Why Burnout is one of the main post-pandemic diseases
Burnout syndrome is caused by a state of extreme emotional, physical and mental stress in which the worker feels that his profession no longer makes sense. It differs from “ordinary” stress because it is caused by the intrinsic relationship with work and by extreme exhaustion.
This general exhaustion involves a lack of enthusiasm and a feeling of having no more internal resources to deal with the demands of the job. It can also involve disconnecting from colleagues, bosses and subordinates; tendency to evaluate themselves negatively at work and dissatisfaction with their professional development. We know from neuroscience that a stressed brain cannot think straight, a exhausted brain doesn’t process information properly, may have difficulty performing tasks that were previously considered easy, difficulty with focus (not due to Attention Deficit Disorder) and bad working memory.
The management of Burnout Syndrome occurs with treatment or training. The treatment must be integrative: body, mind, emotions. In the treatment, a lot of psychoeducation of the factors that cause Burnout is done, as well as teaching the tools necessary for change. Tools for reframing thoughts, emotional regulation, self-knowledge and behavior, among others, are taught. In addition, the work situation/environment should also be considered and review what it can be done about it.
A very important aspect to be considered in Burnout is perfectionism, often a compensatory strategy that the individual learned early in life, to deal with an education that did not encourage trial and error.
Possible symptoms of Burnout:
Excessive fatigue
Discouragement
Difficulty thinking – Brain fog (cognitive fog)
Pain in the body
Low immunity
Hopelessness
Excited only on Friday afternoon when finishes work and feels very anxious on Sunday night, when knows must return.