What is professional burnout and how to deal with it?

Recently, a medical term such as "professional burnout" is very common. For the first time, the staff of the Montreal Hospital began talking about him. Many believe that this disease is nothing but a form of depression. However, there is something to argue about.

It is believed that this syndrome is one of the forms of professional deformation. Earlier (in 1974) there appeared the concept of emotional burnout. But professional burnout is a process of prolonged exposure to the body of factors that cause stress. And they are all related to the professional employment of the patient. That is, this disease is a serious chronic process.

As a rule, this syndrome develops more often in people who, by their activity, constantly communicate with people or are engaged in intellectual work: journalists, teachers, doctors, leaders in different fields and so on. Professional burnout has several signs. So, with its development there is a complete apathy to work, to colleagues (even if earlier you were friends) and to everything that happens, in general. As a rule, there is a lack of self-confidence, a person starts to think that he is not competent enough, he has little experience and knowledge to occupy a given position or post.

As a rule, this syndrome has a number of physical signs. The fact is that in connection with the accumulation of negative emotions, the body's energy resources begin to be depleted. And this is expressed in a constant sense of fatigue, increased fatigue, sleep disorders (regular insomnia). The person becomes very irritable, he has problems with vision and hearing, constant headaches.

In general, the syndrome of professional burnout can occur under the influence of three factors:

1. The personal. According to psychologists, women are more likely to suffer from this disease. The fact is that they tend to emotionally endure all the difficulties associated with professional activity. Also, this syndrome often develops in those people who are more humane and prone to empathy. They are often carried away by the idea, light up, and their enthusiasm can reach fanaticism. Also professional burnout is no less dangerous for authoritarian and reserved people, who have a low level of empathy.
2. Roleplaying. This syndrome is most often found in those collectives where the duties and responsibilities of employees are unclear, the actions are not coordinated, and competition is increased.
3. Organizational. Professional burnout directly depends on the level of psychoemotional activity (the need for active communication, which requires emotional costs, decision-making, a high concentration on the perception of information). Also, the unfavorable atmosphere in the team increases the risk of developing the syndrome: conflicts, bureaucracy, the need to work with psychologically difficult members of society (sick people, difficult teenagers , etc.).

Many seriously believe that this disease is just an invention. In fact, this is a serious disease that requires treatment. At the first symptoms it is necessary to apply for a consultation with a psychologist. If there is also a physical symptomatology, you need to visit the therapist.

Prevention of professional burnout requires constant alternation of work and leisure. At work, you need to be able to switch from conflict situations to positive moments, do not dwell on one thing for a long time. You also need to determine for yourself the appropriateness of choosing a profession or place of work. Perhaps it's just "not yours." Then the solution to the problem lies simply in the right choice of the kind of activity.