Exploring Burnout Through the Lens of Islamic Psychology: A Taster Session with Dr. Franchesa Bocker

In a special taster session for the Blogging Theology Academy's upcoming diploma in Islamic Psychology, renowned neuroscientist and theologian Dr. Franchesa Bocker offered profound insights into one of the modern world's most pervasive challenges: burnout. This pioneering program, launching its second year in January 2026, promises a deep dive into the remedies and pathways to well-being rooted in Islamic tradition. Dr. Bocker, who holds a PhD in systemic neuroscience and a diploma in Islamic psychology, explains how this tradition offers a powerful and holistic framework for understanding, preventing, and curing burnout.

Here are the key insights from her enlightening session.

What is Burnout? More Than Just a Feeling

While the term "burnout" is used casually, it began as a specific occupational syndrome, not a purely psychological one. To be clinically diagnosed with burnout, an individual must meet three criteria:

1. Exhaustion or energy depletion.

2. Mental distance or cynicism towards one's work.

3. A reduction in professional efficacy and productivity.

Though it originated in the workplace, the concept now extends to nearly every field of modern life.

The Modern Malady: Why Did Burnout Emerge Now?

The term "burnout" was only coined in the 1970s, making it a relatively new concept in mental health. Philosophers have explored why this condition is so prevalent today.

• Byung-Chul Han, in The Burnout Society (2010), argues that our societal setting is the cause. We are told from a young age that "nothing is impossible." This creates an environment where everyone is an entrepreneur of the self, constantly trying to optimize, upgrade, and perform. This relentless pressure is toxic.

• Charles Taylor, in A Secular Age, points to the "disenchantment" of the modern world. Modernity has stripped away transcendence, religious structure, and sacredness, leaving a linear, commodified, and empty landscape. In this economic-focused reality, there is never enough, and we must always achieve more because meaning is not readily available.

• Mark Fisher, in Capitalist Realism, explains that in a neoliberal ideology, suffering is framed as a personal failure. Instead of seeing a systemic malfunction, the individual internalizes the problem, thinking, "I am not productive enough; I need to hustle harder." The collapse of solidarity and the rise of competition make people vulnerable to self-blame, anxiety, and ultimately, burnout.

The Limits of Conventional Cures

Western psychology typically offers two main approaches to burnout: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness.

• CBT focuses on identifying negative thought patterns, improving time management, and setting boundaries. However, this can further isolate the individual and create an illusion of total control, placing the full burden of change on them.

• Mindfulness emphasizes breathing, body awareness, and being in the present moment. The problem is that people often seek a meaning that transcends the present. This body-first approach is a product of a secular, materialistic worldview that assumes humans are autonomous, rational individuals driven by productivity—assumptions that can and should be questioned.

Historical Wisdom: Islamic Scholars on Exhaustion

While data on prevalence is scarce, classical Islamic medical and psychological texts clearly describe conditions that map closely onto modern burnout, suggesting they were recognized, though perhaps less common.

• Abu Zayd al-Balkhi (9th century) spoke of futur, or psychological exhaustion, resulting from prolonged sadness or anxiety. He identified the direct link between emotional strain and the loss of physical vitality.

• Ibn Sina (Avicenna), in his famous Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb (The Canon of Medicine), discussed mental exhaustion and melancholia. He described a specific mental fatigue arising from prolonged stress, sadness, or intense intellectual work, with symptoms like loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, and reduced motivation. Critically, he warned that without rest, lifestyle changes, and joy-inducing activities (like poetry, nature walks, and good companionship), these states could lead to deeper depression and a collapse of the self's inner strength. He stressed the importance of moderation in study and even in religious observances.

• Al-Razi (Rhazes) noted that chronic stress and emotional dysregulation could induce conditions like huzn (sadness) and wahn (weakness of the heart), leading to digestive problems and muscle fatigue. He recognized both emotional and moral causes, such as financial pressure or a lack of spiritual grounding.

• Al-Majusi (Haly Abbas) described a "waning in the faculties" caused by prolonged emotional agitation or intense administrative stress, which throws the body's humors out of balance and leads to exhaustion.

The Islamic Framework: Burnout as a Symptom of Imbalance

From an Islamic perspective, burnout is not just a list of symptoms; it is a sign of a life out of equilibrium. Islam, at its core, is a means to restore equilibrium. In this sense, the correct practice of the faith is inherently curative.

Human beings are an integration of body (jism), mind ('aql), soul (ruh), and heart (qalb). Extreme stress affects all these interconnected faculties. The Islamic tradition emphasizes that Allah has created humans with inherent limits and needs. Ignoring these limits—ignoring our finite strength and capacity—inevitably leads to harm. The famous Qur'anic verse, "Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear," applies not only to external tests but also to the undue, self-imposed strain we place upon ourselves.

This brings us to a foundational principle of Islam: mizan—balance and moderation.

The Islamic Cure: A Multi-Pronged Approach to Healing

The Islamic cure for burnout is holistic and layered, encompassing both prevention and treatment.

1. The Protective Shield of Faith:
Studies, including one by the Yaqeen Institute, show that higher religious commitment correlates with better mental health outcomes and stress resistance. The practice of "Islamic coping"—using tools like patience (sabr), trust in God (tawakkul), prayer (salah), and finding meaning in trials—is profoundly protective.

2. Treatment for Active Burnout:
When burnout becomes clinically significant, the first step is to reprioritize. Islam does not obligate a high-flying career or participation in a consumerist loop. Simply reducing work or stepping back from difficult circumstances can be a powerful remedy. This should be paired with seeking community support and renewing one's spiritual intentions.

A powerful technique is meaning-making. Every test is an opportunity to learn or develop something. By reframing burnout—"Perhaps this is when I realize work isn't my only priority," or "This is a chance to see my children grow"—we derive strength from the struggle.

3. Specific Prophetic Treatments:
Islamic sources offer specific, practical treatments. For instance, archery is highly recommended for anxiety and burnout. A hadith in Sahih Muslim repeats three times, "Indeed, strength is in archery." In a syndrome where inner strength (quwwa) is depleted, the focused act of archery helps regain it. Another hadith recorded by al-Tabarani states that taking up a bow when overtaken by worries "relieves anxiety and drives away sorrow."

Prevention: Building a Life of Balance and Variety

The Muslim civilization has always emphasized prevention and lifestyle over emergency treatment.

• Maintaining Balance (Wasatiyyah): Living a balanced, proportioned life is the first line of defense.

• Accepting Life's Rhythms: A core belief is that life has ups and downs. A hadith reminds us that "for everything there is a zeal, and for every zeal there is a slackening." These natural cycles—daily for men, monthly for women—should be honored, not fought against.

• Internal Harmony (I'tidal): This is about creating harmony between our different inner faculties—our emotional, appetitive, and intellectual selves. We cannot live permanently in just one of these spheres.

• The Right to Rest: Rest is a daily requirement. The prophetic habit of the midday nap (qaylulah), largely lost in the modern 8-to-5 workday, is a vital tool for rejuvenation.

• A Life of Variety: We are not meant to live monotonous lives. The Prophet ﷺ gently rebuked companions who prayed all night, reminding them, "Your eyes have a right over you. Your body has a right over you. Your family has a right over you." These rights are sources of joy.

The Tyranny of Productivity and the Trap of Guilt

The idea of productivity is one of the most harmful modern concepts, and it has seeped into our spiritual practice. We now favor measurable spiritual activities, like reading the entire Qur'an in a set number of days, while abandoning immeasurable but essential practices like spiritual retreat (khalwa) or contemplation in nature (tafakkur). We are seeking a dopamine rush from ticking boxes, rather than true spiritual growth.

This often stems from a place of guilt and shame—a feeling of "I am not worthy, so I must do more." This connects to the psychological state of the nafs al-lawwama (the self-reproaching soul). While it's a necessary stage for recognizing faults and making tawbah (repentance), getting stuck in it creates a vicious cycle. The person perpetually feels inadequate internally and seeks external validation by over-committing and over-performing, which leads directly to burnout.

Final Advice for Today's Muslims

• Don't Be Afraid to Change. Look at the example of Imam al-Ghazali, who left his high-performing life when he felt spiritually constricted. His courageous change led to one of the greatest renewals in Islamic thought.

• Live a Light Lifestyle. Our scholars owned few clothes and ate little, not just as an aesthetic of asceticism (zuhd), but as a protective measure for their mental health. The less you need, the less you will stress.

• Learn to Set Boundaries. Ask yourself, "Has Allah given me the strength for this?" If not, it is not your responsibility. We are not asked to do what we cannot. A deep acceptance of destiny (qadr) helps in setting these healthy boundaries without guilt.

• Internalize Life's Reality. Work is meant to be hard. The world (dunya) is meant to be difficult. Work is a means to provide for your family; it is not the source of your ultimate meaning, happiness, or value.

By internalizing these principles, we can build a life that is not only productive in the truest sense but also deeply balanced, meaningful, and resilient against the crushing pressures of the modern world.