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BurnoutInfoWork · Health · Recovery
Co-occurring Conditions

Burnout and PTSD

By · Updated · 1 min read

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At a glance

PTSD and occupational burnout can coexist, but PTSD involves a pattern related to traumatic exposure that requires its own assessment. Exhaustion alone does not establish PTSD, and trauma-related difficulties should not be reduced to ordinary work stress.

Notice symptoms that change the assessment

Intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance and feeling persistently on guard may be relevant after trauma. A clinician considers the event, duration, symptom pattern and functional impact. You do not need to recount details publicly at work to justify asking for confidential help.

Seek an appropriately qualified service

Ask whether the clinician has experience assessing trauma-related conditions and what treatment they propose. General relaxation, coaching or a wellbeing retreat should not be assumed to provide suitable trauma treatment.

Workplace support may include changes to duties or exposure while assessment and care proceed, depending on the person's needs.

Moral injury concerns distress around moral beliefs and may overlap with trauma, but it is not identical to PTSD. Compassion fatigue is used variably and also needs clarification. If there is immediate danger, severe deterioration or inability to stay safe, seek urgent support. A coordinated plan should address both trauma-related care and the work conditions affecting recovery.

Sources and further reading

  1. NIMH: post-traumatic stress disorder
  2. US National Center for PTSD: moral injury

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