What is burnout, how to cope with it, and distinguish it from depression?

If in the morning you have a feeling of irritation and unwillingness to do anything, most likely you are faced with emotional burnout. This is a kind of syndrome resulting from chronic stress in the workplace that has not been managed.

Emotional burnout is directly related to constant activity: this is what distinguishes the syndrome from other emotional changes. To better understand the causes of this syndrome, we will examine its features in more detail in this article.

In many countries of the world, it is customary to work more than 8 hours a day and this is considered the norm. In Japan, for example, it is considered good form to work 10-15 hours a day and spend your whole life at work. Overtime is encouraged and considered the norm. In this regard, cases of death at the workplace are not uncommon – simply from processing. But taking a planned vacation or sick leave is considered bad manners.

In other countries, too, a tense situation, so more than half of the working employees worldwide experience burnout.

Causes of emotional burnout

All people sooner or later face some alarming signs. Most people who experience burnout are those who work in one place for a long time.

Among the reasons are the following:

● Unfair treatment at work;
● unmanaged load;
● Lack of clarity of roles;
● Lack of communication and support from superiors;
● Inadequate wages.

Constant deadlines and multitasking always lead to emotional burnout. Those who work in “helping” professions – doctors, psychologists, teachers, rescuers – are most affected by it. Or those who have a rescue complex – “the main thing is the life of another, but mine will wait.” We must not forget that work takes 80% of the time for most people.

How is burnout different from depression?

The syndrome of emotional burnout is similar in signs to the state of depression. But the difference is that burnout only manifests itself in relation to work (or any other permanent activity). Productivity falls on the background of complete indifference to the case. It is difficult for a person to concentrate, to gather strength. His usual way of life is collapsing, relations with others are deteriorating, and suffering is gnawing from a constant feeling of doom and loneliness. In depression, interest in all areas of life decreases.

Depression is considered a disease. With depression, a person has some symptoms similar to burnout, but emotional burnout is still not a disease, but a condition.

Three Types of Signs of Burnout

1. Emotional-psychological:

● indifference, indifference to what is happening;
● intolerance towards others, dissatisfaction with loved ones;
● nervousness, irascibility, irritability;
● disbelief in oneself, one’s strengths and capabilities;
● loss of motivation, the collapse of ideals, denial of moral standards;
● a feeling of worthlessness, frequent self-criticism, self-flagellation;
● constant bad, dreary mood, a feeling of loneliness.

2. Socio-behavioral:
   ● partial or complete loss of adaptive skills;
   ● low productivity, evasion of responsibility and obligations;
   ● a desire for loneliness, isolation, restriction of social contacts;
   ● an active expression of anger, envy, and a desire to blame other people for their problems.
3. Physical:
   ● fatigue, constant fatigue;
   ● muscle weakness, pain in the joints, lower back;
   ● decreased immunity;
   ● frequent migraines, dizziness, darkening in the eyes;
   ● sleep disturbance.

How to deal with burnout?

As with any treatment, a holistic approach is needed. According to the psychotherapist, it consists of several steps:

1. Recognize that you have the syndrome. When a person understands that activity, strength, and the meaning of life are lost, it becomes much easier for him to find new sources of energy and incentives.
2. Slow down the pace of activity – give up the desire to do everything at once. It is necessary to take breaks from work and arrange a day off at least once a week. Reward yourself for fulfilling your responsibilities. You can also get distracted by some entertainment that brings positive emotions – for example, you can try to bet on sports on the site sports betting Naija.
3. Do not accumulate negativity. For emotional relaxation, walking in the fresh air and playing sports are great. And to clear your mind, and get rid of negative experiences, you can use relaxation and meditation techniques.
4. Tell a friend or relative about your problems. Talking to another person helps to analyze all the facts and find the cause of the syndrome. If there is no such person, you can write down the experiences on a piece of paper.
5. Set priorities. Determine what is really important, and do the rest to the best of your ability and ability.

Remember that you need to pay attention to your emotional health because if you do not notice burnout syndromes in time, they can turn into depression – and then you will have to contact a specialist.