Have you ever wondered where the term "burnout" or the "12 stages of burnout" came from?

In 1974, psychologist Herbert Freudenberger came up with the term "burnout," in order to describe a trend that he saw in people who worked in his psychology clinic. Dr. Freudenberger noticed that, as these people worked harder and longer and accumulated more emotional and mental stress, they progressed through 12 distinct stages of worsening health.‍

Stage 1: The compulsion to prove yourself‍

Freudenberger noted that these clinicians often started off with a deep ambition to do well in their job. While motivation is a very positive trait, the underlying danger in this stage happens when your perception of work stops being something you do and starts becoming something you are.

Stage 2: Working harder

Over time, the compulsion can create a rising pressure and urgency for you to work more hours, accomplish more, and ask for help less.

Stage 3: Neglecting needs

At some point when time begins to feel like a scarce resource, you – like Freudenberger's clinicians – begin to skip things that their bodies and minds need, like sleep, rest or downtime, healthy meals, movement or sports, and quality time with friends or family.

Stage 4: Displacement of conflicts

A critical turning point is when you become aware that something feels wrong; however, if you still feel deeply driven to prove yourself or attached to your work, you may opt to push the feeling that something is wrong aside and continue working at the same or an even higher pace. Displacement can take forms such as rationalizations for why work isn't actually a problem, and dismissing concerns raised by others.

Stage 5: revision of values

When time becomes insufficient again to get everything done, it can case you to reassess how much time you spend on everything else—relationships, health, rest – and allocate more time to work.

Stage 6: denial of emerging problems

As Freudenberger’s clinicians continued working through the stress of their jobs, they accumulated more and more stress, which took a rising toll; however, rather than acknowledge the emerging problems, they were more likely to deny them. Why? Chronic stress causes us to think more narrowly, more anxiously, and more conservatively. Continuing to work feels safer and more manageable than acknowledging and facing the problems.

Stage 7: withdrawal

With diminishing mental bandwidth, no less stress in their jobs, and rising problems outside of work, the clinicians solved for the discrepancy by withdrawing from their friends, family, and support networks. You pull away from others, to avoid the possibility of facing advice or judgment you don’t want to hear, or the risk of feeling ashamed or guilty.

Stage 8: odd behavioral changes

At one point, Freudenberger noted that his clinicians began exhibiting erratic or uncharacteristic behavior, as the stress and pressure from work and life continued mounted.

Stage 9: depersonalization

Eventually, excessive stress, exhaustion, or trauma can activate a reactive defense mechanism known more generally as dissociation. Freudenberger’s burnt out clinicians began distancing themselves from their work and lives mentally and doing their job tasks mechanically, like emotionless robots. He labeled this stage depersonalization.

Stage 10: inner emptiness

In the next stage, you arrive to a hollow, empty feeling. Regardless of what you, or Freudenberger’s clinicians, try in order to “feel” something again — work, food, substances, sex, distractions —  nothing fills you up with feeling again for long before the empty, hollow sensation returns.

Stage 11: depression

Depression is a separate clinical diagnosis, but Freudenberger noted that a form of depression was also recognizable in people experiencing burnout. Hopelessness. Despair. Giving up. In depression, self-medication isn't about feeling better; it's just about getting through another day. There exists little-to-no will to do much of anything, including taking care of yourself.

Stage 12: burnout syndrome

The final of Freudenberger’s 12 stages culminates with a significant risk of a mental breakdown, physical collapse, or worse.

The point of Freudenberger’s stages The point of Freudenberger’s stages isn't to diagnose, blame, or scare you, but rather to illustrate how burnout spans a spectrum, with a set of noticeable trends as it becomes worse. Freudenberger’s model can educate you on the consequences of an unchecked burnout, and what to look for that may indicate when it’s time to consider getting help.

Please note: if you are concerned that you are burned out, we urge you to take it seriously. Educate yourself with other posts, explore our resources, and if you consult a doctor, psychologist, or trained professional for advice.