How to recover from burnout?

I am desperate to know the answer too to your question. I’ve taken a break from my PhD and i’ve not worked since beginning December and I still feel awful. In fact my physical health just deteriorated even more and I just continued to loose weight due to IBS and poor appetite and food anxiety. I don’t know what to do after this break- no idea if I’ll continue, find another job or phd (at moment i just couldn’t) where I would live etc. and I suspect all this worry is probably not helping. It’s so scary when you are burntout, take time off but aren’t getting better and don’t know what to do. 

Do you have a hobby you might be able to do if you have energy to give you some pleasure? If I wasn’t injured I would be running and hiking a lot and planning my next hiking trips etc. Though I have to admit that I have at this point lost the capacity to do most things and can’t engage in special interests. I have found physical activity really helpful in the past as it requires a different type of energy and can help switch off my brain or at least calm it for a while.

I don’t know what the answer is but you are not alone. I can barely do anything at moment-everyday things like  cooking are too much, everything takes inhuman effort and it’s very frustrating. It makes me feel useless, hopeless and ashamed . 
I think it would help to be kind to yourself but I know that can be hard.

I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this. I relate so much to what you said. I did have lots of hobbies before but I have been very depressed for a long time and have no interest in any of them anymore. I sometimes try to force myself to do them but it just makes me feel worse.

Exercise is a good idea. Unfortunately being depressed has made me really unfit and exercise feels unbearable but I know it's so important and can really help depression too. Just making myself do it is the hard part! I know I should though. Probably would help with some of my anxious energy. I'm sorry that your injury means you can't.

I really understand about not knowing what to do next. I think one of the main things stopping me recovering from this burnout is the constant stress around knowing I need to recover so I can work again and support myself and not knowing what will happen if I can't recover. I live with my partner and he earns more than minimum wage so I can't get disability benefits but he doesn't earn enough to support us both and pay for rent.  The uncertainty of what is going to happen is unbearable. I'm trying really hard not to think about the future but it's so hard when so much is at stake if I don't get better. I wish there was more support available for autistic people. 

Thank you for sharing your words and experience with me. I really appreciate it. Whilst I am very sad for you to hear what you are going through it does bring some reassurance that I am not alone.

Please don't feel useless. You were doing a PhD so you are more than capable when you are healthy and well. You just need to recover, and even when you are unwell you are still worthy and deserving of happiness. I haven't done any cooking or cleaning for longer than I care to admit, and it makes me feel so embarrassed and useless too. Especially the weeks where I'm unable to shower or wash my clothes and have to wear dirty ones, and I smell, it's dehumanising. But we have to remember these are just signs that we are unwell and need rest. I wish there was more help out there for us. I hope we can both recover soon. I'm sure things will get better if we keep being gentle with ourselves. Wishing you well. Sorry for the rambling! I'm not great at writing at the moment 

I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this. I relate so much to what you said. I did have lots of hobbies before but I have been very depressed for a long time and have no interest in any of them anymore. I sometimes try to force myself to do them but it just makes me feel worse.

Exercise is a good idea. Unfortunately being depressed has made me really unfit and exercise feels unbearable but I know it's so important and can really help depression too. Just making myself do it is the hard part! I know I should though. Probably would help with some of my anxious energy. I'm sorry that your injury means you can't.

I really understand about not knowing what to do next. I think one of the main things stopping me recovering from this burnout is the constant stress around knowing I need to recover so I can work again and support myself and not knowing what will happen if I can't recover. I live with my partner and he earns more than minimum wage so I can't get disability benefits but he doesn't earn enough to support us both and pay for rent.  The uncertainty of what is going to happen is unbearable. I'm trying really hard not to think about the future but it's so hard when so much is at stake if I don't get better. I wish there was more support available for autistic people. 

Thank you for sharing your words and experience with me. I really appreciate it. Whilst I am very sad for you to hear what you are going through it does bring some reassurance that I am not alone.

Please don't feel useless. You were doing a PhD so you are more than capable when you are healthy and well. You just need to recover, and even when you are unwell you are still worthy and deserving of happiness. I haven't done any cooking or cleaning for longer than I care to admit, and it makes me feel so embarrassed and useless too. Especially the weeks where I'm unable to shower or wash my clothes and have to wear dirty ones, and I smell, it's dehumanising. But we have to remember these are just signs that we are unwell and need rest. I wish there was more help out there for us. I hope we can both recover soon. I'm sure things will get better if we keep being gentle with ourselves. Wishing you well. Sorry for the rambling! I'm not great at writing at the moment