Home Pulpitis Symptoms of emotional burnout appear. How can representatives of medical professions get rid of burnout syndrome? Professional burnout syndrome among teachers

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Symptoms of emotional burnout appear. How can representatives of medical professions get rid of burnout syndrome? Professional burnout syndrome among teachers

Burnout syndrome – a concept that is increasingly mentioned by HR specialists and psychologists in the business environment. But in our country, not all specialists understand what it is and how to fight such a “disease”. In our Company, where the average employee experience is 6 years, the issue is very acute.

The above-mentioned syndrome is usually formed against the background of constant and irresistible stress. It leads to complete personal and emotional-energy exhaustion of the body. Usually accumulated negative emotions that an employee cannot allow to come out lead to this problem.

Experts divide emotional burnout into 3 stages. Which?

Within first stage syndrome, the employee suffers from excessive forgetfulness of details and trifles.

Example: An employee constantly loses an important idea, or may regularly forget whether he made the necessary entry in the document or asked the planned question.

This stage of emotional burnout can last from 3 to 5 years.

Second stage “illness” is a loss of interest in work and in communicating with both colleagues and loved ones.

Example: An employee may avoid contact with superiors or clients, and in the evenings withdraw from communication with friends or family members. Also often this person can work in the “the week is unbearably long” mode and literally wait for the weekend to start.

This stage of emotional burnout can last from 5 to 15 years.

Within third stage burnout syndrome, the employee demonstrates a complete loss of interest in work and life.

Example: An employee in the third stage demonstrates emotional indifference, a feeling of continuous loss of strength and loss of mental acuity. Usually such people strive for solitude. And all their contacts may be limited to interaction with pets and walks alone.

The duration of this stage can be up to 20 years.

It is also worth noting that all deadlines can be greatly shifted downward if the employee has a specialization that is most susceptible to emotional burnout.

Which employees should be given special attention?

Emotional burnout primarily affects people who, within the framework of their labor activity obliged to permanent basis contact with other people (mostly strangers). Professions at risk include: managers, sales or client managers, human resources specialist (recruiters), teachers, social and medical workers, and government employees.

The hardest thing is for introverted people - they “burn out” the fastest. Their psychological characteristics absolutely not suitable for constant communicative contacts with people.

It is worth noting that emotional burnout can also affect people who constantly experience internal conflict within the framework of their professional activities. A great example is women who are torn between jobs.

Workers over 45 years of age are also at risk, as they usually worry that if they are unexpectedly laid off, they will not be able to find a new job.

Ecology and life in big city– also one of the possible catalysts for problems with burnout syndrome.

Is it possible to protect an employee from burnout syndrome? Prevention.

Like any other disease, burnout syndrome can be prevented. What advice can you give to employees who are at risk?

First, you need to truly love yourself and try to develop sympathy for your personality.

Secondly, employees need to choose a profession that they “like.” HR managers should remember this when recruiting personnel and placing employees on vacant staff positions.

Third, it is important to look for interest and benefit in all tasks that the employee performs.

Fourthly, you need to stop living for other people and concentrate on your own life.

Fifthly, the integration of lifestyles must be observed.

Sixthly, you need to look for an opportunity to soberly comprehend the events of the past day. Summing up daily results is fine.

Emotional burnout syndrome has been identified. How to treat it?

At Major Cargo Service Company, we divide work with burnout syndrome into 2 stages: “treatment” of an employee after the initial detection of the syndrome for six months and work with an employee whose manifestation of the syndrome remains at the same level or increases despite the measures taken.

To begin with, we, of course, give feedback to the manager. Then there is a meeting with the employee himself. During these meetings, it becomes clear possible reasons the occurrence of the disease and ways out of the current situation.

The most useful statistical tool is career employee (and often quite horizontal), involving him in work on a new project and, oddly enough, regularly holding basic meetings with the manager.

Use time-outs (5 minutes after an hour of work), change (if necessary) the schedule, monitor going on vacation in accordance with the vacation schedule.
Try to limit the number of face-to-face meetings per day (no more than 2 meetings per day).
Avoiding unnecessary competition and excessive desire to win creates anxiety and makes a person aggressive.
Mastering self-regulation skills (relaxation, ideomotor acts, goal setting and positive inner speech helps reduce stress levels, leading to burnout).
Professional development and self-improvement (one of the ways to protect against SEV is the exchange of professional information with representatives of other services, which gives a feeling of a wider world than the one that exists within a separate team, for this there are various ways- advanced training courses, conferences, etc.).
Emotional communication (when a person analyzes his feelings and shares them with others, the likelihood of burnout is significantly reduced or this process is not so pronounced).
Maintaining good physical shape.
Try to calculate and deliberately distribute your loads.
Learn to switch from one type of activity to another.
Easier to deal with conflicts at work.
Don't try to be the best always and in everything.

It is important to remember that there is no single panacea for burnout syndrome. Despite the fact that this problem is more than solvable, this very solution needs to be addressed purposefully. Any person needs to stop from time to time to realize what he is doing in this moment, where it is going and what it is striving for. By looking at your activities from the outside, there is a chance to see many new opportunities.

is a complex of symptoms characterized by a gradual loss of emotional involvement in activities, an increase in mental and physical fatigue, and personal detachment from the content of work. Manifested by indifference to work, formal performance job responsibilities, negativism towards colleagues, clients, patients, neurotic and psychosomatic disorders. Diagnosis of the syndrome is carried out by psychologists and psychiatrists, using the conversation method, as well as a number of specific questionnaires. Treatment is carried out using psychotherapy methods.

ICD-10

Z73.0 Overwork

General information

The concept of “emotional burnout syndrome” was introduced into psychology by the American psychiatrist G. Freudenberger in 1974. Synonymous names: emotional burnout, burnout, mental burnout, professional burnout. The syndrome affects specialists whose work involves constant deep interaction with people. At risk are doctors, psychologists, teachers, lecturers, social workers, rescuers, law enforcement officers. The prevalence of SEV among such specialists reaches 80-90%. Emotional burnout It is more often detected in workers whose work experience exceeds 10 years. There is a gender predisposition; women predominate among patients.

Causes

Factors contributing to the development of SEV are being actively studied by clinical and social psychologists, psychiatrists, and human resources specialists. It has been established that the leading role is played by psychological characteristics and general state human health, content and organization of the labor process. The causes of emotional burnout can be divided into three groups:

Personal. Lack of motivation to perform activities may be due to unvalued work and lack of autonomy (freedom of action). People who are more likely to burn out emotionally are those who are prone to empathy, display humanity, are passionate, empathetic, and obsessed with obsessive ideas.
Organizational. The likelihood of developing the syndrome increases in the absence of clear responsibilities and fair distribution of responsibilities. Often, there is increased conflict and competition in teams, joint efforts are not coordinated, there is a shortage of time and/or material resources, and successful results are rarely achieved.
Meaningful. Burnout syndrome is promoted by intense psycho-emotional activity. It includes different kinds personal interaction, processing and interpretation of complex information, decision making, responsibility for the result. A special group includes a difficult contingent with whom it is necessary to work - seriously ill people, offenders, conflict clients.

Pathogenesis

Emotional burnout is usually associated with certain professions, but housewives, young mothers, creative personalities. The pathogenetic mechanisms partially coincide with those during the development of stress; the body experiences constant, prolonged exposure to unfavorable factors. At the first stage, the resistance phase unfolds - physiological and psychological reserves are used (the level of activation of the central nervous system, the production of hormones changes), the person feels tension, but successfully copes with it. Interest and job satisfaction are maintained.

The second stage is the exhaustion phase. The body's ability to withstand stress is lost, negative factors(organizational, content, personal) lead to disorders at the physiological and psychological level. Motivation and interest in activities decrease, depressed mood and irritability increase. At the third stage, exhaustion is manifested by persistent emotional and somatic disorders: depression develops, worsening chronic diseases, new diseases arise on a psychosomatic basis.

Classification

SEV is considered by researchers as a multicomponent and step-by-step process. Classifications based on the components of the syndrome describe in detail its clinical picture. Process models consider the dynamics of the development of burnout through an increase in emotional exhaustion, as a result of which negative attitudes are formed in relation to subjects of activity and work. Among the theories that distinguish the stages of the syndrome, J. Greenberg’s five-stage classification is widely known:

Honeymoon. The attitude towards work is positive, enthusiasm and passion dominate. Stress factors do not cause tension.
Lack of fuel. Fatigue accumulates and apathy increases. Without additional stimulation and increased motivation, productivity decreases.
Chronic process. Developing increased irritability, a feeling of depression, job dissatisfaction worsens, thoughts about the futility of the future appear. Constant fatigue gives way to physical ailments.
A crisis. Health deteriorates, chronic diseases arise, partially or completely reducing performance. Depression, dissatisfaction with the quality of life, and personal productivity are increasing.
Punching through the wall. Somatic and mental disorders worsen and can become life threatening. Disadaptation is formed in the professional sphere, family, and friendships.

Symptoms of emotional burnout

Mental burnout syndrome manifests itself as a reaction to prolonged stress followed by depression, while the symptoms are associated with the world of work and professional activity. The basic triad of manifestations is a feeling of indifference and mental exhaustion, dehumanization, and a negative perception of oneself as a specialist. At the emotional-volitional level, indifference to work processes, uncertainty in one’s own competence (strength, skills, knowledge), destruction of personal ideals, loss of professional motivation, irritability, dissatisfaction, Bad mood. Depending on the stage of SEV, these signs appear sometimes and only in work time or appear constantly, spreading to family and friendly relationships.

At the socio-behavioral level, the desire for isolation is determined: contacts with others are reduced to a minimum and limited to immediate responsibilities - serving patients and clients. Initiative and enthusiasm are noticeably reduced. A person seeks to avoid situations of decision-making and responsibility. In case of failures, he tends to blame others (bosses, the system). Often expresses dissatisfaction with the workload, pay, and organization of working conditions. Pessimistic forecasts predominate in judgments. Attempts to “escape” from reality are realized through alcohol abuse, use narcotic drugs, binge eating.

Physical manifestations of SEW include chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, lethargy, frequent headaches, sleep disturbances, appetite disturbances, susceptibility to infections (decreased immunity), changes blood pressure, dizziness, bouts of sweating or chills, darkening of the eyes, aching pain in the joints, especially in the back area. A person has great difficulty waking up in the morning, is reluctant to go to work, takes a long time to “get involved” in the work process, and increases the duration and frequency of breaks. He does not have time to complete tasks on time, as a result, he extends the work day until late in the evening, and transfers the completion of tasks home. This regime only strengthens the CMEA, depriving one of normal rest.

Complications

On late stages emotional burnout becomes more complicated psychosomatic diseases and depression. The development of complications that interfere with the performance of professional duties is typical. Among the most common are seasonal infections (ARVI, tonsillitis, influenza), migraines, arterial hypertension, osteochondrosis. Diseases become a kind of subconscious defense mechanism, provide a break, rest from the main activity. Depression occurs due to dissatisfaction with work, a feeling of one’s own “uselessness”. It reduces performance and leads to maladjustment at work and in the family.

Diagnostics

The need to diagnose SEV is recognized by patients at late stages When somatic disorders appear, depression and irritability become pronounced, and professional and family maladjustment increases. The examination is carried out by a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist. Clinical and psychodiagnostic methods are used:

Survey. In a conversation with a patient, the doctor draws attention to the presence of three key features SEV: exhaustion, personal detachment, feeling of loss of self-efficacy. All symptoms reflect changes in leading activities - professional, everyday, educational, creative.
Specific psychodiagnostics. Standardized methods for detecting SEV are questionnaires. The most common use of the MBI test (Maslach Burnout Inventory), questionnaires of emotional burnout by V.V. Boyko and E.P. Ilyin. The results reflect the severity of symptoms, the risk of maladjustment, and the stage of the exhaustion process.
General psychodiagnostics. Additionally, a study of the patient’s emotional and personal sphere is carried out. A broader look at existing deviations allows us to determine the level of depression, anxiety, the severity of psychosomatic disorders, and the risk of aggressive and auto-aggressive behavior. Complex methods of personality research are used (SMIL, Eysenck questionnaire, color choice method).

Treatment of burnout syndrome

To eliminate emotional burnout, you need the help of a psychologist, psychotherapist, support from family and colleagues. An important role is played by the patient’s motivation - willingness to change habits, rest and work patterns, assessment of oneself and one’s work. To achieve lasting results, an integrated psycho-medical-social approach is important, which includes:

Psychotherapy. The sessions are aimed at changing the patient’s personal attitudes regarding professional activities, developing motivation and interest in work, and the ability to allocate resources (time, energy) to various areas of life. Psychotherapy is carried out in the form of conversations, exercises, and homework.
. The drugs are selected individually by the psychiatrist, the treatment regimen depends on clinical picture. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives and herbal stimulants are often prescribed.
General strengthening measures. Patients are advised to adhere to the following daily regimen: good sleep at night, regular moderate physical exercise, proper diet. To restore efficiency, a massage course and sanatorium treatment are recommended.

Prognosis and prevention

With timely diagnosis and treatment, burnout syndrome has a favorable prognosis. Its manifestations respond well to psychotherapeutic and drug correction. Since SEW is based on physical and mental exhaustion, prevention should be aimed at improving health and developing skills to cope with stress. It is necessary to set aside time for rest every day, not to transfer work tasks to the weekend, to use methods of psychological relief - sports, outdoor games, creative activities, hobbies. For supporting physical health it is important to adhere to proper nutrition (sufficient in calories, rich in vitamins, microelements), walk or work fresh air, sleep at least 7-8 hours a day.

A person who constantly has to be in contact with society, listen to complaints and solve the problems of other people, gradually depletes his physical and psychological resources. He experiences regular stress, which causes him to become apathetic and withdrawn. A tired body turns on a defensive reaction, and burnout syndrome occurs. Many people mistakenly associate this concept only in the professional sphere, however, emotional exhaustion can affect absolutely any person. How to cope with emotional burnout, what can it lead to, and most importantly, how to avoid it?

Phases of burnout syndrome

Emotional burnout was studied in detail only in the 20th century and was included in the ICD-10 list, in the category of factors influencing the health of the population, code Z73.0. Conditionally emotional burnout syndrome V.V. Boyko divided it into three phases:

voltage;
resistance or resistance;
exhaustion.

At the initial stage, feelings are slightly dulled. Acquaintances who complain about life do not evoke sympathy or desire to help. Work ceases to bring pleasure, symptoms of depression appear: melancholy, feeling, boredom and devastation. A person is constantly visited by thoughts that he is useless to society and perhaps he needs to start doing something different in life. He scolds himself, looks for flaws, does not understand how to get out of the current situation.

With the onset of the second phase, the exhausted body fiercely resists the cause of stress. At the stage of resistance, hostility gradually spreads to colleagues, superiors, acquaintances and strangers with whom you have to communicate. Constant stress destroys the psyche, so the brain switches to energy-saving mode. The ability to empathize is turned off. There is a desire to hide away from people.

At the third stage of emotional burnout, a person turns into an emotionless machine with a blank look and complete absence emotions. He loses professional skills and the desire to do anything at all, even for his children, and is on the verge of a heart attack or stroke.

Symptoms of emotional burnout

Mental burnout syndrome never strikes a person suddenly. Before the manifestations of the disorder become clearly noticeable, the increase in tension may remain hidden for a long time. By what signs can one recognize emotional burnout of a person? All symptoms can be divided into the following types:

Psycho-emotional manifestations: bad mood, manifestation of dissatisfaction and harshness towards relatives, lack of motivation, doubt in one’s abilities, apathetic attitude towards what is happening, lack of empathy in relation to others.
Behavior Changes: the habit of talking about gloomy prospects, complaining about one’s life, regular angry, envious and accusatory statements, avoiding communication and responsibility.
Somatic manifestations: painful sensations in the back area, dizziness, migraine, problems with sleep and appetite, excessive sweating, feeling of lethargy and chronic fatigue.

D. Greenberg believed that the symptoms of emotional burnout manifest themselves in five stages. For most men and women, it all starts with energy levels gradually decreasing due to chronic stress.

Next, there is a loss of enthusiasm for usual activities and an increasing feeling of fatigue. Apathy is accompanied by sleep disturbances and decreased performance. Increased fatigue provokes a desire to step away from your direct responsibilities.

In the third stage, irritability and fatigue become chronic. It is difficult for a person to concentrate on the task at hand, so he does everything slowly and with extra effort.

At the next stage, symptoms such as depression and decreased immunity appear. Against the background of all the symptoms, old diseases worsen and new ones appear.

At the fifth stage, the patient experiences chronic pathologies, some psychological disorders and emotional instability, thinking is inhibited and the ability to remember deteriorates. Some patients try to improve their emotional well-being with alcohol or drugs. They lose their appetite, feel lonely and abandoned, even despite the presence of a loved one, children or friends nearby. If at this stage you do not seek help from a psychologist and do not begin treatment, destruction of the body and psyche can lead to a suicide attempt.

Features of emotional burnout in the family

If the emotional burnout of employees is regularly discussed and studied, then parents try not to notice or ignore the signs of such a problem. Society constantly places a lot of demands on mothers. They are obliged not only to care for the child, but also to serve their husband, take care of their own attractiveness and not forget about the existence of such a thing as personal growth. They are trying to turn mom into an ideal cook, nanny and housewife, and when she tries to complain about being in a bad mood or tired, they are recommended to pull herself together and not become limp.

Constant pressure causes protest and indignation among parents. At the same time, they begin to compare the child with a burden that prevents them from enjoying life. Misunderstandings and scandals arise in the family, which only worsen the situation. Regular stress and social influences have a negative impact on psychological well-being parents. They consider themselves terrible and incompetent, unable to raise a self-sufficient person.

Mothers who have emotional burnout syndrome cease to feel love and tenderness towards their child. They automatically do developmental exercises with the baby, feed him and take him for walks, but do not enjoy it. Family burnout is no less dangerous than professional burnout. If a person, tired of society, can quit or go on vacation, then parents do not have such an opportunity.

Why you can't ignore the problem

Social influence leads to mothers turning a blind eye to their fatigue and its causes. Many mothers do not find support in their family or friends. Relatives think so psychological condition normal, ignoring signs of a serious problem, the consequences of which can be quite sad.

Sometimes emotional burnout syndrome, which reduces empathy for the child, pushes mothers to terrible and tragic actions. Mothers take out negative feelings on their children by using physical or psychological abuse. Such displays of emotion make the child nervous and lower his self-esteem.

Mothers locked within four walls with their babies experience extreme stress. They were forced to trade professional well-being and personal growth for diapers and nappies. The child is constantly crying, problems are emerging in the relationship with her husband, the woman is deprived of communication and rest. Constant Groundhog Day depresses and unsettles you, and there is no way out of the situation in sight. And if emotional burnout is complemented by financial difficulties, then such parents have terrible thoughts in their heads.

Sometimes, a family tragedy that seems incredible at first glance is only a consequence of emotional burnout, and it could have been avoided if the parents had been heard and helped to sort out the relationship.

Factors in the development of burnout syndrome

Psychologists name the main factors in the manifestation of symptoms of emotional burnout. These include:

busy work schedule, low pay, pressure from management;
desire for perfectionism;
increased responsibility, sacrifice, daydreaming;
unfounded criticism, feeling of uselessness, underappreciation;
monotonous, too boring and routine work, monotonous everyday tasks;
abuse of alcohol and other stimulants

Workaholics are at risk creative people, mothers on maternity leave, those caring for seriously ill relatives, people forced to do jobs they don’t like, parents of children with pathologies. The cause of the syndrome can be any hostile environment and the inability to be alone.

Sometimes the problem of emotional burnout is a consequence of pessimism, the desire to control the situation and the actions of other people, and a reluctance to accept help from outsiders. Pedantic individuals or overly sensitive and responsive individuals who strive to help everyone around them are prone to developing the syndrome.

The phenomenon of emotional burnout affects all segments of the population and age groups . This problem not only worsens the quality of life and reduces a person’s performance, but can also lead to loss of health or life. Therefore, at the first symptoms, you should contact a psychotherapist for treatment and fight the syndrome in all possible ways.

Preventing emotional burnout

The relevance of preventing such conditions is difficult to overestimate. Many men and women every year turn to psychologists and psychotherapists with emotional exhaustion. Despite the fact that mental burnout syndrome is very similar to symptoms of depression, getting rid of it is much easier than getting rid of it. depressive disorder. Treatment usually consists of psychotherapeutic consultations and organization preventive measures to prevent history from repeating itself. During the treatment process, the specialist will diagnose the causes of emotional burnout, help you draw up a plan to combat the syndrome, and give individual recommendations on how to quickly get rid of the signs of the disorder. What you need to do first is to get into the habit of taking pleasant breaks from your daily and professional activities and relaxation exercises. This is true for both the young mother and professional worker, and for parents of problem children, and for women housewives.

By periodically making time for pleasant things and relaxation exercises, you can maintain energy balance and interest in life. To overcome tension, perform simple breathing and physical exercise. If you are in doubt about the choice of exercises, consult your doctor. Remember that preventing burnout syndrome is much easier than fighting it later.

The recommendations are very simple: give up unnecessary things, do them first important tasks, clear your head of dark thoughts, observe healthy sleep, daily routine and diet, do physical exercise, walk, spend time with loved ones, but for the mother, on the contrary, it is important to periodically take a break from the children.

The well-known expression “burned out at work” is not a fiction, but a very real phenomenon, which in psychology is called emotional burnout (mental burnout syndrome, combustion, professional burnout). This is an independent condition (not a symptom of any disorder), characterized by chronic fatigue, indifference to work, oneself and other people, a feeling of emptiness that arose against the background of the persistent stressful influence of work.

The first studies and notes on a decrease in psychostability and performance, refusal to perform actions in demanding situations caused by lasting influence stress, belong to the American psychologist Richard Lazarus and the Canadian doctor Hans Selye.

The terms “burnout” and “mental burnout” were introduced by the American psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. Then the author thus characterized all employees experiencing chronic stress, provoked by abundant and highly emotional communication with clients, or in areas with increased emotional stress and responsibility.

At the same time, only doctors and social workers were classified as such professions, but soon this list became much wider:

policemen,
prison guards,
security guards,
military,
doctors,
social workers,
politicians,
lawyers,
managers,
sellers.

Thus, emotional burnout refers to the depletion of physical, psychological (emotional) and intellectual strength. And in modern thinking, the risk group includes all professions where you have daily contact with many other people:

teachers of all spheres and levels of education;
doctors and medical staff;
psychologists and psychiatrists;
social workers;
veterinarians;
employees of law enforcement agencies and the penitentiary system;
trainers;
judges;
employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations;
security guards;
customs officers;
managers and agents;
athletes;
operators;
drivers;
pharmacists;
artists;
other professions of the “person-to-person” type.

The structure of emotional burnout

Emotional burnout includes 3 components: emotional exhaustion, cynicism and simplification of achievements (personal and professional). Let's look at each element in more detail.

Emotional exhaustion

This feeling:

eternal fatigue;
dissatisfaction;
emptiness in relation to work and, as a rule, other areas of life.

If work takes up the bulk of an adult’s time, then it is logical that it is the fundamental basis of a person’s relationship to the whole world. If , then it disappears in other areas as well. Develops over time complete apathy and, of course, cynicism.

Cynicism

Depersonalization, or a cynical attitude towards everything that happens, is another characteristic element of emotional burnout. If we say that burnout is more common in social professions, then in this context cynicism implies:

immoral, inhumane, indifferent attitude towards clients;
transfer of relations from subject-subject to subject-object.

Suffice it to recall the angry women sitting in the windows of public service institutions, doctors who always have no time and “they gave a prescription, what else is needed.” All these are signs of emotional burnout and, one might say, hatred of work.

Reduction of achievements

Reduction – simplification (from complex to simple). But this is not so much about a decrease in productivity, but about personal and professional depreciation. The specialist does not feel his competence, but feels failure in the professional field. This reduces self-esteem.

Modern consideration of the problem

Although it is still customary to primarily consider burnout in social sphere, but science has proven that this can happen in any profession, although “human-to-human” work remains the main risk group.

In modern thinking, emotional burnout is interpreted as a professional crisis in any work activity. It is connected with the person himself, and not with interpersonal relationships within the framework of work.

Then the components of the burnout structure change:

exhaustion remains the same, but the risk is greater;
cynicism extends to the attitude towards the activity itself, its product (quality suffers);
reduction is replaced by professional efficiency (the performance of work is simplified).

Signs of burnout

Professional mental burnout makes itself felt through:

increasing negative attitudes of a person towards work, himself and colleagues (clients);
decreased self-esteem (personal and professional);
feelings of inadequacy;
loss of valuables;
formalities in relations with clients and colleagues;
cruelty towards clients (colleagues), which first manifests itself in internal irritation, hostility, hidden, but gradually comes out through immoral acts and open aggression.

The leading symptom is a feeling of exhaustion, which first makes itself felt by fatigue, deterioration of health (possible frequent illnesses or rises in temperature), but gradually exhaustion causes anxiety and tension throughout the entire body and makes itself felt in several directions:

somatics (weakness, decreased immunity, sleep disturbances, stool disorders, headaches, other individual reactions);
psyche (irritability and apathy, loss of desires, interests and inability to rejoice);
the highest level, or noetic (devaluation of oneself and the world, withdrawal from communication, work, reality).

The long-term influence of these emotions causes a general depressed emotional background. Then he begins to dictate the rules of life (perception of the world and himself). A person is overtaken by an existential (mental) crisis and emptiness (frustration). The feeling of meaninglessness grows like a weed: it creeps from work to everyday life, leisure, family, and personal life.

As a result, if the condition is not corrected, the person will be lost and thrown overboard of life. It will exist, complexes, syndromes and grow. They often join. In order not to bring the situation to such a peak, it is important to identify combustion syndrome in time and begin to correct it and further prevent it.

Joseph Greenberg developed a theory of burnout progression based on symptom severity. There are 5 stages in total:

"Honeymoon". No matter how stressful the job, a person is driven by enthusiasm. But the longer a person works under such conditions, the lower his energy reserve becomes. Gradually interest and passion disappear.
"Lack of fuel." The first signs of exhaustion appear: apathy, fatigue, sleep disturbances. If there are no additional incentives and motives, then a person will very soon completely lose interest in work. Efficiency and productivity decrease, violations of discipline or failure to fulfill duties are noted. If there are additional incentives, then the person will continue to work with the same productivity, but internally this will affect his well-being and health.
"Chronic symptoms." Irritability, anger, depression, fatigue, pain are the consequences of workaholism and stressful work. Often a person at this stage feels as if he is “in a cage” and suffers from a lack of time and energy.
"A crisis". Dissatisfaction with oneself and life intensifies (as do other symptoms), health noticeably weakens, and diseases arise that limit performance.
"Breaking through the wall." In the life of a burnt person, many problems accumulate in various areas, and life-threatening diseases often arise. If a person consciously cannot leave a job that is killing him, then the subconscious will make it so that he cannot physically work there.

T. I. Ronginskaya, who devoted a lot of research to the issue of burnout, identified 6 phases of symptom development:

Feeling tired and insomnia, preceded by excessive activity and a feeling of being indispensable at work.
Reduced personal involvement in relationships with colleagues and clients with increased demands on others.
The emergence of signs of depression or aggression.
Destructive and noticeable changes (decreased concentration and rigidity of thinking, weakness of imagination), motivation (lack of initiative), (avoidance and passivity).
Any and addictions (dependence).
Despair and disappointment in life, a feeling of helplessness.

Psychologist Viktor Boyko considered symptoms in 3 stages: tension, resistance, exhaustion.

On the stage nervous tension there is anxiety, dissatisfaction with oneself, a feeling of being “caged,” anxiety and depression.
At the stage of resistance, there is an inadequate selective emotional response (perceived from the outside as disrespect), emotional and moral confusion, expansion of the zone of emotional economy (a person is restrained in emotions not only at work, but also at home), reduction (avoidance of responsibilities that require high emotional dedication) .
Exhaustion is manifested by a feeling of emotional deficiency (a person himself does not feel able to empathize, to enter into someone else’s position), complete emotional indifference (neither positive nor negative events affect him), weakened mental and physical health, psychosomatics and depersonalization.

Transformation into a “robot” is the most dangerous and clear symptom burnout, which is also a sign of professional personality deformations. And this is not even a violation, but taken to the point of absurdity.

Types of burnout

There are 4 types of burnout based on their structure: one-factor, two-factor, three-factor, four-factor.

Single factor burnout

The main factor is exhaustion (emotional, cognitive, physical). The remaining components (depersonalization and reduction) are a consequence. All professions are susceptible to this type of burnout, not just social ones.

Two-factor burnout

The influence is exerted by exhaustion (affective factor) and depersonalization (attitude factor). This type is more typical social professions, but not necessarily (if depersonalization occurs in relation to the person himself, and not others).

Three-factor burnout

All three factors have an influence (exhaustion, depersonalization, devaluation). Exhaustion is manifested by a reduced emotional background, oversaturation of contacts or indifference. Depersonalization can manifest itself in two ways: dependency in relationships or negativism and cynicism. Devaluation is reflected either in professional self-esteem or in personal feelings self-esteem. This type of burnout is typical of social professions.

Four-factor burnout

With this type, any factor (exhaustion, depersonalization, reduction) is divided into two more. For example, there is an immediate devaluation of the subject of labor and clients.

Afterword

Mental burnout is a long process, at the beginning of which a person strives to “squeeze all the juices out of himself” and find new resources. But in fact, irritation, dissatisfaction, anxiety, frustration, depression only increase, and then exhaustion, depersonalization and reduction come.

Interestingly, not only personality traits influence the development of burnout, but burnout also causes changes in personality. Due to adaptive but different from social norms In the behavior of a burnt-out person, professional deformations arise. This is a variant of self-justification of the individual, resolution of the existing contradiction. Occupational deformations are the result of restructuring and the appearance of neoplasms.

Read more about deformations in the article. And about the causes of emotional burnout in the article.

Burnout syndrome: signs, symptoms, causes and strategies for solving the problem

If you feel constantly stressed, frustrated, helpless and completely out of control, then you can assume that you are in a state of emotional burnout. Problems seem insurmountable to you, everything looks gloomy and it is very difficult for you to find the strength to get out of this state. The detachment that comes from burnout can jeopardize your relationships, your work, and ultimately your health. But burnout can be healed. You can restore your balance of power by re-evaluating priorities and taking time for yourself and seeking support.

What is burnout syndrome?

(SEW) is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by chronic stress, most often at work. You feel overwhelmed and unable to meet your constant needs. As stress continues, you begin to lose interest in everything. Most often, people who work in the “person-to-person” system are susceptible to burnout: preschool teachers, teachers, lecturers, doctors, social workers, etc.

Burnout syndrome reduces your productivity and energy, leaving you feeling helpless, hopeless, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you can't do anything anymore, you don't have enough strength for anything.

Most of us have days when we feel overworked or underappreciated; when we do a dozen things and no one notices, let alone rewards; we drag ourselves out of bed, making great efforts to go to work. If you feel this way more and more often, you are experiencing burnout.

You are confidently moving towards burnout if:

every day brings negativity into your life;
caring about your work, personal or family life seems like a waste of time;
You spend the bulk of your day on tasks that you find mind-numbing, dull, and overwhelming;
you feel that nothing makes you happy anymore;
you have exhausted yourself.

The negative consequences of burnout begin to take over more and more areas of your life, including family and social. Burnout syndrome can also lead to long-term changes in your body that make you more vulnerable to various diseases. Due to the possible numerous negative consequences When it comes to burnout, it’s important to start fighting it right away, without waiting for it to happen.

How to deal with burnout?

Watch out for warning signs of burnout and don’t ignore them;
Learn to manage stress and seek support from family and friends;
Develop resistance to stress, take care of your emotional and physical health.

Causes of burnout

There are many causes of burnout. In many cases, burnout is work related. Anyone who is constantly overworked or feels underappreciated is at risk for burnout. This may apply to the hard-working office worker who hasn't had a vacation or promotion in two years, or to the person exhausted from caring for an ailing, elderly parent. There may be various other options.

But burnout is not caused solely by stressful work or too many responsibilities. Other factors that contribute to burnout may include certain traits of your character and your lifestyle, how you spend your time during forced inactivity, and through what eyes you look at the world. All this can also play a big role in the occurrence of burnout both at work and when performing household duties.

Possible causes of work-related burnout:

weak control over the work performed or its absence;
lack of recognition and reward for good work;
unclear, vague or overly responsible work;
performing monotonous and primitive work;
chaotic operation or high environmental pressure.

Lifestyle as a cause of burnout:

too much work with no time for communication and relaxation;
excessive responsibilities without sufficient help from others;
lack of sleep;
lack of family and friends or support from them.

Personality traits that contribute to burnout:

perfectionism;
pessimism;
the desire to keep everything under control;
reluctance to delegate one's responsibilities to others;
Type A personality.

Warning signs and symptoms of burnout

Burnout occurs gradually over a period of time long period time. It does not come unexpectedly, overnight. If you don't pay attention to the warning signs of burnout, it will certainly happen. These signs are not noticeable at first, but they get worse over time. Remember that the early signs of burnout are warning signs or red flags that tell you that something is wrong and that action needs to be taken to prevent relapse. If you ignore them, you will eventually suffer from burnout.

Physical signs and symptoms of burnout
Feeling tired, exhausted, dizzy, weight changes	Frequent headaches, dizziness, back and muscle pain
Decreased immunity, feeling unwell, excessive sweating, trembling	Problems with appetite and sleep, cardiovascular diseases
Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout
Feelings of failure and self-doubt, indifference, exhaustion and fatigue	Loss of motivation and professional prospects, negative perception of one’s professional training
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, emotional exhaustion, loss of ideals and hopes, hysteria	Increasingly, a cynical and negative forecast is made, other people become faceless and indifferent (dehumanization)
Detachment, loneliness, depression and guilt	Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment, mental distress
Behavioral signs and symptoms of burnout
Avoidance of responsibility, impulsive emotional behavior	Using food, drugs or alcohol to cope
Social self-isolation	Transferring your troubles to others
Individual jobs require more time than before	Working more than 45 hours a week, insufficient physical activity

How can emotions reduce stress?Preventing Burnout

If you recognize the warning signs of impending burnout in yourself, you can get out of it faster. Remember that your condition will worsen even more if you let them out of your sight and leave everything as it was. But if you take steps to bring balance into your life, you can prevent burnout from becoming a full-blown breakdown.

Tips for Preventing Burnout

Develop a specific relaxing ritual for yourself. For example, as soon as you wake up, get out of bed immediately. Do meditation for at least fifteen minutes. Read something that inspires you. Listen to your favorite music.
Eat healthy foods and exercise. When you eat right and exercise regularly physical activity and get plenty of rest, you will have higher energy and resilience to life's troubles and demands.
There is no need to play along with anyone. If you do not agree with something, then firmly answer “no”; if you agree, answer “yes”. Believe me, it's not difficult. Don't overexert yourself.
Give yourself a daily technology break. Set a time when you can completely switch off. Leave your laptop, phone, social media, email. Analyze the past day, pay more attention to the positive aspects.
Support your creativity. It is the powerful antidote that will help you fight burnout. Create some new interesting project, come up with a new hobby, etc.
Use stress prevention techniques. If you're on the path to burnout, try to prevent stress by using meditation techniques, taking breaks from work, writing down your thoughts in a journal, taking up hobbies and other activities that have nothing to do with your work.

How to recover from burnout?

First, you should check whether you actually have a diagnosis of burnout syndrome. SEV is often misdiagnosed. In reality, there may be either more subtle symptoms of stress or more severe illness, such as depressive episodes. You can either consult your doctor or test yourself using a checklist. You can find it on the Internet.

Secondly, when you decide that you are suffering from burnout, you should begin treatment immediately, as it can become chronic. You need to take burnout very seriously. Continuing to work as before, forgetting about fatigue, means causing further emotional and physical damage and aggravating your condition, from which it will be very difficult to get out of it in the future. Here are just a few strategies for recovering from burnout.

Recovery Strategy #1: Slow Down

If the final stage of burnout has arrived, try to look with new eyes at everything that brought you to this state. Think and take care of your health. You must reconsider your attitude towards your work and personal life, force yourself to consider the possibility of taking a break from work and healing.

Recovery Strategy #2: Get Support

When you're burned out, the natural tendency is to isolate yourself in order to protect your remaining energy. This is a step in the wrong direction. During these difficult times, your friends and family are more important to you than ever. Contact them for support. Just share your feelings with them, it may make your situation a little easier.

Recovery Strategy #3: Reassess Your Goals and Priorities

If you've reached the stage of burnout, it's likely that something in your life is going wrong. Analyze everything, reassess values. You must properly respond to warning signs as an opportunity to reconsider your current life. Take time to consider what makes you happy and what is important to you. If you find that you are neglecting meaningful activities or people in your life, change your attitude accordingly.

To overcome burnout, acknowledge your losses.

Burnout brings with it many losses that often go unacknowledged. These losses take a lot of your energy. They demand from you huge amount emotional forces. When you acknowledge your losses and allow yourself to not be upset by them, you will regain lost energy and open yourself up to healing. What losses are we talking about?