicide attempts History of self-harm Recent hospitalization Cultural beliefs that support suicide The Foundation indicates warn suicide may be imminent in these three areas: TALK, BEHAVIO...