ALT Taking a leave of absence I've worked in politics for over a decade: as a Councillor, for an MEP, as the Co-Leader of the Green Party, and now it is a privilege to serve as the MP for Bristol Central. Over the last few years, I have been struggling with persistent health issues, and I have been trying to manage these alongside the long hours and significant responsibility my work entails. It has become clear that this is not an effective strategy and that doing so is inhibiting my ability to recover. Having taken advice from my doctor, I will be taking several weeks off in order to try to get back to full health. I want to be open about the fact that what I am suffering from is burnout – and the mental and physical symptoms that arise from it. Burnout is a condition that does not tend to get better on its own. If left unmanaged, it can worsen and increase your risk of long-term health problems. This is something that I know will be familiar to many people in all walks of life.