Burnout Syndrome

The term burnout syndrome was first introduced by the American psychiatrist Herbert Fredenberg. In 1974, he gave such a name to the state associated with emotional exhaustion, which leads to severe changes in the sphere of communication.

In its essence, burnout syndrome resembles chronic fatigue, more specifically it is its continuation. Any person working in any field, even a housewife, can be affected by this disease. As a rule, workaholics are more prone to this state, they have a strong sense of responsibility, they tend to take things very close to heart.

A person with a burnout syndrome experiences an acute reluctance to go to work, even if only recently she was loved and enjoyed. He has frequent headaches, heart problems, chronic diseases worsen. A person does not get to relax, he constantly feels inner tension. Loss of health is one of the most serious consequences of burnout syndrome, apart from this, the career that you had to build with such difficulty, family relationships, etc., may collapse.

[1], [2], [3], [4]

Syndrome of emotional burnout

Syndrome of emotional burnout means a state in which mental, emotional and physical exhaustion occurs, develops as a result of constant stressful situations. Such mental state arises in people who, by their activity, have to communicate with other people quite often. Initially, the risk group included specialists from crisis centers, psychiatric hospitals, but later other professions that involve close communication between people were also included here.

Burnout syndrome, as already mentioned, arises more often among altruists, who care for their neighbor exceeds their own interests (social workers, doctors, teachers, etc.). The development of the disease contributes to increased activity in the work, when a person gives all his strength, completely or partially ignoring his own needs. After this period, there is complete exhaustion, the person has lost the desire to engage in anything, he experiences constant fatigue, suffers from insomnia and various nervous disorders. At the emotional level, anxiety, irritability, guilt, and despair appear. There may be aggression in behavior, pessimism, cynicism. A person begins to skip work, which he used to go with pleasure and desire, the quality of work worsens, delays begin, abuses break out, etc. There is also detachment in behavior, a person feels completely alone, and at the same time he does not have the desire to communicate with anyone (with patients, students, etc.).

Usually, the incapacity to resist stress leads to burnout syndrome. The factors that trigger the development of the disease are divided into organizational and personal factors, and the organizational factor exerts more influence on the course of the disease.

The organizational factor includes:

• heavy workload,
• lack of time to do their work,
• complete or partial lack of support from the boss, relatives, colleagues, etc.,
• insufficient moral or material compensation for the work done,
• impossibility to monitor the work situation and influence significant decisions,
• versatility of requirements,
• constant pressure due to high risks to receive penalties (reprimand, dismissal, etc.)
• monotony and monotony of the work process,
• wrong organization of work or workplace (noise, conflicts, etc.)
• the need to restrain emotions or to manifest not those that are in fact,
• absence of days off, holidays, non-working interests and hobbies

Personal factors include:

• increased feelings of anxiety,
• reduced self-esteem, a constant sense of guilt,
• point of view on the point of view of other people, action on accepted standards
• passivity.

Syndrome of emotional burnout in health workers

The work of health workers is largely related to communication and interaction with surrounding people. That is why timely diagnosis and correction of behavior in the emotional burnout of medical workers (doctors, nurses) is very relevant.

The activity of the doctor is connected with emotional oversaturation, strong psychophysical stress, a high probability of stressful situations. The doctor bears in himself the "weight of communication", he is under the constant influence of other people's negative emotions. He serves either as a "vest", in which they cry, or as a "target" for splash of aggression and irritation. A person is forced to erect psychological protection from others (patients), becomes less emotional, more indifferent to other people's problems, so as not to provoke a burnout syndrome. This behavior occurs on a subconscious level, in addition to the will of the person. Thus, the body is protected from stress.

Syndrome of emotional burnout in teachers

The professional activity of a teacher, teacher is connected with close contact and communication with a large number of people. In addition to students, students, you have to communicate with colleagues at work, the parents of their students.

The burnout syndrome in the teacher can develop at a confluence of several circumstances connected with labor activity. First and foremost, the constant tension of the psychoemotional state, fuzzy organization of work, lack of information, constant noise and various interferences. The teacher constantly has an increased responsibility for the duties assigned to him.

Emotional burnout in the teacher can occur in the case of a tendency to emotional rigidity in behavior. It is noticed that the person who restrains emotions, quickly burns mentally.

Too close to the perception of circumstances that are related to work activity, usually people with a too developed sense of responsibility for the assigned business or commitment tend to such.

Over time, the body's emotional reserves come to an end, there is a need to preserve the remnants, building a psychological defense.

Emotional burnout of teachers is often associated with insufficient motivation (both material and emotional impact for the effort spent).

According to scientists, the main cause of burnout is a personal factor, when a person has an increased sense of anxiety, suspicion, quick temper, emotional instability. Opposite qualities of character, including cordiality, kindness, flexible behavior, independence serve as a protection for emotional experiences and stresses.

When burnout helps a variety of types of psychotherapeutic assistance, medicines, socio-psychological help to develop qualities that contribute to the preservation of emotional resources in the body.

Syndrome of professional burnout

The syndrome of professional burnout is related to the work of a person. There is a professional burnout from the fact that many negative emotions accumulate inside the person, which do not find an outlet (there is no emotional discharge).

Burnout syndrome in this case is a danger that this is a long process of complete combustion. Negative experiences in people exposed to a high degree of burnout are associated with the loss of the meaning of their professional activities, the inability to fulfill themselves, the lack of prospects in the future.

Desperate state due to lack of understanding and indifference of surrounding people, lack of result in work, leads to the fact that a person ceases to appreciate his own efforts, diligence, loses meaning not only in work, but in life. Such experiences have a strong influence on all aspects of human life. If a person remains in this state for a long time, his interest to life disappears, he loses everything that previously represented a basis for him.

The sense of well-being in a person provides a normal physical and internal state. Satisfaction with successes in life, achievements, relationships with other people, as well as self-control contribute to confidence in professional activity.

The reason for professional burnout is the need to take care of the neighbor: the doctor about the patient, the teacher about the student, the consultant about the client. The syndrome of professional burnout, first of all, affects people whose work is connected with direct and frequent communication with other people. The need to take care of others every day, leads to a constant stressful condition. Physicians, educators, psychologists, etc. Sooner or later face the syndrome of professional burnout. When this happens, depends on some circumstances: the conditions and tension of work, personal psychological qualities. It is generally believed that the teacher burns out on average over five years. Stressful situations can be exacerbated by the lack of recognition of work by other people, insufficient material reward for their work - in other words, insufficient stimulation in the work.

Syndrome of psychological burnout

Psychological burnout does not occur suddenly, it's a rather long process that manifests itself gradually, a symptom after the symptom. Our life is filled with various emotions, inner experiences. Some circumstances may lead to the fact that emotions become dull, and eventually disappear completely. There is complete exhaustion - both moral and physical. Usually, before burning out, a person feels a great desire to work, to be useful. However, not labor enthusiasm plays a key role here, but an energy recharging that is necessary for a person. When the overload becomes a chronic stressful condition, there is a gap between the capabilities of a person and the requirements for him (at work, in the family, in the circle of friends, etc.), the process of gradual exhaustion of forces starts, and the burnout syndrome eventually develops. To replace the activity comes fatigue, a person has lost the desire to go to work, to do what he likes. This desire is especially acute after the weekend. At work, a person with a burnout syndrome minimizes their responsibilities: the doctor does not pay attention to the patient's complaints, the teacher does not notice problems with the student, etc. If at work it does not work to "brush aside" of his direct duties (communication with a patient, a student), a person refuses to communicate with relatives and relatives, does not do housework, etc. With this attitude to work, a person is not able to move up the career ladder, the earlier important goals are abandoned, the family is destroyed.

Syndrome of mental burnout

Burnout syndrome has different definitions, in general terms it is seen as a prolonged stress response to occupational stress. The syndrome of mental burnout (also known as professional burnout) leads to the destruction of the personality under the influence of loads associated with professional activities. Emotional exhaustion leads to a feeling of constant fatigue, devastation, which is provoked by professional activity. There is a decrease in emotional tone, lost interest in what is happening around, in some cases the opposite effect is observed: the person is overflowed with emotions, often negative, he is prone to outbursts of anger, irritability, aggressive behavior, and signs of a depressed state.

Also, with burnout, the development of an indifferent, negative, cynical attitude to their work, to surrounding people.

As a result, a person is more and more confident that he is incompetent in his business, his sense of failure in his professional activity is exacerbated.

Burnout personality syndrome

The burnout syndrome of a person is manifested as a negative, too remote, soulless response to different aspects of work activity. People with burnout syndrome describe their own detached state, as an attempt to cope with emotional stress at work. A person changes his attitude towards people with whom he is forced to communicate according to his profession. This behavior is a kind of protection from irritants that interfere with the performance of professional duties. In severe cases of the syndrome of emotional burnout, there is a complete apathy towards another person, to work activity, positive or negative working moments do not cause a corresponding response.

A specialist in assessing his work primarily feels incompetence, loss of values, low importance of his own achievements. A person ceases to see prospects in the future, there is no satisfaction from the process of work, faith in his professional capabilities is lost. The burnout syndrome negatively affects a person's personal life. After an emotion-saturated day, a person needs solitude, which he can only get to the detriment of friends and family.

In the process of developing the burnout syndrome, there is uncertainty of thinking, concentration of attention is difficult, memory is deteriorating. A person starts to be late for work, despite all attempts to arrive on time, mistakes in work (reservations, incorrect diagnoses), conflicts at home and at work.

People with emotional burnout syndrome affect to a large extent their colleagues, because they often cause interpersonal conflicts, disrupt the work plan, etc. As a result, burnout extends to colleagues in an informal interaction.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]

Burnout Syndrome at Work

Burnout syndrome is closely related to routine at work. Sooner or later there comes a time when a person gets bored with his work, although he liked him before, and he enjoyed the process. Almost every one of us wants stability, confidence in the future. This man goes for years, first education, then the long-awaited favorite work. But there is always another side. A man gets used to good things, he starts to relate to something he very much wanted earlier, as something ordinary, boring, uninteresting. Each new day is similar to the previous one: work, lunch, work again, then home, in the morning again to work. This seems like an endless process. And like this life is not bad, it allows us to look confidently into the future, but more often we are visited by the thought that something is going wrong. The person thinks that you need to fix something ... But what to correct if everything seems to be good ...

In school, student's years all had high hopes, plans for the future, dreams. For the sake of achieving our goals, we risked and sacrificed everything, did not sleep, worked and studied at the same time, managed to meet with friends. Life seemed interesting, it literally boiled, and we all succeeded, no matter how hard it was. We received a diploma and life filled with the search for a good job, with prospects, with the possibility of career growth. And now, the long-awaited work, the most favorite thing, the nerves about whether I can manage it, if I have enough strength, knowledge ... But in a few years there is experience, confidence, enough knowledge. It seemed the goal was achieved, you can work peacefully, enjoy life ... But for some reason there is no sense of happiness.

And there is no happiness, because a person has no incentive to move on, there are no aspirations, goals, vertices, which must be conquered. For a happy life a person needs to constantly strive for something, one goal is achieved, another is set, and new efforts are made to achieve it. And so constantly, in a circle. But in life there is a short period, between the joy of achieving goals and the definition of a new goal for oneself. This period can be called differently, burnout syndrome, middle age crisis, depression ... This period is a breathing space before moving to a new goal. Man is so arranged, he is happy and rejoices only when he is directed forward, struggles and overcomes difficulties.

In order to avoid the burnout syndrome, you just need to rejoice at what is in the present. We need to appreciate our achievements, improve them, calmly expect new life goals, look for new ones on our own.

In life, a lot of situations, some can not give time to their loved ones because of a reboot at work. Because of this, burnout may occur at work, a person simply loses interest to it, as the work takes away from him the most valuable - the time that he could spend with his family. In this situation, you can change the place of work, which will be closer to home, talk with the authorities about a more acceptable mode of work for you. Management always makes concessions to valuable employees, so you need to start with yourself: improve your professional skills to be able to set the conditions for managers.

[11], [12], [13], [14], [15]

Burnout syndrome in psychologists

Burnout syndrome is a serious enough problem, this disease is a kind of payment for constant stress.

The work of a psychologist is associated with constant psycho-emotional stress, he must interact with a large number of people. The person should listen to the patient, sympathize with him, offer a way out of the situation or push him to solve the problem. And clients are often mentally unbalanced, inclined to inadequate behavior.

On the psychologist, basically all the accumulated negative, aggression, irritation. This is because when a person is happy, he does not need the help of a psychologist, and when he is depressed, devastated, problems arise, he needs help that a psychologist can give.

The work of a psychologist is connected with close communication, constant interaction with other people (and not always benevolently adjusted). A person can not show his true feelings at work, he must be strong, confident, knowing his job, because only in this case his advice will be heeded, his recommendations will be followed.

As a result of such a heavy pressure, burnout occurs. A person can not cope with the mass of other people's complexes, problems, deviations, etc. He is pressured by a burden of responsibility for the health of his patients. There is a sense of detachment from reality, from their patients, from their problems, there is a feeling of incompetence, etc. People with a low level of protection, insufficient experience are especially prone to burnout syndrome. Also aggravate the situation may be personal problems (death of a loved one, a patient, divorce, etc.)

[16], [17]

Internal Burnout Syndrome

Burnout syndrome is the result of mental, psychological overwork, when the requirements (both internal and external) prevail over the capabilities of a person. A person becomes unbalanced, which causes the development of the internal burnout syndrome. Long-term professional stress caused by caring for others, the responsibility for their health, life, the future fate of other people leads to a change in attitudes toward professional activities.

Stressors that can trigger the development of burnout syndrome are strictly established working hours, a lot of emotional overstrain resulting from communication with different people, and prolonged communication (sometimes for hours). The situation is aggravated by communication, repeated for years, when patients are people with a difficult fate, criminals, children from disadvantaged families, suffered from various accidents or disasters. All these people talk about their fears, feelings, hate, about the most intimate in their lives. Stressful situations in the workplace appear as a result of the fact that there is a discrepancy between the capabilities of a person and the duties assigned to him.

The personality of man is a coherent and stable structure that seeks ways of self-defense from destruction. The burnout syndrome is the result of the desire of the individual to protect himself from psychological deformations.

Diagnosis of emotional burnout syndrome

Burnout syndrome has about 100 symptoms. As already noted, the profession can become one of the causes of the syndrome of emotional burnout of a person. A very frequent companion of the disease is chronic fatigue, reduced efficiency.

With the development of burnout syndrome, a person often complains of severe fatigue, poor tolerance of loads (with which there were no problems before), weakness or pain in the muscles, insomnia (or vice versa, constant drowsiness), irritability, forgetfulness, aggression, decreased mental capacity, inability concentrate, focus.

There are three main signs of burnout syndrome. The previous period is a very strong activity, a person is 100% absorbed in work, refuses to do anything that is not connected with the work process, while deliberately ignoring his own needs.

After this period (for each person it lasts differently, there are no clear boundaries), the period of exhaustion begins. There is a feeling of overstrain, devastation of emotional energy, physical resources. A person feels a constant feeling of fatigue, which does not go away even after a good rest at night. Rest slightly reduces the symptoms of burnout symptoms, but when you return to the workplace, all symptoms resume, sometimes with greater force.

Further, detachment of the personality is observed. Experts regard the change in their attitude towards the patient, the client, as an attempt to cope with the emotional stress at work. Severe manifestations of the disease are a complete lack of interest in professional activities, completely lost interest in the client or patient, which is sometimes perceived as something inanimate, causing dislike.

The third sign of the development of burnout syndrome is a feeling of own uselessness, low self-esteem. The specialist does not see any prospects in the future, the sense of satisfaction that previously appeared from work diminishes. A person does not believe in his abilities.

For the diagnosis of burnout syndrome in humans, in 1986 a test was developed that allows to determine the degree of burnout. Burnout syndrome has two factors for determining exhaustion: emotional (poor health, nervous overexertion, etc.) and self-perception disorder (changing attitudes toward oneself and others).

There are 5 main manifestations that are characteristic of the syndrome of emotional burnout:

1. Physical - fatigue, fatigue, sleep disturbance, deterioration of general well-being, increased pressure, inflammation on the skin, diseases of the cardiovascular system, excessive sweating, weight change, etc.
2. Emotional - cynical attitude, pessimism, scarcity of emotions, manifestation of callousness (to colleagues, subordinates, relatives, patients), indifference, heavy emotional experiences, etc.
3. Behavioral - lack of appetite, attacks of aggression, frequent "shirking" from work, often injuries occur due to reduced concentration of attention.
4. Intellectual - new ideas and theories in the work process do not cause interest and former enthusiasm, preference is given to stereotyped behavior, the manifestation of non-standard, creative approaches is declining, refusal to participate in development programs (trainings, tests, etc.).
5. Social - the reduction of social activity, loss of interest in their hobbies, leisure, interaction with others is limited to working moments, a sense of loneliness, poor support from (colleagues, loved ones), etc.

When identifying the burnout syndrome, all possible symptoms (emotional, behavioral, social, etc.) must be taken into account. It is necessary to take into account conflicts at work, at home, existing diseases (mental, chronic, infectious), the use of medications (antidepressants, tranquilizers, etc.), laboratory tests (general blood test, internal organs functions, etc.).

[18], [19], [20], [21], [22]

Treatment of burnout syndrome

The burnout syndrome must be treated as soon as its first signs appear, i. E. You can not start the process of self-destruction of a person.

With the first signs of the disease can be managed independently. First of all, it is necessary to determine what gives joy (perhaps a hobby, hobbies at this stage of life) and what contributes to joyful, happy moments in life, how often do these most joyful experiences in life. You can use a sheet of paper, break it into two columns and enter the corresponding paragraphs there. If what pleases in life - very little (no more than three points), then you need to reconsider your attitude to life. First of all, you need to do what you love, you can go to the cinema, theater, read a book, in general, do what you like.

You also need to learn how to deal with negative emotions. If there is no way to answer the offender, you need to throw out negative energy on paper (paint, tear, crumple, etc.). What is it for? Because emotions (any) do not disappear anywhere, they remain inside us - we can either hide them deeper ("swallow the insult") or throw them out (sometimes we break on relatives). During anger you can not calm down, you need to give him the will - to throw the pen on the floor, shout, tear the newspaper ... Regular exercise helps to get rid of negative experiences, so you need to go to the gym to splash energy.

At work, you need to determine your priorities and correctly calculate your strengths. Constant work in the mode of the work of art will eventually lead to burnout. The working day must begin with the drawing up of a plan. We need to rejoice even in minor achievements.

The next step in the treatment of emotional burnout should be to control your emotions.

Correction of emotional burnout syndrome

The burnout syndrome is quite a serious psychological illness requiring special care. Correction methods in the development of the syndrome are similar to preventive. Organizations of social orientation have quite a lot of problems, which are connected with emotional burnout of employees. Interpersonal relations between colleagues, between the administration and subordinates, turnover of staff, unfavorable atmosphere in the team - all this provokes stressful situations in people.

Team principles in the work allow solving a number of problems. Actions should be, first of all, aimed at eliminating stressors:

• regular training (it helps to improve the professional level, you can use seminars, refresher courses, etc.)
• the correct organization of labor (the administration must introduce a variety of incentives for achievements, it is also necessary to use psychological relief for staff)
• improvement of working conditions (here the predominant role is played by relations between employees)

If these principles are observed, it is possible not only to reduce the degree of the emotional burnout syndrome, but also to prevent its development.

To correct the burnout syndrome, you need to distribute your own loads, taking into account your strengths and capabilities. It is easier to treat conflict situations at work, not to try to be the best among all and in everything. It is necessary to learn to switch one's attention from one activity to another.

[23], [24], [25], [26], [27]

Treatment of emotional burnout syndrome

Burnout syndrome is a reaction to stress, so treatment is directed, first of all, to the elimination of stressful situations. Voltage must be removed with a full rest, a change of scenery. It is necessary to correct the balance between the effort spent and the reward received.

With signs of burnout syndrome, one should try to improve working conditions, establish mutual understanding in the team, pay attention to their diseases.

In the treatment of burnout syndrome, special attention should be given to the patient, with the right approach a person can not only reduce the severity of the syndrome, but also successfully get rid of this disease.

It is necessary to push the person to determine the important goals for him, this will help increase motivation.

To ensure both psychological and physical well-being, it is necessary to take breaks from work, to be distracted from the work process.

In the treatment of burnout syndrome, attention is paid to training in self-regulation techniques, relaxation methods, and the like.

Prevention of burnout syndrome

Prevention of burnout syndrome uses some methods that are used in treatment. What serves as a defense against emotional exhaustion can be effectively used in therapy.

For the purpose of prevention of the syndrome, personality-oriented methods are used that are aimed at improving personal qualities, resisting stressful conditions by changing their attitude, behavior, etc. It is necessary that the person himself participated in solving the problem. He should clearly understand what a burnout syndrome is, what consequences arise in the long course of the disease, what are the stages that are needed to avoid the development of the syndrome and increase their emotional resources.

At the beginning of the disease, you need to ensure a person a good rest (with complete isolation from the work environment for a while). You may also need the help of a psychologist, a psychotherapist.

The following recommendations are good preventive properties:

• regular rest, you need to give some time to work, a certain time of leisure. The increase in emotional burnout occurs every time when the boundaries between work and home disappear, when work occupies the whole main part of life. It is extremely important for a person to have time off work.
• physical exercises (at least three times a week). Sport contributes to the release of negative energy, which accumulates as a result of constant stressful situations. It is necessary to engage in the types of physical exercise that brings pleasure - walking, running, biking, dancing, working in the garden, etc., otherwise, they will begin to be perceived as boring, unpleasant and all sorts of attempts will be made to avoid them.
• sleep, helps reduce stress. A full-fledged sleep that lasts an average of 8-9 hours. The lack of a night rest can exacerbate an already tense state. The person got enough sleep when he gets up easily at the first bell of the alarm clock, only in this case, we can consider the body rested.
• It is necessary to maintain a supportive environment in the workplace. At work, it is better to make frequent short breaks (for example, every hour for 3-5 minutes), which will be more effective than those that last longer, but less often. It is necessary to reduce the consumption of foods high in caffeine (coffee, cola, chocolate), because it is a strong stimulant that promotes stress. It is noticed that after three weeks (on average) after stopping the use of caffeine products, anxiety, anxiety, and muscle pain decrease in a person.
• it is necessary to share responsibility, to learn to refuse. A person who lives by the principle "to be good, you need to do it yourself," will inevitably become a victim of burnout syndrome.
• you need to have a hobby. A person should know that interests besides work, allow to reduce tension. It is desirable that the hobby helps to relax, for example, painting, sculpture. Extreme hobbies enhance the emotional tension of a person, although for some people such a change of scenery is beneficial.

Prevention of emotional burnout syndrome

Burnout syndrome is, first of all, fatigue from prolonged work in the enhanced mode. The body will spend all its reserves - emotional, physical - the person does not have any strength left on anything. Therefore, the prevention of emotional burnout syndrome, in the first place, is a good rest. You can regularly spend weekends in nature, vacation on a trip, go in for sports. Psychological trainings, various relaxing techniques (relaxation, yoga, etc.) also help in the development of the burnout syndrome. We need to develop on a personal level - to read new books, to learn new things, to search for new areas for applying their skills. It is necessary to achieve the goal, to lead a healthy lifestyle, to get rid of a constant sense of guilt. It is necessary to achieve the set result and appreciate it, every new achievement is an occasion for joy.

Prevention of burnout syndrome

One way to protect oneself from emotional exhaustion is to develop professionally and cultivate. Sharing information, experience with representatives of another service, is a good way to experience the world more widely (and not just within your own team). For this, there are now many ways: conferences, seminars, refresher courses, etc.

You need to learn how to avoid unnecessary competition. Sometimes there are situations in which the desire to win, by all means, generates a sense of anxiety, aggression, irritability, which causes the development of the burnout syndrome.

When communicating, when a person shares his feelings, experiences, the probability of emotional exhaustion is significantly reduced. Therefore, share with your loved ones, look for a way out of a difficult situation. After all, support and understanding of a loved one is a good prevention of emotional burnout.

To reduce the risk of development of the syndrome of professional exhaustion, it is necessary:

• if possible, correctly calculate and distribute loads
• be able to switch attention
• to relate more easily to emerging labor conflicts

Burnout syndrome is the result of the action of stress, strong, prolonged, severe. This disease can develop in any person, someone has more, someone has a lesser degree. To reduce risks of development, one must learn to get rid of negative emotions within oneself, it is impossible that they accumulate and burden us. Sooner or later, this will lead to a complete decline in strength, both physical and moral. The condition in the syndrome of emotional burnout sometimes comes to an extremely heavy one, which requires expert help from a specialist, taking medications. But in order not to bring yourself to this, you need to adjust yourself to a positive way, enjoy life, your own successes and achievements.