Interview Part 4: Stress in Today's Life

Welcome to a five-part interview series with Dr. Szymon Hyzak, a psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience at Long Island Psychiatric Services. In this blog, I've interview Dr. Hyzak as he shares his thoughts on differences between stress and burnout, as well as stress in our modern day life. Each part includes three questions that help explain challenges happening in psychiatry today.

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Q1: Why do so many individuals feel so stressed out in today's society?

Dr. Hyzak:

Life is much more sped up nowadays. People are sleeping less and constantly using phones and social media. There’s a lot of pressure to always be active whether it’s at work, school, or even online. Unfortunately many people don’t get the downtime that our brains need. Over time, this type of nonstop pressure wears everyone down.

Q2: What’s the difference between stress and burnout?

Dr. Hyzak:

Stress normally tends to be short-term and situation-specific, such as a deadline or a bad day. Burnout is what happens when the stress just keeps adding up and won't get any better. People start to feel emotionally drained and have a lack of motivation. It's a more profound feeling of exhaustion that takes actual recovery time.

Q3: What do people do if they feel overwhelmed all of the time?

Dr. Hyzak:

Start by admitting that you're overwhelmed. Then try to slow yourself down. You should rest, sleep properly, and ask for help when you need it. You don't have to fix everything immediately. Sometimes even small things, like saying no more often or taking time away from screens, can make a big difference.

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In Part 4, Dr. Hyzak spoke about why burnout and daily stress are the new normal and why it's so important to slow down and be kind to ourselves. Mental wellness is mainly about how we handle the daily stresses of life.