Burnout: The difficulty in diagnosing unknown Illness
Hiroshima, June 16th, 2024 - Country #6
At the time of writing this journal entry, I am nearly finished with my sabbatical trip across Asia. Wars are currently raging in Ukraine and Gaza. Both conflicts involve nuclear-armed powers. Realistically, we are one or two steps away from a nuclear assault. With that in mind, visiting the site of the first atomic attack in human history felt prescient.
My time in Hiroshima was pleasant but profoundly moving. There were no visible signs of the past attack, except for a burnt dome memorial; any damage had likely been repaired long before I was born. The Hiroshima Museum provided revealing insights, but one stood out to me: the medical response to those suffering from radiation poisoning.
In 1945, the effects of radiation were largely unknown, and it would take years for the medical community to grasp the short- and long-term consequences of nuclear fallout.
In August of that year, the bomb detonated over central Hiroshima. Within a several-mile radius, people were vaporized instantly. Fires spread to the city’s outer rings, claiming even more lives—the fallout mixed with the atmosphere, blending with the clouds. What followed was a cruel twist: rain, initially seen as a welcome reprieve amid the devastation, turned deadly. One painting captured this hauntingly—a crying woman drinking black droplets falling from the sky.
The rain had become radioactive. Survivors, unaware that the water was poisonous, drank it and soon perished. Those farther from the blast zone were moderately poisoned, developing red bumps on their tongues and faces. They languished in hospital beds until their deaths. Then there were those exposed to lesser, yet still potent, amounts of radiation. They rebuilt the city and tried to resume life, only to face another challenge.
These survivors struggled to maintain work, often citing a lack of energy and focus.
People outside Hiroshima dismissed them as lazy, even giving them a derogatory name in Japanese. Doctors, unable to explain their symptoms, attributed them to psychological illness. No one believed what they were experiencing.
As someone who treats psychological disorders—and often serves as a primary care provider before patients see a physician—I found this relatable to clients I’ve worked with. When faced with conditions we don’t understand, humans can blame the afflicted. The medical world may slap on a diagnosis and move forward without hesitation. We've all had a loved one or perhaps you experienced feeling dismissed by a health care provider.
A central theme in the book I’m writing, is that modern life lacks a vital ingredient—and applies pressure we can’t see. Some feel this “missing ingredient” more deeply or are more affected by it. Symptoms like depression or substance use vary but are often attributed to other causes. People might respond, “That’s just getting older,” or “That’s just life—back in my day…”
I can tell you that commuting an hour to a 9-5 job and eating meal prep alone over Netflix isn’t exactly a vibrant lifestyle.
Yet this is the norm we expect for many workers and young people today. The modern world has effects we might not yet have a name for. Indicators like falling birth rates and rising rates of suicidality point to serious societal issues. We could call them weak of character or slap on a tried-and-true diagnosis.
But I have questions.
Do humans have an ideal environment?
What symptoms arise when we stray from it?
What are the consequences of rapid progress?
This is a critique I’ll explore in later entries.
(If this is interesting.. Please forward it to someone you think might find this helpful!)
Of course, modern burnout doesn’t compare to the horrors of nuclear assault and fallout; I doubt anything does. What happened there should never happen again.
Visiting places like Hiroshima or the Killing Fields in Cambodia is about remembrance. It’s about understanding the factors and decisions of the past to gain wisdom and pay respect. And I believe the most respectful act is to apply those lessons to today’s problems. How can we better understand disease in all forms to live a more satisfying life?
But to answer our original question: What happens when doctors can’t diagnose your illness?
We document the truth and continue searching.
Looking for additional Burnout Support?
Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse.
People might not see your pain. They might even tell you you're lucky, successful, or “fine.”
But unacknowledged suffering doesn’t just disappear.
If you’re carrying that kind of ache, the quiet exhausting kind that no one seems to understand, I want you to know you’re not imagining it. And you don’t have to keep proving your pain for it to matter.
You deserve support that takes your experience seriously. That helps you reconnect with your inner compass, not just push through one more day.
What I Help With
In my practice, I specialize in what I call high-achiever disconnection—burnout, relational strain, and identity loss that comes from overidentifying with work and underdeveloping emotional fluency. I offer therapy in Brentwood, TN, 15 minutes south of Nashville, as well as online via telehealth.
We work through:
Emotional reactivity, withdrawal, and shame cycles
Burnout and disconnection from hobbies, values, or your body
Relationship patterns that leave you confused, blamed, or shut down
Rebuilding a sense of internal calm, trust, and connection
I utilize evidence-based models of psychotherapy that balance direct insight with deep emotional clarity. Process Anxiety, PTSD, or Relationship issues with a results-oriented therapist. This isn’t endless processing for the sake of it - it’s real, supportive work designed to help you take back control.
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And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
If you're ready to stop feeling like your personal life is constantly playing catch-up and start building a life that reflects all of who you are—not just the parts that show up at work—reach out.
Let’s see if we’re a good fit.