The Link Between High Achievement and Burnout: Insights from a Cincinnati Anxiety Therapist

Understanding the High Achiever's Dilemma

If you identify as a high achiever or overachiever, you know this cycle well: Work really hard, go above and beyond, meet the goal or get the grade, feel really good about the work you did, get approval and admiration, and then realize you are exhausted. It feels like sacrificing sleep, exercise, hobbies, socializing, and relaxation is “worth it” for this moment of accomplishment. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you wonder if the effort you put in was really necessary. Did you really have to go “all out” on every single assignment or project? Does it actually matter?

The Toll of Constant Striving: Recognizing Burnout

High achievers can find themselves in this cycle where they go hard on something, like in college powering through the semester. Or working really hard on a project, maybe aiming for a promotion. And the achievement often comes, and it feels good. But it doesn't last, and the cost is often feeling bone tired, disconnected from your relationships, and feeling like you're so out of balance you need a month-long retreat to recover.

The problem is, this pattern repeats itself almost automatically. Before you know it, whether you got a few slow weeks or not, you're on to the next target. Burnout can become severe when you no longer feel engaged with the work you're doing, and you start going through the motions. You might start having existential thoughts, wondering what the point of it all is and if you'll ever just be happy and find balance long-term.

Unpacking the Factors Contributing to Burnout

Burnout can come from many sources, and often it's a result of asking more of your brain and body than you can sustain. It can be the pressure of multiple roles, like caregiving and parenting with a demanding career. Or managing complex family dynamics while working your way through college. Usually you're not getting the support and recovery you need.

The Importance of Addressing Anxiety and Stress Early

If you're dealing with anxiety on top of your workload, it makes the mental toll so much worse. All of your energy is already going toward your goals, but then you add in your brain worrying about what's going to happen, or telling you you're going to fail. Learning to manage anxiety is essential if you're going to sustain yourself.

Strategies for Managing Burnout

There are a lot of ideas out there for self care, like taking time for exercise and bubble baths. As a therapist, I tend to go deeper than that. If you're going to manage this thing, you've got to be clear on who you are and why you're doing what you're doing. Are you achieving because it's what you've always done and it's who you are? Has the train left the station now that everyone knows you as a high achiever, and you can't ever back off? Are you craving the approval and praise, identifying your value in what you can produce? Does it feel like if you can just get to X, then you can relax?

Seeking Support: How Therapy Can Make a Difference

Therapy is the place to lay it out there and have someone take a big picture look at the problem. A therapist can identify patterns and ask the questions that help you get clear on why you're doing what you're doing. You can then figure out what exactly needs to change in order for you to get out of the cycle of burnout.

Tailored Solutions for High Achievers in Cincinnati

The amazing and scary thing about therapy is it can change your life. Success in therapy might mean being able to manage stress, maintain boundaries, and keep great habits to balance your life. It might also mean realizing you need to deconstruct how you think about yourself and the world. That can lead to making bigger changes. The great thing is, you can process everything in the safe confidential confines of the therapy room. You can explore things with someone whose job it is to support you. This can lead to incredible growth.

It's important to note the difference between therapy and coaching for burnout. A therapist is going to be assessing all factors, including potential mental health diagnoses that are contributing to your decisions and symptoms. Generalized Anxiety Disorder, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, and Bipolar Disorder are some of the common diagnoses that can accompany overachieving and burnout. So it's important to assess for and address any mental health components as you move toward healing.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Mental Well-being in the Pursuit of Success

Taking a step back to explore and align yourself with your core values will ultimately lead to the more tangible solutions. When you're living a life that feels good and sustainable, with support snd recovery built in, you maintain mental wellness. That doesn't mean you never have a busy time or a bad day. But self awareness and intentional planning can allow you to move forward on your path to success (as you define it) without the cycle of going hard then crashing.

If you're ready to find relief from the cycle of high stress and burnout, click here to schedule a free 15 minute consultation, or call 513-461-2045. Online anxiety therapy in Cincinnati, online counseling in Indiana, Ohio, and Florida.