Individuals experiencing burnout may be at higher risk of developing depression. The Difference between Stress and Burnout Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but it is not the same as too much stress. Stress, by large, involves too much: too many pressures that demand too much of you physically and mentally. However, stressed people can still imagine that if they can just get everything under control, they will feel better. Burnout, on the other hand, is about “not enough”. Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing burnout often do not see any hope of positive change in their situations. If excessive stress feels like you are drowning in responsibilities, burnout is a sense of being dried up. And while you are usually aware of being under a lot of stress, you do not always notice burnout when it happens. Training Module on the Right to Mental Health for the Security Sector Burnout shares some similar symptoms with mental health conditions, such as depression. Individuals with depression experience negative feelings and have negative thoughts about all aspects of life, not just at work. Depression symptoms may also include a loss of interest in things, feelings of hopelessness, cognitive and physical symptoms as well as thoughts of suicide. According to a 2018 report by Gallup, employee burnout has five main causes: 1. Unreasonable time pressure. Employees who say they have enough time to do their work are 70 percent less likely to experience high burnout. 2. Lack of communication and support from a manager. Manager support offers a psychological buffer against stress. Employees who feel strongly supported by their manager are 70 percent less likely to experience burnout on a regular basis. 3. Lack of role clarity. Only 60 percent of workers know what is expected of them. When expectations are like moving targets, employees may become exhausted simply by trying to figure out what they are supposed to be doing. 4. Unmanageable workload. When a workload feels unmanageable, even the most optimistic employees will feel hopeless. Feeling overwhelmed can quickly lead to burnout. 5. Unfair treatment. Employees who feel they are treated unfairly at work are 2.3 times more likely to experience high level of burnout. Unfair treatment may include things such as favoritism, unfair compensation, and mistreatment from a co-worker. Military and police officers wear uniforms, display badges of authority, and carry weapons. They apprehend and detain violators of laws, rules, and regulations. 14