First mentioned in 1974 by the American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, burnout is now a phenomenon well known to all and frequently encountered in the professional sphere, but also in the personal sphere. Find out how to better understand it to better prevent its onset and regain your well-being.
What does “burn out” mean?
According to Emilie Delétré, certified coach in Ericksonian hypnosis, EMDR and neuro-linguistic programming, the burn-out is characterized by a “State of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion, which appears when a person feels too large a gap between their expectations, their representation of their role and reality.”
Concretely, when faced with situations of chronic stress, the person in burnout no longer manages to do do what and develops more or less varied manifestations, that intensify over time.
We differentiate between burnout (burnout syndrome), bore-out and brown-out. Bore-out is a syndrome that is also felt in professional life, where the worker is mentally exhausted through boredom. The brown-out is characterized by a loss of meaning in relation to the activities and tasks entrusted.
How to recognize the symptoms of burnout?
The symptoms of burnout appear gradually, and often insidiously. This discomfort results in the appearance of manifestations that are emotional, physical but also intellectual.
A feeling of chronic exhaustion
The person affected by burnout first experiences a feeling of persistent mental fatigue, that nothing can appease. The nights become more chaotic and the less restful sleep, which causes during the day the feeling of being overloaded with work with a state of constant stress and anxiety.
Lack of motivation
As the days go by, the alarm goes off and a growing lack of motivation and enthusiasm is felt. Negative emotions like frustration or guilt can appear and create a real vicious circle in the medium and long term.
Less focused, less present on the tasks you have to accomplish, the work becomes a real chore, and the deadlines more and more difficult to meet. Social relations also become more complicated, in a society where performance and productivity are the key words. The person affected by burnout may therefore tend to isolate themselves, to gradually lose confidence in herself and to devalue herself.
Characteristic physical symptoms
Because the body and the spirit are intimately linked, the discomfort felt at the level of the mind is exteriorized by the appearance of physical symptoms. It is thus not uncommon for the person prone to burnout to feel the manifestations of a chronic stressful state such as back pain, migraines and dizziness, muscle pain or digestive disorders.
The symptoms of burnout are those of true depression. As a person suffering from burnout may have black thoughts, it is essential to consult a therapist as soon as they appear.
How to avoid burnout?
Recognize symptoms and act quickly
To avoid burnout, it is essential to know how to recognize it in time, from the first symptoms to be able to act quickly and thus avoid a real professional or personal exhaustion which can have serious consequences on health.
As burnout is progressive, the person concerned must listen to their emotions and observe their behavior in order to be able to recognize that change and taking a step back are needed.
Identify the causes of burnout
Whether triggered by an overload of work, too much mental load in the family sphere or by too intense managerial or personal pressure (perfectionism for example), the burn-out must be recognized and accepted as such so that it can be reduced as much as possible before symptoms worsen.
To reduce the risks, it is essential to agree to periods of total rest and disconnection as soon as one feels a sensation of emotional or mental discomfort.
Talk about it around you
Burnout now affects many people and many therapists and health professionals skilled workers can help you deal with it using specific techniques. From the first symptoms, do not hesitate to make contact to be able to express your emotions and feelings and regain your serenity.
Find in our next article our tips to get out of burnout and our holistic solutions to help you feel better!