During this Mental Health Awareness Week - I wanted to talk around how alcohol can exacerbate burnout and a mental health crisis.

We are also a nation of traumatised, unhealed people. We are/were taught to push down emotion, to 'pull your socks up' and carry on. And so my experience of when and how alcohol started to impact my work directly was when I ran my own business, had my second baby and began to just not be able to 'pull up my socks' any longer.

Burnout happens when we ignore over a sustained period of time what our body is telling us. Burnout happens when we are not even aware of the signs and symptoms our body is trying to tell us. Burnout happens when we place so much importance on a task and outcome that in fact may be delusional and never even possible to accomplish.

At work this could be a deadline, a big presentation, being under staffed and you making up the hours. Working into your evenings, weekends. Feeling that you have to dedicate your entire self to work to succeed.

But my question is what exactly are you even trying to achieve? What is all this self applied pressure even for?

Burnout may not be a severe mental health crisis in itself but perhaps it could be an indicator that one may be coming your way. And it is pretty astounding just how much extended and consistent stress we can take. It can take a long time to surface.

For me burnout came before the breakdown, only now looking back can I see that. When I was experiencing it and living unconsciously I didn't know. I didn't know the signs, the symptoms, the increasing detachment which was happening.

And alcohol played a part.

All the conditioning that had come before I believe led to me using alcohol as a 'tool' to escape, to 'run away' from everything I was feeling. The pressure got too much, the business became a success but I started making all the wrong decisions. I started to drink more to cope, I didn't know it at the time as I said but truly I was burnt out, I was broken mentally.

There was nothing I could do to save my crumbling empire and so I sought more drink, my mental health deteriorated aided by alcohol. The business went bust and I hid, laid low, with wine my new best friend. I didn't raise my head again and work again for two years.

So alcohol comes hand in hand with work stress, anxieties and unresolved life trauma (imo). It creeps up on you and is our most easily accessible drug for self soothing and coping.

So if you are feeling the stress at work, dare I say are feeling 'burnt out' somehow. Even if you can't put your finger on it or have a name for how you are feeling. Look out for some of the signs below and just watch your alcohol consumption. It is often the first thing we reach for to 'relax' or to 'start your weekend' when really is it actually making it all a whole lot worse? Catch it now before you lose control and work, life, relationships all become impacted ....and not in a good way.

3 signs of burnout/mental health crisis:

1. Struggling to do work, jobs, tasks you once really enjoyed or found really easy!
2. Avoidance! You ignore emails, you don't open your post or ignore phone calls
3. Change in your physiology..... change in breathing, heart rate, not eating, insomnia or over sleeping.

3 things that may help:

1. Sobriety ..obvs! Obviously I am going to suggest a reduction in alcohol consumption, a break or going sober! If you really need to see a change and you need to regain your ability to see hope and cope in your work and family life. Think about sobriety. Alcohol makes you believe it helps, but it is a lie. #fact
2. Routine! I never knew how much routine helped me stay mentally saine until I returned to work. Particularly with any neuro-divergence. Routine is a gem. So try your best to remove chaos and continue with a consistent routine.
3. Connection. Say it out loud, tell somebody you are struggling and seek connection. Trying to cope with stress at work or anything alone is a sure fire way for it to keep getting darker. Talk to a helpline, post on a Facebook group anonymously, speak to a friend, colleague or seek out a community. When we feel isolated and alone in our quandary this can lead us to drink even more. Say it out loud and that could be the start of your return.

A final note, particularly to the men of this world.

Nobody is asking the things of you, you think they are. The most important thing to the people who love you is the fact they need your time and presence. Right here, right now...today. They don't need you to work all hours, to earn more and more money. Your nearest and dearest simply want you. You are enough as you are. I have seen too many men strive to do right for their families, when nobody is even asking that of you. That is your inner ego applying that pressure. So if I can also help you notice that today. Then it may avoid you experiencing your own burnout and crisis, because at that point you cannot help anyone perhaps not even yourself. So please, be kind to yourself and know you are enough.

I hope what I wrote today can help you 'notice' in yourself the signs of potential burnout, before its too late and save you, pretty much from yourself. #chooselife

If you have any content or speaker opportunties I would love to share more on topics like these.

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