• Mental Health
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • OCD
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • ADHD
    • Addiction
      • What is Addiction?
      • What Are Behavioral Addictions?
      • Addiction vs Dependence
      • Addiction Myths vs Facts
      • Addiction Statistics
      • How to Help a Friend
      • Find an Addiction Specialist
    • Eating Disorders
    • Personality Disorders
      • Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
        • OCD vs. OCPD
    • Trauma
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
      • Childhood Trauma
    • Sexual Disorders
      • Anorgasmia
      • Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD)
      • Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
      • Premature Ejaculation (PE)
      • Delayed Ejaculation
    • Schizophrenia
  • Therapy Techniques
    • Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy
      • Online Therapy for Teens
      • Best LGBTQ Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy for Insurance
    • Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • CBT for Anxiety
      • CBT for Social Anxiety
      • CBT for Panic Disorder
      • CBT for Insomnia
      • CBT Online
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
      • DBT for Teens
    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
      • EMDR for PTSD
      • EMDR for Anxiety
      • EMDR Online
    • Art Therapy
    • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
    • Exposure and Response Prevention
    • Group Therapy
    • Hypnotherapy
    • Motivational Interviewing
    • Person Centered Therapy
    • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
    • Sex Therapy
  • Types of Therapists
    • Faith-Based & Christian Counselors
    • Life Coaching
    • Family Therapist
      • Child & Teen Counseling
    • Marriage & Couples Counselors
      • Premarital Counseling
    • Psychiatrist
      • Psychology vs. Psychiatry
    • Psychotherapist
    • Grief Counselors
    • Online Therapists
  • Starting Therapy FAQ
    • Does Therapy Work?
      • How to Find a Therapist
      • Helping a Friend or Loved One
    • How to Choose a Therapist
      • Finding a Black Therapist
      • Finding a Latinx Therapist
      • Finding an LGBTQ-Friendly Therapist
      • Finding a Therapist as a Young Adult
      • Finding an Online Therapist
    • Preparing for Your First Session
    • Types of Mental Health Professionals
    • Mental Health Insurance
      • HSAs for Therapy
      • Sliding Scale Therapy Fees
    • Mental Health in the Workplace
      • Asking for a Mental Health Day
      • Taking Time Off for Mental Health
    • Top Mental Health Organizations
      • Mental Health Resources Outside the U.S.
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Policy
    • Advertising Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Write for Us
    • Join the Directory
    • Careers
  • Therapist Directory
    • Find a Therapist
    • Join the Directory
    • Directory Login
  • Mental Health
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • OCD
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • ADHD
    • Addiction
      • What is Addiction?
      • What Are Behavioral Addictions?
      • Addiction vs Dependence
      • Addiction Myths vs Facts
      • Addiction Statistics
      • How to Help a Friend
      • Find an Addiction Specialist
    • Eating Disorders
    • Personality Disorders
      • Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
        • OCD vs. OCPD
    • Trauma
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
      • Childhood Trauma
    • Sexual Disorders
      • Anorgasmia
      • Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD)
      • Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
      • Premature Ejaculation (PE)
      • Delayed Ejaculation
    • Schizophrenia
  • Therapy Techniques
    • Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy
      • Online Therapy for Teens
      • Best LGBTQ Online Therapy
      • Best Online Therapy for Insurance
    • Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • CBT for Anxiety
      • CBT for Social Anxiety
      • CBT for Panic Disorder
      • CBT for Insomnia
      • CBT Online
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
      • DBT for Teens
    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
      • EMDR for PTSD
      • EMDR for Anxiety
      • EMDR Online
    • Art Therapy
    • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
    • Exposure and Response Prevention
    • Group Therapy
    • Hypnotherapy
    • Motivational Interviewing
    • Person Centered Therapy
    • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
    • Sex Therapy
  • Types of Therapists
    • Faith-Based & Christian Counselors
    • Life Coaching
    • Family Therapist
      • Child & Teen Counseling
    • Marriage & Couples Counselors
      • Premarital Counseling
    • Psychiatrist
      • Psychology vs. Psychiatry
    • Psychotherapist
    • Grief Counselors
    • Online Therapists
  • Starting Therapy FAQ
    • Does Therapy Work?
      • How to Find a Therapist
      • Helping a Friend or Loved One
    • How to Choose a Therapist
      • Finding a Black Therapist
      • Finding a Latinx Therapist
      • Finding an LGBTQ-Friendly Therapist
      • Finding a Therapist as a Young Adult
      • Finding an Online Therapist
    • Preparing for Your First Session
    • Types of Mental Health Professionals
    • Mental Health Insurance
      • HSAs for Therapy
      • Sliding Scale Therapy Fees
    • Mental Health in the Workplace
      • Asking for a Mental Health Day
      • Taking Time Off for Mental Health
    • Top Mental Health Organizations
      • Mental Health Resources Outside the U.S.
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Policy
    • Advertising Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Write for Us
    • Join the Directory
    • Careers
  • Therapist Directory
    • Find a Therapist
    • Join the Directory
    • Directory Login
Skip to content

Introvert Burnout: Signs, Ways to Cope, & Getting Help

Published: April 14, 2021
Published: 04/14/2021
  • What Is Introvert Burnout?Definition
  • Causes of Introvert BurnoutCauses
  • Signs You Are Experiencing Introvert BurnoutSigns
  • Ways to Avoid Introvert BurnoutAvoid
  • When to Get Professional Help For Introvert BurnoutGet Help
  • Final Thoughts On Introvert BurnoutConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesResources

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive, prolonged stress. Individual characteristics like introversion relate to burnout, which, at its most severe, may require medical intervention. The process has been described as a sequence in which there is increasing acquiescence to the demands of work, revision of personal values, neglect of self or others, denial, behavioral changes, and spiraling toward depression.1

Get support before you burnout! BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp

Visit BetterHelp

What Is Introvert Burnout?

For introverts, burnout can occur due to too much socializing without time to recharge (this can also happen on a smaller scale, sometimes called an “introvert hangover”). Burnout itself can lead to a cycle of stress without relief. The stress-response cycle is a physiological response to perceived danger, causing our bodies to produce stress hormones. Being unable to discharge the accumulation of hormones while persistently adding to our stress leads to more burnout.

Symptoms of burnout can include:

  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Distractibility
  • Fogginess
  • Emotional or mental exhaustion
  • Decreased performance
  • Physical symptoms such as headaches
  • Alienation from work related activities

Extraversion vs. Introversion

Simply put, people high in extroversion feel energized around others whereas introverts require solitude to recharge. Introversion is often conflated with being shy or disliking others, when, in reality, introverts are just more sensitive to social environments and dopamine, thus requiring less. If they get the same amount as an extravert, they get overstimulated.2

These traits can be particularly important in the workplace depending on job duties, social expectations, and team environment. How individual characteristics relate to burnout can be described via Person-Environment Fit theory, referring to the degree of match between individuals and some aspect of their work environment.

Person-Environment Fit

On the personal side, characteristics may include:

  • Interests
  • Preferences
  • Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)
  • Personality traits
  • Values
  • Goals

On the environmental side, characteristics may include:3

  • Vocational norms
  • Job demands
  • Job characteristics
  • Organizational cultures and climates
  • Company or group goals

An introvert may have the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be successful in a particular job, but job characteristics, norms, or organizational culture could lead to burnout – e.g., teacher burnout related to constantly being around children. In contrast, in remote settings, introversion may be negatively correlated to burnout.4 The introvert may thrive personally and professionally, but if their remote worksite also includes a teleworking spouse, homeschooling children, and company-required video socializing in addition to meeting work goals, the situation may lead to burnout.

Causes of Introvert Burnout

Factors that cause introvert burnout include unclear requirements, impossible requirements, high stress, big consequences for failure, lack of personal control, lack of recognition, poor communication, insufficient compensation.5 Essentially, it is often the demands of a job rather than someone’s personal characteristics that determine the likelihood of any kind of burnout.  One study cited poor leadership as a primary source.6

Causes of introvert burnout include:

  • Unclear work expectations
  • Poor boundaries between work and personal life
  • Work environment that includes a lot of socializing (even if remotely)
  • Work environment that encourages workaholism
  • Unrealistic expectations of self or by organization
  • Poor person-environment fit
  • Open office
  • Noisy office
  • Emphasis on meetings
  • Intense work with few breaks
  • Unrealistic timelines

Signs You Are Experiencing Introvert Burnout

Signs that you may be experiencing introvert burnout include physical exhaustion, irritability, anxiety, and loss of expressiveness; however, you could experience a range of other symptoms to varying degrees.

Here are eight signs of burnout:

  1. Physical exhaustion
  2. Insomnia
  3. Depression
  4. Lack of focus
  5. Irritability
  6. Anxiety (even if you’re still “high-functioning”)
  7. Loss of expressiveness
  8. Loss of meaning

Great Self-Care Gift Ideas For Yourself 


The 6-Minute Diary – Keeping a journal promotes mindfulness, happiness, and gratitude. The 6-Minute Diary uses the principles of positive psychology to inspire and encourage you to live your best life. Available in 7 Colors


Mindfulness.com – Learn the art of mindful living with over 2,000 mindful practices to train your brain. Stress less, sleep better, and deal with anxiety. Free Trial


Sunnyside – Want to drink less? Sunnyside helps you ease into mindful drinking at your own pace. Think lifestyle change, not a fad diet. Develop new daily routines, so you maintain your new habits for life. Take a 3 Minute Quiz.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by Amazon, Mindfulness.com, and Sunnyside.

12 Ways to Avoid Introvert Burnout

Avoidance of burnout requires self-awareness, vigilance, and an ability to self-advocate. In general, once you notice the signs of burnout as an introvert, prioritize interventions that allow you to recharge. The earlier the issue is addressed the more likely that intervention will be successful in a short period of time.

Here are twelve ways to avoid introvert burnout:

  1. Identify and manage significant stressors
  2. Set boundaries with work peers and managers: This may require having frank conversations with others about issues such as having “quiet time” in your day or work week, not answering text or email after hours, skipping additional social time (even if it occurs virtually), and perhaps turning off your camera during video meetings.
  3. Set boundaries between work and home: Setting dedicated work hours, creating dedicated work space, and charging your work phone out of sight can improve work boundaries. In high intensity jobs, this is more difficult. However, improved boundaries can also increase productivity during work time.
  4. Get some exercise (outside is preferable): Exercise can help complete the stress-response cycle.  If you have been inactive for an extended period of time consider choosing gentle exercise options such as yoga or walking. For introverts, the gym environment can be overstimulating. Online or home-based options like running, using an elliptical, or doing body weight exercises can vastly improve the symptoms of burnout.
  5. Find a creative outlet: Dedicating time to creative outlets such as music, art, cooking, or other interests is a healthy intervention. For those who exercise creativity in their work lives having “non-demand” creativity can be a critical means of recovering from burnout. 
  6. Spend your alone time wisely: Burned out individuals can struggle to do any more than mindlessly scroll through media in down times. Having awareness of how you spend your time alone and ensuring that it is in activities that recharge your batteries is important to address burnout.
  7. Find something to look forward to: Regularly scheduling things that are meaningful to you such as time off, a vacation or staycation, and social time with someone you’re comfortable with is a way to break up the feeling of unremitting demands.
  8. Say no: “No” is a complete sentence. It is acceptable to say “no” to piling more on your plate, especially things that deplete you. Saying no isn’t easy for everyone, but when you are suffering from burnout, even “the little things” can be significant.
  9. Use your company’s benefits: Do you struggle to use your PTO? Does your company have a wellness program? An Employee Assistance Program? Does your health insurance offer benefits such as therapeutic massage, acupuncture, or mental health services? Do you have an FSA or HSA account that could be used for some adjunctive health services? Making use of these benefits can contribute physical and emotional benefits to combat burnout.
  10. Sleep: The role played by sleep in restoring mental health, emotional wellbeing, and physical health cannot be overstated.In addition to learning your natural rhythms, have a predictable schedule for work, rest, and sleep lets your body know when to sleep. Also, exercise good sleep hygiene.
  11. Enlist help: Family members who understand your introversion and the emotional challenges you are experiencing can be a good line of defense against taking on more. They can also provide privacy and support you in recharging.
  12. Consult a mental health professional: If you know or suspect that you are burned out, a therapist can help you create a plan to address the sources of burnout and provide a healing space to work through your feelings. If your burnout has created family or relationship problems, a therapist can be an invaluable support system to address these challenges as well.

Get support before you burnout! BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp

Visit BetterHelp

When to Get Professional Help For Introvert Burnout

Consider getting professional help for your introvert burnout when you no longer feel like you’re getting the most out of your life. If you’re more hesitant to attend therapy, you might wait until your life, relationships, or work have become unmanageable. Either way, pay attention to and prioritize your own self-care.

Here are ten signs that you should seek professional help for introvert burnout:

  1. Behavioral changes: When others note that you have changed your behaviors (work-related and non-work related) in negative ways.
  2. Increase or significant time in escapist activities: Food, alcohol, drugs, caffeine, social media, gaming, pornography use can all be used or misused as a way to escape from the negative emotional experience of burnout.
  3. Emptiness: Inability to enjoy things that were previously enjoyable or a loss of meaning.
  4. Escapist fantasies: Imaging scenarios of moving away or quitting work that increases to the point of becoming intrusive.
  5. Stomach issues, headaches, unexplained physical symptoms: If you are experiencing chronic and poorly explained physical symptoms, consider getting a check-up as well as seeing a therapist.
  6. Disengagement: No longer caring about work performance or having trouble connecting with others.
  7. Irritability: Becoming easily angered or irritable.
  8. Performance issues: Being unable to perform at work with your customary success. This could involve missing deadlines or chronic lateness.
  9. Exhaustion: When you are unable to feel refreshed after a weekend or night’s sleep and it has become a pattern.
  10. Sleep issues: Trouble sleeping, early waking, or difficulty getting up despite having slept a reasonable number of hours.

How to Find a Therapist

Research demonstrates the importance of choosing a therapist who you feel understands you and your issues well. Many therapists provide a free consultation to help you decide whether they’re the right fit. You can also review our therapist directory to search for therapists in your area with specific specialties. You may want to review therapists listed on your health insurance plan’s website as well. If you’re dealing with burnout, individual therapy may help you cope and avoid burnout in the future. But if burnout is a result of family obligations or a relationship, you may consider work with a family therapist or couples counselor, too.

Final Thoughts On Introvert Burnout

If you’re struggling with the symptoms of introvert burnout, know that you’re not alone. While it can feel isolating at times, there are avenues to get help, including an increased focus on self-care, going to therapy, and relying on your network of personal support.

Additional Resources

Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for marketing by the companies mentioned below.

Talk Therapy 

Online-Therapy.com – Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. Online-Therapy.com provides 45 minute weekly video sessions, and unlimited text messaging with your therapist for only $64/week. Get started 

Virtual Psychiatry

Hims / Hers – If you’re living with anxiety or depression, finding the right medication match may make all the difference. Get FDA approved medication prescribed by your dedicated Hims / Hers Healthcare Provider and delivered right to your door. Plans start at $25 per month (first month)*. Get Started

Stress & Burnout Newsletter

A free newsletter from Choosing Therapy for those interested in reducing stress and preventing burnout. Get helpful tips and the latest information. Sign-Up

Learn Mindfulness, Meditation, & Relaxation Techniques

Mindfulness.com – Change your life by practicing mindfulness. In a few minutes a day, you can start developing mindfulness and meditation skills. Free Trial

Choosing Therapy Directory 

You can search for therapists by specialty, experience, insurance, or price, and location. Find a therapist today.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by Online-Therapy.com, Hims / Hers, and Mindfulness.com. *Hims / Hers Disclaimer: Subscription required. After first month, price is $85/month for a monthly subscription or $49/month for a three-month subscription ($123 for first order, $147 billed quarterly thereafter). Subscription automatically renews unless you cancel at least 7 days before renewal is processed.

For Further Reading

  • Best Books for Introverts
  • Books on Burnout & Recovery
  • Best Books About Self-Love
  • Mental Health America
  • National Alliance on Mental Health
  • MentalHealth.gov
  • Shyness or Social Anxiety?
6 sources

Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.

  • Scientific American. (June, 2006). Burned Out. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/burned-out/

  • Healthline. (November, 2019). Chronotypes, Sleep, and Productivity. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/chronotype#using-your-chronotype

  • Psychology. Person-Environment Fit. Retrieved from http://psychology.iresearchnet.com/industrial-organizational-psychology/recruitment/person-environment-fit/

  • Telecom Business Review: SITM Journal. (September, 2017). A Study of Personality Traits, viz. Extraversion and Introversion on Telecommuters’ Burnout.  Retrieved from http://www.publishingindia.com/TBR/65/a-study-of-personality-traits-viz-extraversion-and-introversion-on-telecommuters-burnout/611/4324/

  • Verywell mind. (June, 2020). Job Factors That Contribute to Employee Burnout. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/job-factors-that-contribute-to-employee-burnout-3144512

  • Forbes. (October, 2018). Are You to Blame For Your Employees’ Burnout? Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/10/30/are-you-to-blame-for-your-employees-burnout/

Recent Articles

fawning
Fawning: The Fawn Response to Trauma Explained
Fawning is an adaptive survival response to prolonged or complex trauma. The fawn response is characterized by placating and...
';
fight or flight response
Fight or Flight Response: What It Is & How It Works
We’ve all experienced the trauma response known as fight-or-flight at some point. Imagine you are sitting on a bench...
';
Burnout Books
Best Books on Burnout & Recovery
If you’re struggling with burnout from work or other circumstances, then these books on burnout recovery are here to...
';
Tend and Befriend Response to Stress
Tend and Befriend Response to Stress: Definition & How to Practice
The tend and befriend theory states that during times of stress, humans, particularly females, will turn to tending to...
';
extrovert
Extrovert: Meaning, Personality Traits, & More
Extraversion is a personality type that defines people who get their social batteries charged by spending time with others....
';
Dark Empath
Dark Empath: Definition, Traits, & How to Deal With One
The Dark Triad traits, which include narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, are well-known to many. These traits represent distinct forms...
';
  • What Is Introvert Burnout?Definition
  • Causes of Introvert BurnoutCauses
  • Signs You Are Experiencing Introvert BurnoutSigns
  • Ways to Avoid Introvert BurnoutAvoid
  • When to Get Professional Help For Introvert BurnoutGet Help
  • Final Thoughts On Introvert BurnoutConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesResources
Call for immediate help
Emergency: 911
Suicide Hotline: 988
See more Crisis Hotlines
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Careers
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • No Surprises Act
For immediate help call:
Medical Emergency:
911
Suicide Hotline:
988
Click For More Crisis Hotlines
For immediate help call:
Medical Emergency:
911
Suicide Hotline:
811
See more Crisis Hotlines
here
logo
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.
This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.
Choosing Therapy Logo