Burnout is one of the main symptoms of our time. It sometimes catches up with a person who is constantly in contact with society, and is expressed in the appearance of a state of exhaustion in him. In this case, we are talking about the loss of not only physical strength, but also psychological potential. People suffer from paralysis of feelings, becoming apathetic and withdrawn. At the same time, they cease to enjoy life.
To date, doctors have ascertained the fact that cases of burnout syndrome in people occur more often. And this concerns not only representatives of social professions, in which a similar state was often encountered earlier. Emotional burnout is also observed among workers in completely different spheres. Sometimes this condition overtakes a person in his personal life.
An increasingly turbulent time of psychological exhaustion is facilitated by our turbulent time, which is characterized by an increase in consumption and enjoyment in the form of entertainment, acceleration of scientific and technological progress and the emergence of new materialism. The era has come when man exploits himself and allows himself to exploit. That is why burnout syndrome can affect each of us.
Stages of psychological exhaustion
How does emotional burnout occur? In psychology, various descriptions exist for considering this process. Consider one of them. The German psychologist Matthias Burish proposed a description of four stages that gradually lead a person to moral exhaustion.
- In the first stage, people have a certain enthusiasm. They are driven by idealism and certain ideas. A person makes demands on himself that turn out to be exorbitant, outlining unrealistic plans for a week, a month, etc.
- In the second stage, exhaustion occurs. It manifests itself physically and emotionally, and is also expressed in bodily weakness.
- In the third stage, the body begins to show protective reactions. What happens to a person whose demands are constantly high? He begins to move away from relationships, which causes dehumanization. Such a reaction is a counteraction. It protects a person and does not allow exhaustion to become even stronger. Intuitively, an individual begins to realize that his body needs rest. That is why such a person does not seek to maintain social relations. Those of them that are mandatory begin to cause negative emotions in him. On the one hand, psychologists consider such a reaction as correct. However, the area in which it operates is not at all suitable for healing the body. A person needs to calmly accept the requirements that are presented to him. However, it is very difficult to get away from claims and requests at this stage.
- At the fourth stage, there is an increase in those reactions that arose at the previous stage of exhaustion. The terminal stage begins, which is called by Matthias Burish "disgust syndrome." Such a concept means the fact that a person no longer has any joy in life.
Levels of psychological exhaustion
Almost everyone felt the symptoms of burnout. Signs of exhaustion manifest themselves as a result of great stress. For example, after preparing for exams, working on a large-scale project, writing a dissertation, etc., if all this required a lot of effort or crisis situations arose.
For example, treatment of emotional burnout syndrome will be required for health workers who had to accept a large number of patients during the flu epidemic. The main signs of this condition are sleep disorder, irritability, lack of desire, decreased motivation, uncomfortable state.
This level of exhaustion is the most straightforward. Indeed, in this case only psychological and physiological exhaustion occurs. After the situation is over, the symptoms of emotional burnout disappear on their own, and treatment in such cases will consist only of allocating sleep time, playing sports and arranging holidays. The body of the person who will not replenish energy reserves through rest will switch to a mode that saves energy.
The methods used to diagnose emotional burnout are based on determining the levels or phases of this condition. After all, to determine the beginning of exhaustion, which will have further development, is not so simple. That is why psychologists conduct testing, with the help of which symptoms are diagnosed, and treatment of burnout can be started as quickly as possible.
The stages of psychological exhaustion have their own dynamics. At the initial stage of the pathological condition, only muffling of emotions occurs. This is manifested by the indifference of a person to everything around him. Some people become dissatisfied with themselves and their lives. At the physical level, the manifestation of the syndrome is accompanied by headaches. Cramps in the back and cramps also occur. Often exacerbated chronic diseases.
The second stage is characterized by a more active development of the disorder from the emotional side. That internal discomfort and discontent that a person has, he begins to reflect in external manifestations. They are usually angry and irritated. These negative emotions most often affect those people and colleagues with whom communication occurs during the day.
Of course, many patients by all means try to avoid the manifestation of aggression. To do this, they become isolated and cease to be active. However, this condition cannot last long. As a result, it proceeds to its third stage, when a person experiences physical and emotional exhaustion. He no longer has the strength to work, fulfill his daily duties, and also to communicate with people. Such a person becomes detached, resentful and rude. Sometimes he has a fear of communication.
With constant tension, the third level of burnout will go into the stage of frustration and turn into something more than exhaustion.
Causes
What causes emotional burnout? The reason for this condition lies in various areas, namely:
- In the individual psychological. In this case, a person has a desire to completely succumb to a state of stress.
- In the socio-psychological or social. There is pressure on the person from the outside. Work requirements, social norms, fashion trends, the spirit of the time, etc., begin to influence him. Such pressure sometimes has a hidden shape.
In addition, there are also subjective and objective reasons. The first of them include:
- workaholism;
- professional experience;
- desire for complete control;
- result orientation;
- idealized expectations of a person from work and life;
- character traits (neurotism, rigidity and anxiety), etc.
Among the objective factors distinguish:
- large information load;
- the presence of an irregular schedule;
- lack of necessary rest;
- constant criticism;
- high competition;
- monotony of work;
- lack of moral and material reward;
- unsatisfactory position in society and in the work collective, etc.
Clinical picture
Symptoms of burnout never occur suddenly. After all, such a disorder is distinguished by prolonged development, often having a hidden nature of the course.
What are the symptoms of the syndrome? All of them are conditionally divided into three categories:
- Psycho-emotional manifestations. This includes bad mood and lack of motivation, self-doubt and apathy. A person's behavior changes. He begins to complain about life, constantly avoids responsibility and utters jealous and malicious statements.
- Somatic manifestations. There is back pain and migraine, often dizziness occurs. Problems with appetite and sleep begin to torment, and excessive sweating also appears.
In its clinical picture, this condition is similar to depression. That is why only qualified physicians should deal with the treatment of emotional burnout syndrome, prescribing the necessary course after a thorough comprehensive diagnosis.
Risk groups
Most often, psychological exhaustion is observed in people of certain professions. Among them are teachers and doctors, social workers and psychologists, law enforcement officers and artists. People at the service sector are also at risk.
Doctors and medical staff
The most common cause of burnout is health workers. After all, every day they have to deal with patients requiring attention and care. To some extent, doctors take on the hopelessness and negativity that patients have. In addition, it is not easy to bear the burden of responsibility for the health and life of patients. This is the reason for the development of emotional burnout.
At teachers
Representatives of this profession also have a high level of spread of emotional exhaustion. Like a doctor, a teacher has a huge responsibility. The teacher needs to be an example to follow. He must admonish and educate children, while giving them knowledge. The teacher should be able not only to be among students, but also to maintain normal relations with his colleagues.
Teacher’s work is very emotional. Children are different, and each of them needs to find its own approach. In addition, the teacher must perform a large amount of work, often taking notebooks for inspection home. In addition to overtime hours, teachers are constantly under pressure from superiors. All this becomes the cause of emotional exhaustion of representatives of this profession.
Diagnostics
Treatment of burnout syndrome is undertaken only after determining the pathological condition. For this, the use of various techniques is possible. Over a long period of time, the determination of psychoemotional exhaustion was carried out using the MBI method. This technique is designed to determine the level of burnout of people of occupations such as "man-man." It was developed by American psychologists K. Maslach and S. Jackson. When applying this technique, the subject must answer 22 questions. An analysis of the data allows the specialist to find out which of the phases of emotional burnout is his patient. All answers are given in numbers. So, “0” will mean “never,” and “6” will mean “every day.”
In domestic practice, the diagnosis of emotional burnout is usually carried out according to the method developed by V.V. Smartly. With its help, the leading symptoms of psychological exhaustion are determined, and to what phase of its development they relate. The results of the studies allow us to give a fairly complete description of the personality, as well as assess the level of adequacy of the emotional state in emerging conflict situations. After that, it becomes possible to prescribe the most effective treatment for burnout.
Boyko’s methodology contains 84 judgments. With their help, it becomes possible to diagnose emotional burnout according to its three main symptoms, namely, stress, resistance and exhaustion. In this case, the specialist becomes clear:
- dominant symptoms;
- what causes emotional exhaustion;
- what symptoms are the most aggravating condition for a person;
- how to influence the existing environment in order to eliminate nervous tension;
- what is subject to correction in the behavior of the personality itself.
Treatment
Most often, a person does not pay attention to a condition in which psychological exhaustion takes place. That is why emotional burnout is not treated. The main mistake of a person at the same time is his desire to get together, to find strength in himself and to continue the work assigned for a while. Many of us simply do not think about the need for rest.
What will need to be done so that the syndrome does not receive its further development? To do this, you need to look fear in the eye and begin to treat emotional burnout, recognizing the fact of its existence. And first of all, you need to start with yourself, abandoning the endless pursuit of sometimes useless things. After all, it leads to psychological and physical exhaustion.
It is impossible to treat burnout syndrome without a fairly simple measure. It consists in performing work half as much as that which a person assigns himself daily. At the same time, every hour you need to relax, taking a ten-minute break. It is also worthwhile to take the time to calmly contemplate the results that have already been achieved.
To get rid of emotional exhaustion, you will need to increase your self-esteem. For this, a person needs to note the positive character traits that he has. You need to praise yourself even for the smallest exploits, constantly expressing gratitude for diligence and hard work. Psychologists also recommend introducing into your life a rule to encourage yourself every time you get a small result on the way to your goal.
Sometimes it is easier to cure burnout syndrome in the most radical way. For example, to resign from a hated organization, having found a job in a new, if not so “warm" place.
A good way to overcome the negative state is to gain new knowledge. For example, a person can start attending a foreign language course, start studying the most complex computer programs, or discover his vocal gift. In other words, it is recommended to try yourself in completely new directions and discover new talents in yourself. Do not be afraid to experiment, stopping your gaze at previously unexplored areas.
A mandatory component of therapy is the help of others. On the subject of his stressful state, a person should talk as much as possible with friends, with family members, as well as with a psychotherapist. Such tactics will reveal new professional and life goals, as well as find the strength in themselves to achieve them.
A person suffering from psychological exhaustion should find hobbies and activities outside work. After all, professional life should not be the only direction in life. You should go in for art, sports or choose an interesting hobby for yourself. It is also important to allow yourself to dream, listen to music, watch movies, read books.
In addition, it is used to get rid of burnout syndrome and medication. So, the state of anxiety and overstrain, insomnia and sleep disturbance eliminate drugs created on the basis of valerian. Medicinal plants with adaptive properties are also recommended. Their list includes: ginseng and lemongrass, aralia and zamaniha, pink rhodiola, eleutherococcus and some others.
In the most difficult situations, to get rid of psychological exhaustion, you will need to use the methods of psychotherapy. The patient, communicating with a specialist in conditions comfortable for him, will determine the cause of his condition. This will allow him to develop the right motivation to prevent the development of prolonged depression.
When the patient's condition worsens, when the pathology begins to become life-threatening, it is necessary to use medication for emotional burnout. It involves the appointment of anxiolytics, beta-blockers, antidepressants, nootropics, sleeping pills as a doctor. The treatment regimen is selected by specialists individually, taking into account clinical symptoms and taking into account the characteristics of the patient's condition.
Psychological Attrition Prevention
Not only treatment for burnout is required. Prevention to prevent this condition and its aggravation is extremely important for any person.
And for this, it will be necessary to carry out activities that are aimed at improving health and resolving difficult situations, which will prevent stressful situations and nervous breakdowns. Among them:
- balanced nutrition, including foods with a lot of proteins, minerals and vitamins;
- regular exercise;
- daily walks in the fresh air;
- sufficient rest;
- performance of all his official duties only during working hours;
- organization of a holiday with a radical change in activity;
- staying on vacation for at least two weeks during the year;
- conducting daily meditations and auto-trainings;
- setting priorities in their affairs and their strict observance;
- varied quality leisure activities with entertainment, travel, friendly meetings, etc.
If an emotional burnout syndrome occurs, treatment and prevention of this condition should be started by a person independently at the first stages of the development of a pathological condition. This will allow us not to wait for the complete decline of physical and moral strength, as well as boldly continue to walk through life, achieving our goals.