Escaping the Anxiety/Burnout/Depression Cycle

I’m currently working with a couple of clients who all get stuck in this pattern of anxiety, try to keep super busy to avoid feeling anxious, and then burn out and end up depressed. I’ve seen this pattern in my family and in a lot of my clients, so from what I can tell it’s a pretty common way that anxiety turns into depression. In this video, you’re going to learn how to identify and replace this pattern with a more helpful, sustainable approach. So let’s take a look at each of those stages.
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Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[julie]

When I burn out and sleep 12-14 hrs a day, I get sad because I think “why can’t I be normal like most people”.

[timeandattention]

This hustle culture and high performance drain the life force out of us 😫

[virtuouzgirl]

I've been through this cycle a couple times, but it always leaves me wondering if my job is the issue. I'm good at anticipating when things get too much, but employers always try to push you beyond your boundaries.

[giggle]

My parents used to fuel my anxiety since I was a child, and at one point, in the burnout stage, my mother told me to my face that I was a failure, just when I was fighting with my own thoughts of being a failure. It's even more difficult to overcome anxiety when the environment you live in is constantly fueling it.

[rebeccasperring]

“If I only tried harder” is my middle name!!

[smilestaha]

I just got into an anxiety attack and i did everything i could to google something to calm myself down, I feel better listening to this. I’m not alone I know i’m not :(. I am normal. This is okay.

[madeleinewilliams]

My anxiety stemmed from being a people pleaser. Always saying Yes. Always agreeing with folk. Always putting on different masks to mould myself into other characters many times a day. Now I'm ME. I say No. I upset people (they get over it). I'm tougher. I get more respect. I now have more energy to enjoy myself.

[blockofgrass]

I'm drowning in anxiety because I can't have a break. School is driving me nuts, there's so much pressure and stress, I have so many things to study for and so much homework, I can't have a break because I'll get left behind and fail the course. It's not that I don't want to learn. Ugh, I just want this pain to end, it hurts so much physically and mentally and I can't stop it....

[brentembrey]

That’s all we GenXers were ever told. Try harder. Apply yourself. You can only double down so many times before you get fried. It’s actually comforting to know someone has identified this pattern and offers solutions.

[Azy_Wazy]

the thing is... i dont over-work, i procrastinate and still burn-out

[MalaMaja]

When anxiety hits me its like my body is my own hell. My thoughts go insane, then i get overwhelmed with fear because this thoughts are not "mine" then i cannot eat, sleep i feel like the worst person in world. 3 relapses in 15 years. So then i decided to learn everything about brain, depression, anxiety. I've read thousand books. This helped me a lot.

[FrancisLyons-ugdy]

Psychedelic mushrooms completely helped me get out of addiction and depression. It totally rewired my mind. Honestly, they worked better than antidepressants.

[dr.karidouglas]

If you're watching this video and feeling like you're at the end of your rope, please know that you're not alone. It's okay to reach out for help, whether that's through therapy, medication, or just talking to a friend. It can be a long and difficult journey, but there is hope and healing on the other side. Thank you to the creator for sharing their story and shedding light on this important topic.

[yolernlimn]

“Try to Build your self worth on something you can control like your integrity or values instead of the accomplishment”… Love this! So in the case of her client training for the marathon, turning up and training are the achievement, not race day.
With work - turning up on time versus turning up with everything perfectly done.
With weight loss - eating well at a meal versus focusing on how much weight you HAVE to lose.
With Xmas - focussing on turning up and being there (in the moment) vs everything being done and perfect.

[yoongis.tangerine]

this made me realize that i'm not so hopeless after all. this cycle keeps repeating everytime that it actually damages my relationships. i will eventually break this :)

[jennysterg]

I feel seen. I’ve been through this cycle twice, in my late 20s and then in my early 30s. Thank you for this video.

[obrayivoice]

Ever since I join therapy in a nutshell my life has been better ... u are inspiration dear thx

[teresanieto]

My brother took his own life we tried to help him he felt sad lost a lot of weight did not to eat depression and anxiety are not good now we are left with the pain I cry for him every day

[tomaskjr]

Oh my jesus, this is my life in a nutshell. I have done this so many times I dont understand why I keep doing it. I just recently attended three reading clubs, two of them with meet-up every week, a weekly volunteer meeting for an organisation, a full time study and a part time job and working out on the side - and then ofcourse taking time out for girlfriend, family and friends. It was just too much, and I have repeated this cycle for so many years. The hard part about going into the burnout phase is how endless it suddenly seems and how extremely inconvenient it is for the more regular things you still have to do. And then as soon as I feel okay again I blast away with thousand things to do. I feel like I am sprinting straigth into a wall and then onto the next lol. I am glad someone is putting words into this, because this is so spot on. I feel like I am a regular customer in burning out, so I know it will pass. I hope everyone is doing okay. Let's not do this again!

Thank you Emma!

[mariasterlyazhnikova]

I feel like I’m stuck. I have everything to be happy but I’m still not. I’m having mental and physical issues. I feel like “Ok, I’m done”. It holidays time so I’m trying to recover and I don’t do a single thing to kinda rest. However, I feel exhausted. I remember September and October. I was so happy, I worked a lot but still, I had a lot of energy and motivation. I wish I could go back to normal.

To be honest, this video is like a hope for me. It’s a sign that it’s a high time to learn how to get back my emotional stability.

Thank you♥️