Distinguishing burnout from depression: An exploratory qualitative study.

Whether depression and burnout are synonymous or not has been a longstanding debate. Many studies have examined for similarities and differences, but findings have overall been inconclusive, with most studies being quantitative in design. We therefore undertook a qualitative study in which participants who self-identified as having experienced both burnout and depression were asked how they distinguished between the two conditions. Thematic qualitative analysis was undertaken and while a fifth of the sample stated that their burnout and depression experiences were indistinguishable or were very similar, we also identified 11 key themes of difference. The most prevalent themes captured differences in the perceived cause of each condition, in experiencing hopelessness as against helplessness, and impacts on levels of functioning, sadness, anger, anxiety and emotional lability. We also identified differences in suicidal ideation between the two conditions. While some differences identified could be dimensional and suggest that burnout is simply synonymous with or a developmental phase of depression, the several categorical symptom differences nominated by participants suggest that most sufferers who have experienced both conditions perceive them as distinct. Such 'lived experience' reports are therefore intrinsically informative and should shape further quantitative analyses.