Is There a Link Between Alcoholism and Burnout?

By Your Health Magazine

Your Health Magazine

. http://yourhealthmagazine.net

More Addiction Articles

Is There a Link Between Alcoholism and Burnout?

The term “burnout” is becoming more of a part of the common vernacular these days. Most people understand what it means to some extent. To become burned out is generally understood to mean that a person is pushing themselves too hard. Maybe that applies to their work life, their home life, or both.

If you live in the area, then Austin drug addiction treatment is always available if drugs are contributing to your feelings of burnout. However, these feelings can be caused by alcoholism as well. We’ll discuss that in detail right now.

What is Alcoholism?

According to the clinical definition, alcoholism is when someone has a physical addiction to alcohol. This is different from someone who drinks alcohol recreationally every once in a while or even someone who’s a problem drinker.

For the purpose of this article, an alcoholic should be understood to be someone who must have a baseline of alcohol in their body, or else they will begin to go through withdrawal.

How Does It Connect to Burnout?

If someone is feeling a lot of stress at work, at home, or both, then they might consume alcohol or other drugs as a way of taking the edge off. Someone experiencing a normal level of stress might have the occasional beer. However, that does not mean they are an alcoholic.

However, you might also have a situation where someone is experiencing stress and they have come to rely on alcohol to pacify them or even out their moods. In these instances, the person may go from using alcohol as a way to alleviate their stress to adding alcohol to their list of stressors.

Someone who becomes physically addicted to alcohol will almost inevitably reach this point. In this sense, alcoholism can start contributing to feelings of burnout instead of lessening them.

How Can You Combat This Condition?

The solution to burnout, whether alcohol-related or otherwise, is to find a measure of peace in one’s life. This usually involves lessening or getting away from the main contributing factors that are making each individual feel stressed or pressured.

Working less can help when a person feels like burnout is threatening them. They can also change some of their personal dynamics if familial drama or similar situations are leading them to feel anxious or upset.

If alcoholism has become a source of feelings of burnout, then finding a way to combat that will become necessary. That might involve joining AA or a similar entity. A person might also see whether a stay at an inpatient facility is warranted if they feel that is the most likely way for them to get clean.

When someone is relying on alcohol to feel relief or to take the edge off, that might be sustainable. It all depends on how much stress that person feels. If they get to the point where they’re physically addicted to alcohol, though, this addiction will almost always be an additional source of anxiety. Making significant changes then becomes necessary.