Burned Out?Take Dr. Fishkin's Stress Test Symptoms: Check all that Apply I'm tired all the time, even after a full night's rest. I have trouble falling asleep, sleep restlessly or wake up much too early. It's getting harder and harder just to get up in the morning. I have a constant ache in my stomach and/or suffer from ulcers, gastritis or irritable/inflammatory colon. I get dizzy spells and heart palpitations or suffer pain that no doctor has been able to diagnose. I tend to overeat. I consume more alcohol than I should and/or rely on unprescribed drugs. I sometimes I go on shopping sprees and spend more than I can afford. I've been really accident-prone lately. I frequently burst into tears, and I don't know why. Thoughts and Feeling: Check emotions you agree with or have felt recently Life is basically meaningless. Every day is just like the next - what's the point? Almost no one understands or cares about me. Why won't everyone just leave me alone? No matter how hard I try, I always fail. I have to do everything myself - nobody will lend a hand. My co-workers are a bunch of idiots/are out to sabotage my job. I don't know how much longer I can continue to cope. Sometimes I just want to end it all. Stressors: Check conditions that apply to you Work I don't get paid near enough for what I do. I'm qualified for a much better job. There's never enough time to finish all my work. My job involves solving crises on a regular basis. I could use a lot more help in doing my job. I've been missing a lot of work lately, and I'm always in trouble on the job. My job interferes with my personal life. My boss/co-workers are unsupportive/critical. I could lose my job at any time. Personal: I am recently divorced. My marriage is in trouble. I am raising children as a single parent. I am a caregiver for someone who is not able to care for him/herself. Someone I loved has just died or left me. I am retired. I have money problems. I am an adolescent/child experiencing school or family problems. If you checked at least two boxes in each of the three categories, chances are you are suffering from burnout. The more boxes you checked, the more severe your burnout is likely to be Copyright © 2008 by Gerald Loren Fishkin, Ph.D. All rights reserved. Thank you!