How to treat emotional burnout. Burnout syndrome (Burnout, Professional burnout, Mental burnout, Emotional burnout)

As a rule, a person with a burnout syndrome does not realize what is happening to him. He only experiences growing internal irritation, tension, anxiety and hostility towards those whom he is called to help: clients, students, patients, visitors. Signs of burnout syndrome in many ways resemble the symptoms of neurasthenia. A person feels constant fatigue, his efficiency drops, his head hurts, sleep is disturbed, appetite decreases, cravings for tobacco, coffee, and alcohol increase. In addition, there is a feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, apathy. And most importantly, there is a dullness of feelings - there is no desire to emotionally respond to situations that, it would seem, should touch. The feeling of empathy for people disappears.

The thought is born that nothing can be given to others, since the supply of strength and emotions has been exhausted. Gradually, a negative attitude towards one's work and the people one has to deal with at work develops. Contacts with them are becoming more and more impersonal, "soulless" and formal. A person experiencing this painful state usually begins to look for the cause of what is happening in himself, confident in his own soullessness and unprofessionalism. As a result, dissatisfaction with oneself increases, self-esteem decreases, and mood worsens. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the problems in question, as a rule, it is not customary to discuss and it seems to the one who encounters them that others have not experienced anything like this. The crisis can become so aggravated that there comes a complete disappointment in life, a deep depression.

Burnout syndrome can be recognized by the three symptoms described in K. Maslach's definition:

• 1. Emotional exhaustion. The employee has chronic fatigue, mood decreases, sometimes even at the mere thought of work, sleep disorders, diffuse bodily ailments are also observed, susceptibility to disease increases.
• 2. Depersonalization - dehumanization. The attitude towards colleagues, and even towards those who need his help, becomes negative, even cynical, a feeling of guilt appears, a person chooses automatic "functioning" and avoids stress in every possible way.
• 3. Experience of own ineffectiveness. A person suffers from a lack of success, recognition, as well as from a loss of control over the situation, constantly feels his own inadequacy and the excessive demands placed on him.

Subsequently, J. Sonek added another one to this triad of symptoms: "vital instability", all together they represent the first signs of the "development of a pre-suicidal state." He lists the following symptoms of vital instability: depression, depressed mood, excitability, feeling of tightness, anxiety, restlessness, feelings of hopelessness and irritability.

Burnout syndrome, in his opinion, is a real specific threat to health, especially in professional groups of doctors. It is a factor (along with depression and drug addiction) that increases the likelihood of suicide. Thus, according to his data, suicide occurs in Austrian male doctors approximately 50% more often than in Austrian female doctors. At the same time, female suicides (including among female doctors) are generally much less common than male suicides.

E. Mahler identifies 12 main and optional features of the burnout syndrome:

• 1. Exhaustion, fatigue.
• 2. Psychosomatic complications.
• 3. Insomnia.
• 4. Negative attitudes towards clients.
• 5. Negative attitudes towards their work.
• 6. Neglect of the performance of their duties.
• 7. Increasing the volume of psychostimulants (tobacco, coffee, alcohol, drugs).
• 8. Decreased appetite or overeating.
• 9. Negative self-esteem.
• 10. Increased aggressiveness.
• 11. Strengthening passivity.
• 12. Guilt.

Conventionally, the symptoms of emotional burnout can be divided into physical, behavioral and psychological.

Physical include: fatigue, feeling exhausted, susceptibility to changes in performance external environment, asthenia, frequent headaches, disorders gastrointestinal tract, excess or lack of weight, insomnia.

Behavioral and psychological symptoms include the following: work becomes increasingly difficult, and the ability to perform is weakening; the employee comes to work early and stays for a long time; feeling of frustration, helplessness and hopelessness; feeling of anxiety; feeling bored; decrease in the level of enthusiasm; resentment; feeling of disappointment; uncertainty; guilt; feeling of unclaimedness; easily arising feeling of anger; irritability; suspicion; a sense of omnipotence (power over the fate of the client, patient); rigidity; inability to make decisions; distancing from clients, patients and the desire to distance from colleagues; overestimated sense of responsibility for patients; a general negative attitude towards life prospects; alcohol and/or drug abuse.

A. Lengle understands the burnout syndrome as a protracted state of exhaustion that occurs in activity. Exhaustion is the leading symptom and the main characteristic of the burnout syndrome, from which all other symptoms stem. The state of exhaustion first concerns only one's well-being, then it begins to influence directly the experience, and then also the decisions, attitudes, attitudes and actions of a person. Exhaustion covers the manifestations of all three dimensions of human existence, as V. Frankl described them in his dimensional anthropological model:

• - somatic dimension: bodily weakness, functional disorders, (for example, insomnia) up to a decrease in immunity to diseases;
• - mental dimension: lack of desire, lack of joy, emotional exhaustion, irritability;
• - noetic dimension: withdrawal from the requirements of the situation and withdrawal from relationships, depreciating attitudes towards oneself and the world.

Such a lingering disorder creates a depressed emotional background on which all other experience is specifically perceived. The experience of oneself and the world is characterized by a chronic lack of bodily-psychic strength, a feeling of emptiness, which is accompanied by a growing sense of loss of spiritual orientation. Sooner or later, the feeling of meaninglessness is added to the emptiness, which extends to an increasing number of aspects of life (not only to work, but also to free time and personal life), and in the end, life itself is already experienced as meaningless.

A broader view of the problem of emotional burnout provides the identification of five key groups of symptoms:

• 1) physical symptoms: fatigue, physical fatigue, exhaustion; reduced or increased weight; insufficient sleep, insomnia; complaints of general poor health; shortness of breath, shortness of breath; nausea, dizziness, excessive sweating, trembling; arterial hypertension(increased blood pressure); pain in the region of the heart;
• 2) emotional symptoms : lack of emotions, unemotionality; pessimism, cynicism, callousness in work and personal life; indifference and fatigue; irritability, aggressiveness; anxiety, increased irrational restlessness, inability to concentrate; depression, guilt; loss of ideals, hopes or professional prospects; an increase in depersonalization - one's own or others (people begin to be perceived as faceless, like mannequins); the predominance of feelings of loneliness;
• 3) behavioral symptoms: work time more than 45 hours per week; during the working day, fatigue and a desire to interrupt, relax; indifference to food; absence physical activity; frequent use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs;
• 4) intellectual state: decreased interest in new theories and ideas in the work; a decrease in interest in alternative approaches to solving problems (for example, in work); indifference to innovations, innovations; refusal to participate in developmental experiments (trainings, education); formal performance of work;
• 5) social symptoms : lack of time or energy for social activities; decrease in activity and interest in the field of leisure, hobbies; social contacts are limited to work; poor relationships with others, both at home and at work; feeling of isolation, misunderstanding of others and from others; feeling of lack of support from family, friends, colleagues.

Burnout syndrome also manifests itself in:

a) a feeling of indifference, emotional exhaustion, exhaustion (a person cannot devote himself to work as it was before). Feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness are also found in the burnout syndrome. Only apathy in the case of the burnout syndrome is not a consequence, but rather the cause of the loss of initiative. There is also boredom in the burnout syndrome. Since both of the main symptoms of an existential vacuum, feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness, are present in the burnout syndrome, it could be described as special form existential vacuum, in which, however, the picture of exhaustion dominates.

V.V. Boyko describes the various symptoms of "burnout", consider some of them:

1. Symptom of "emotional deficit".

The feeling comes to the professional that emotionally he can no longer help the subjects of his activity. Unable to enter into their position, to participate and empathize, to respond to situations that should touch, induce, enhance intellectual, volitional and moral impact. The fact that this is nothing more than emotional burnout is evidenced by his recent experience: some time ago there were no such sensations, and the person is experiencing

their appearance. Gradually, the symptom intensifies and acquires a more complicated form, positive emotions appear less and less often and more often negative ones. Sharpness, rudeness, irritability, resentment, whims - complement the symptom of "emotional deficit"

2. Symptom of "emotional detachment".

Personality almost completely excludes emotions from the sphere of professional activity. Almost nothing excites her, almost nothing causes an emotional response - neither positive nor negative circumstances. And this is not the original defect. emotional sphere, not a sign of rigidity, but emotional protection acquired over the years of serving people. Man gradually learns to work like a robot, like a soulless automaton. In other spheres he lives full-blooded emotions. Reacting without feelings and emotions is the most striking symptom of burnout. It testifies to the professional deformation of the personality and damages the subject of communication. The partner usually experiences the indifference shown to him and can be deeply traumatized.

3. Symptom of "personal detachment, or depersonalization."

It manifests itself in a wide range of mindsets and actions of a professional in the process of communication.

First of all, there is a complete or partial loss of interest in a person as a subject of professional action.

It is perceived as an inanimate object, as an object for manipulation - something has to be done with it. The object burdens with its problems, needs, its presence, the very fact of its existence is unpleasant. Metastases of "burnout" penetrate into the attitudes, principles and value system of the individual. There is a depersonalized protective emotional-volitional anti-humanistic attitude. The personality claims that working with people is not interesting, does not give satisfaction, and does not represent social value. In the most severe forms"burnout" personality zealously defends its anti-humanist philosophy "I hate", "I despise", "I would take a machine gun and everyone."

In such cases, "burnout" merges with psychopathological manifestations of the personality, with neurosis-like or psychopathic states. Such individuals are contraindicated in this professional activity. But, alas, they are busy with it, because there is no psychological selection of personnel and certification.

4. Symptom of "psychosomatic and psychovegetative disorders".

As the name implies, the symptom manifests itself at the level of physical and mental well-being. Usually it is formed by a conditioned reflex connection of a negative property. Much of what concerns the subjects of professional activity provokes deviations in somatic or mental states. Sometimes even the thought of such subjects or contact with them causes a bad mood, insomnia, a feeling of fear, discomfort in the region of the heart, vascular reactions, exacerbations chronic diseases. The transition of reactions from the level of emotions to the level of psychosomatics indicates that emotional protection - "burnout" - can no longer cope with stress on its own, and the energy of emotions is redistributed between other subsystems of the individual. In this way, the body saves itself from the destructive power of emotional energy.

AT domestic psychology burnout is considered as a complex integral formation, including emotional, motivational, cognitive, behavioral and somatic components, which, forming symptom complexes, are eventually combined into basic substructures. The structural organization of burnout is manifested in two planes: hierarchical (vertical) and horizontal. The vertical plane is manifested in the establishment of hierarchical relationships between symptoms and the dominance of their individual categories, depending on the level of severity of burnout. Horizontal relationships consist in combining specific symptoms into symptom complexes and their subsequent integration into basic substructures. The burnout structure is a dynamic formation. This means that the quantitative and qualitative composition of burnout is determined by the content of professional activity. If in professions of the subject-subject type the structure of burnout includes three traditionally distinguished components: psycho-emotional exhaustion, cynicism and self-assessment of professional effectiveness, then in professions of the subject-object type this structure is less pronounced and approaches a two-factor one due to the partial dissolution of the substructure of cynicism between the rest and qualitative reorganization of its content.

Thus, the burnout syndrome occurs in connection with emotional exhaustion against the background of excessive workloads or excessive demands. Exhaustion is the cause of impoverishment, the formalization of relationships and the loss of self-confidence associated with a decrease in performance. At the same time, the syndrome is manifested by growing indifference to one’s duties and what is happening at work, dehumanization in the form of negativity in relation to both other people (including employees), a sense of one’s own professional failure, dissatisfaction with work, in phenomena of depersonalization, and ultimately in sharp deterioration quality of life. In the future, a person may develop neurotic disorders and psychosomatic diseases.

Usually people feel tired at the end of their work shift, towards the end of the working week, or just before a vacation. Unfortunately, there are times when you feel overwhelmed all the time. At the same time, you notice a lack of enthusiasm for work. Together with fatigue in your mind, her faithful companions: detachment, cynicism and indifference. There is emotional burnout.

The scourge of modern people

Symptoms of emotional burnout recent times more and more common. This is due to modern labor realities and a busy rhythm of life. Employers are becoming more demanding and working conditions are becoming more stressful. The situation is often supplemented by a restless atmosphere in the team, intrigues and gossip. Let's talk about what causes emotional burnout and how you can overcome this condition.

The scorched house analogy

The term "burnout" itself was coined in the 70s of the 20th century by the psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. There is a clear relationship with the concepts of "scorched earth" or "scorched house". If you've ever walked past a burned-out building, you know how sad and depressing it is. Wooden buildings burn out almost to the ground, leaving only part of the walls. Concrete structures are more lucky. But if outwardly the brick houses affected by the fire almost do not change their appearance, then inside the eyes of the observer a sad sight appears. You will be amazed at how fierce the fire can be, and what the extent of the disaster can be. Dr. Freudenberger drew an analogy with a scorched concrete structure and emotional burnout in people. Outwardly, a person practically does not change, but his internal resources are completely devastated.

Three levels of burnout

Modern researchers distinguish three degrees of burnout: exhaustion, cynicism and inefficiency. Let's take a closer look at what all these stages lead to. Burnout exhaustion causes feelings of anxiety, difficulty sleeping, lack of focus, and even physical illness. Cynicism is sometimes referred to as depersonalization or self-perception disorder. At the same time, one's own actions are perceived by a person not from the inside, but from the outside. There is a strong feeling that control over oneself has been lost, there is a feeling of alienation from the people with whom a person works, a lack of interest in work. And finally, the third factor robs you of the confidence that you are doing a good job or doing your job well. This feeling does not grow in a vacuum.

No one wants to fall into the trap of emotional burnout. On the one hand, everything is simple: you need not overload yourself with work. But, on the other hand, everything is much more complicated, and trouble can sneak up suddenly. To know how to cope with this condition, it is necessary to be able to determine the causes of its occurrence.

What causes burnout?

In fact, the opinion that burnout comes due to the lack of days off and holidays is a fairly common misconception. Alexandra Michel, a science writer at the Association for Psychological Science, says: “Burnout occurs when there are more negative work-related factors than positive ones. When a project is under deadline, there are too high demands from the boss, there is a lack of working hours and other stressors are present. At the same time, rewards for work, recognition of colleagues and recreation take up much less space.”

Conditions

UC Berkeley professor Christina Maslach has been studying this problem since the 1970s. The expert and colleagues suggested six workplace environmental factors that are responsible for burnout. These include load, control, reward, value, community, and fairness. A person feels emotional emptiness when two or more of the factors listed above do not meet his needs. For example, an employee has a small salary with overly high requirements and hard work. Unfortunately, many workplaces cannot meet the basic needs of the staff. One large study conducted in Germany by Gallop found that 2.7 million workers report symptoms of burnout. In 2013, a survey was conducted among directors of enterprises in the UK, during which it turned out the following: 30 percent of managers believe that the personnel of their firms are prone to mass burnout.

Risks and consequences

The consequences of this phenomenon are comparable only with a catastrophe of a universal scale. According to Dr. Michel, burnout is not just a state of mind. This condition leaves an indelible mark on the minds and bodies of people. Fatigue and loss of interest in work are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the risks of burnout are more serious. Individuals suffering from burnout experience chronic psychosocial stress that is detrimental to personal and social functioning. This suppresses cognitive skills and adversely affects the neuroendocrine system. Over time, the effects of burnout lead to problems with memory functions and reduced concentration. There are also great risks of causing damage to the psyche, in particular, the occurrence of a depressive disorder.

Burnout affects brain function

This problem has been studied by scientists repeatedly. So, one of the later scientific studies showed that in people suffering from emotional burnout, the prefrontal cortex of the brain becomes thinner. This important department is responsible for cognitive functions. Normally, the prefrontal cortex becomes thinner with age, as the body naturally ages. But, as we see, this process under certain conditions can start much earlier.

Risks of coronary heart disease

Stress and others negative emotions can not but affect the work of the heart. Another study of nearly 9,000 burnout workers found that this category has a significantly increased risk of coronary heart disease. These and other consequences sound pretty bleak, so let's turn the topic in a more positive direction. Fortunately, burnout can be overcome.

How to overcome the problem?

When a person feels the effect of burnout on himself, he shows concern about his condition. The first thing that can alleviate panic is to reduce the amount of work done. Psychologists suggest looking for ways to manage workload in the following tricks: delegation of orders, the ability to refuse help, and keeping a diary. There you can write down the conditions that make you feel stressed in the workplace. However, burnout is associated not only with professional workload. Learn to see the world wide again open eyes, try to enjoy leisure, hobbies, and any cute non-work moments. In order to balance the negative and the positive, you need to learn to enjoy life again.

Do what you like

It's easy to forget about yourself when you're going through a burnout period. You live under the yoke of constant stress, so the only outlet is to increase the number of delicious dishes in your diet. However, sweets will not save you from the problem itself. And here healthy eating, sufficient water and exercise can quickly get you back on track. Try to do what you like, find time to meet with friends. In conclusion, here are the words of the developer software Kent Nguyen: "Burnout comes from not being able to do what you love or what is important to you on a regular basis."

If you suddenly felt tired, feeling helpless and disappointed, and it seems that you are completely out of order, it is quite possible that this is emotional burnout. This condition leads to a feeling of powerlessness, so it is very difficult to solve the problem. The detachment and indifference that comes with burnout can be a source of problems with work, jeopardize normal communication and even physical health. Therefore, you should never let the situation take its course, you need to fight and look for ways out.

What is burnout syndrome?

BS or burnout syndrome is a condition that is characterized by mental, emotional and physical exhaustion against the background of chronic stress, which in most cases is caused by work. Most often, representatives of professions associated with constant communication suffer: for example, teachers, doctors, social workers and employees of large companies with a wide staff and high requirements for personnel.

Physicians often suffer from SES

Due to a strong overstrain, a person gradually simply loses interest in everything. SEB leads to a decrease in productivity and energy, because of this there is a feeling of helplessness, resentment and hopelessness. It seems to the victim that he does not have enough strength for anything, and he is doomed to meaningless and boring work.

One of effective ways prevent CMEA - set aside work problems at work. Walking out the door, you can even symbolically wipe your feet so as not to drag a load of problems home with you.

Of course, such symptoms are not uncommon with banal fatigue or a bad mood. If our work is not appreciated or we have to be heavily overloaded, we can feel the same way. Therefore, SEB should not be confused with depression or fatigue.

How to recognize SEV?

In order not to confuse burnout syndrome with other similar conditions, you need to know its three main differences:

• A person feels emotional exhaustion and devastation, he is not happy with the work that he liked before, nothing brings pleasure, colleagues and all the people around him are annoying. This translates into poorly completed tasks, constant quarrels, unwillingness to go anywhere and communicate with someone.
• There is a feeling of meaninglessness of work, the desire to work well disappears, since “no one appreciates this anyway”. Gradually, this feeling can spread to other areas - for example, a person will stop taking care of himself, because he won’t get better anyway.
• Unlike fatigue, SEB does not disappear after rest. After the weekend, the “burnt out” person will remain just as unhappy and lethargic, while the tired person returns full of energy.
• Unlike depression, which is always based on fear and guilt, burnout is based on anger and irritability. A person does not think that he works badly or is rude to others, it seems to him that the whole world is against him.

Educators often burn out

Although on initial stage Emotional burnout may seem harmless, over time it often leads to psychosomatic illness, memory impairment and concentration. A “burnt out” person can not only lose his job, as his value as an employee will drop sharply, but also his family, which will have to live under the yoke of his negativity.

Development of burnout

To simplify the diagnosis of burnout, New York psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger created a special scale. The first steps look quite harmless, but it is better to start treatment already at this stage - the further, the more difficult it will be to return the normal emotional background.

At first there is an obsessive desire for self-affirmation, perhaps an effort to prove something to others, rivalry. Then comes a careless attitude to one's own needs, refusal of communication, sports, entertainment. Then - the refusal to resolve conflicts, which leads to their prolongation. Over time, a person simply stops responding to problems in communicating with family and / or friends. And then comes the loss of a sense of himself as a person and personality, a person continues to act mechanically, without making efforts and without thinking about the future.

Constant fatigue is one of the main signs of burnout.

After a while, a person notices that he has lost himself, feels an inner emptiness, and most often after that depression sets in. Gradually developing, emotional burnout leads to the fact that he breaks down, gets sick physically and mentally, often tends to suicidal thoughts.

Don't be afraid to change jobs. Some psychologists believe that this should be done every 4-5 years. This brings freshness and novelty to life and does not allow you to “burn out”.

The peculiarity of the SEV is such that it is easy to hide. A person can go to work, look like always, and even communicate more or less normally, attributing failures to fatigue or illness. Often, relatives learn about the problem already in the last stages, when a person is almost ready to say goodbye to life.

Reasons for the development of CMEA (Video)

Many modern psychologists believe that emotional burnout is defense mechanism in conditions of strong psychotraumatic influences. In such a situation, the body simply “turns off”, saving itself. SEV allows you to minimize energy costs and save some body systems from unnecessary work: for example, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular. But over time, such a “saving mode” becomes too economical and does not allow a person to work normally and communicate with others.

To understand the reasons for the development of burnout, we must remember that our nervous system has a limit on the performance of certain processes: for example, communication, problem solving, etc. It is not easy to determine this limit, since it is not only individual for each person, but also depends on many indicators, for example, on the quality of nutrition and sleep, health status and season, and the situation in the patient's family. But if a person exceeds it, exhaustion sets in, which eventually leads to burnout.

Often the symptoms of CMEA are complicated by pessimistic people and lazy people around. You need to let them know that you should not listen to them and help them.

The second reason is the lack of a tangible result.. Most often this happens with teachers. They can go all out, but they won't change anything, the kids will still come or not come to school, get bad or good grades, skip classes and hack. A similar situation can occur with people in other professions if their success is not appreciated and encouraged. This leads to the depreciation of labor, and later to the loss of interest in it.

SEV greatly reduces the quality of work

Separately, it is worth remembering that personal qualities of a person play an important role in the development of burnout syndrome. There are people who do not get tired when they have to do monotonous routine work for a long time, but cannot be activated to complete an urgent project. And it happens the other way around - a person can work successfully and fruitfully only for a short time, but at the same time he gives all his best, and later he simply “runs out of steam”. There are workers who are not capable of creative tasks, but they are efficient. And there are creators who need a sense of freedom. If the job does not match the personality of the person, very soon it will lead to emotional burnout.

In most cases, SEB is the result of improper organization of labor, managerial errors and unpreparedness of personnel for their duties.

How to prevent burnout?

SEB is a problem that is easier to prevent than to solve. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor your condition and, at the first signs of emotional burnout, take measures to prevent it.

What to do?

• Try to start the day with relaxing rituals, such as meditating or exercising.
• Go to proper nutrition, workout. This will give strength and energy to solve problems.
• Set boundaries. If something is annoying or stressful, you should try not to do it, refuse unwanted requests and do what is really important.
• Rest daily from modern technologies. Turn off your phone and computer for a while and just sit in silence.
• Engage in creativity, find a hobby, or attend events more often that have nothing to do with work.
• Learning to manage stress can help you fight burnout.

If the situation has not yet started, then it is quite possible to cope without the help of specialists, but you need to realize that there is a problem and you will have to seriously work on its solution.

How to recover on your own

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to prevent burnout. Most often, a person understands what happened when the CMEA is already destroying his life. If this has already happened, then you need to concentrate on returning a normal emotional background.

Sometimes you have to go out of your way to recover

There are three steps to treating the effects of burnout:

• Step one: slow down. It is necessary to reduce professional activities to a minimum - for example, take a vacation. In your free time, you need to relax, relax, forget about work and problems.
• Step two: get support. Burning out, a person usually withdraws into himself and reduces communication to a minimum. This is normal reaction- He tries to save the rest of the energy. But you need to overpower yourself and tell your loved ones what is happening. Even the fact of talking can bring relief, and the support of loved ones will certainly help to cope with stress.
• Step Three: Review goals and priorities. If emotional burnout has occurred, this is a serious sign that something is wrong in life. We need to analyze everything and understand why this happened. Perhaps you should change your job or your attitude towards it, or even completely redraw everything.

But you should not expect that immediately after realizing the problem, its solution will come. This may take time, because burnout did not happen in a day. But if you try to follow these simple tips, sooner or later health will return.

Burnout Syndrome

Maria Barnikova

Burnout syndrome is a term for the process of increasing physical, mental, moral exhaustion of a person.

Burnout Syndrome- a term used in psychology since 1974 to refer to the process of increasing physical, mental, moral exhaustion of a person. As the severity of the disorder increases, global changes in the field of interpersonal communications join, up to the formation of persistent cognitive defects.

Among the explanations proposed by psychologists for the essence of the burnout syndrome, according to many scientists, the most reliable is the three-factor model created by K. Maslach and S. Jackson. In their view, burnout syndrome is a multidimensional construction with three components:

• mental and physical exhaustion;
• self-perception disorder ();
• change towards simplification of individual achievements (reduction).

The main component of the burnout syndrome is the depletion of personal resources in the physical, psychological and cognitive aspects. The main manifestations of development pathological process: reduced mental reactions, indifference, indifference, mental apathy.

The second element - depersonalization has a huge impact on the deterioration of the quality of the relationship of the individual in society. A self-perception disorder can manifest itself in two ways: either by increased dependence on other people, or by a conscious manifestation of an extremely negative attitude towards a certain group of others, cynicism of demands on them, shamelessness of statements, shamelessness of thoughts.

The third link implies a change in a person's personal assessment: excessive criticism in his address, in a conscious underestimation of professional skills, a deliberate restriction of real-life prospects for career growth.

Manifestations of burnout syndrome

It should be noted that burnout syndrome is not a static, but a dynamic process that develops over time and has certain phases (stages). In its development, this disorder of the sphere of feelings demonstrates three main groups of body reactions to influence:

• physiological symptoms;
• affective-cognitive effects (psycho-emotional signs);
• behavioral responses.

Signs of burnout syndrome do not all reveal themselves at the same time: the disorder is characterized by a long latent period. Over time, manifestations increase their intensity, leading without the necessary corrective and medical measures to a significant deterioration in the quality of life of the individual in various fields. The result of neglected conditions can be neurotic disorders and psychosomatic pathologies.

Among the somatic and vegetative manifestations of the burnout syndrome:

• fast fatiguability;
• fatigue after a good rest;
• muscle weakness;
• frequent bouts of tension headache;
• functional impairment immune system and as a result, frequent viral and infectious diseases;
• joint pain;
• profuse sweating, internal trembling;
• persistent sleep problems;
• frequent dizziness.

Among the frequent affective-cognitive effects of burnout syndrome:

• depletion of motivation;
• "mental" apathy;
• feelings of loneliness and worthlessness;
• depersonalization;
• decomposition of the moral sphere:
• rejection of moral norms;
• intolerance and blaming others;
• indifference to ongoing events;
• lack of interest in lifestyle changes;
• denial of their capabilities and disbelief in potential;
• collapse of ideals;
• self-accusation, self-criticism and depiction of one's qualities in gloomy colors;
• irritability, irascibility, nervousness, fussiness;
• constant sad mood;
• frequent complaints of "insurmountable" difficulties;
• expressing exclusively negative forecasts.

The most common behavioral reactions in burnout syndrome are:

• complete or partial maladaptation - loss of skills to adapt to the requirements of society;
• distancing from the performance of official duties;
• evasion of responsibility for their actions;
• low labor productivity;
• limitation social contacts, the desire for loneliness;
• active expression in their actions of hostility, anger, envy of colleagues;
• attempts to "escape" from reality by taking drugs or alcohol, the desire to "cheer up" with abundant gluttony.

Burnout syndrome is very similar clinical symptoms for depressive disorder. However, unlike depression, in most cases it is possible to accurately determine the cause of the disorder, predict the course of the disorder, and return the person to normal life much faster.

Risk group and provoking factors

The syndrome of emotional burnout is more prone to personality with certain traits character, such as:

• the tendency to perceive the environment in extremes: either black or white;
• excessive adherence;
• the desire to hone all actions to perfection;
• impeccable performance;
• high level self-control;
• hyperresponsibility;
• tendency to self-sacrifice;
• daydreaming, romanticism, leading to a stay of a person in a world of illusions;
• the presence of fanatical ideas;
• low self-esteem .

People prone to burnout syndrome: overly sympathetic, soft-hearted, prone to intense experience of events. It is also worth noting that people with autonomy deficits are susceptible to the disorder, especially those who have grown up under excessive parental control.

A special risk group is made up of “addicted” people who are used to stimulating themselves with energy drinks, alcohol, or pharmacological preparations that enhance CNS activity. Such prolonged unnatural stimulation of the body, in addition to persistent addiction, leads to depletion of the resources of the nervous system and rewards a person with various failures, including burnout syndrome.

The syndrome of emotional burnout is most often recorded in persons whose activities are associated with a large circle of communication. At risk: middle managers, social workers, medical staff, teachers, representatives of the service sector.

Housewives are not immune from the syndrome of emotional burnout, they daily perform monotonous actions, do not have exciting hobbies or lack communication. This disorder is especially difficult for those women who are convinced of the futility of their work.

Subject to the syndrome of emotional burnout are those who are forced to communicate with a psychologically difficult contingent. This group is represented by: professionals working with seriously ill patients, crisis center psychologists, correctional officers, salespeople dealing with conflict clients. The same unpleasant symptoms can occur in a person who valiantly cares for a relative with an incurable disease. Although in such a situation the person understands that caring for the sick is his duty, however, over time, he is overcome by a feeling of hopelessness and indignation.

Burnout syndrome can occur in a person who is forced to work not by vocation, however, he cannot refuse the hateful work due to a number of objective reasons.

Quite often, the syndrome of emotional burnout is fixed in people of creative professions: writers, artists, actors. The reasons for the decline in activity, as a rule, lie in the lack of recognition of their talent by society, in negative criticism of works, which leads to a decrease in self-esteem.

It has been established that the formation of the syndrome of emotional burnout is facilitated by the lack of coordination of actions in the team, the presence of fierce competition. An unfavorable psychological climate and poor organization of work in a team can also lead to frustration: fuzzy planning of employee functions, unclear formation of goals, poor material base, bureaucratic obstacles. The absence of appropriate both material and moral rewards for the work done contributes to the formation of the syndrome of emotional burnout.

Treatment of burnout syndrome

Unfortunately, burnout syndrome is a condition that is not given due attention and is not treated in a timely manner. The main mistake: a person prefers to “strain” his strength and perform suspended work, rather than restore strength after overwork and overcome a mental “storm”.

To prevent further intensification of the burnout syndrome, psychologists advise starting treatment by looking "fear in the eye": recognizing the fact of the disorder. It is necessary to promise yourself that soon a new powerful incentive for action will appear, a fresh source of inspiration will appear.

Useful Habit: in time to give up the endless pursuit of often absolutely useless things, which leads to complete physical and mental exhaustion.

Burnout treatment involves an important but simple measure: slow down your pace. Allow yourself to do half as much work today as you try to do every day. Give yourself a ten-minute rest break every hour. Take time to slowly contemplate the wonderful results you have achieved.

Treatment of burnout syndrome is impossible without changing one's low self-esteem. Be sure to note your positive character traits, praise even for tiny feats, thank you for hard work and diligence. Make it a rule: be sure to reward yourself for achieving a small result on the way to huge success.

Sometimes the treatment for burnout syndrome must be radical: quit the organization you hate and get a job in a new, albeit less “hot” place. A good way to overcome burnout syndrome: master new knowledge, for example: by signing up for courses foreign language, having studied the intricacies of the most complex computer programs or discovering your vocal potential. Try yourself in new guises, discover your hidden talents, don't be afraid to experiment in previously unknown areas.

Green pharmacy treatment includes long-term use natural stimulants: tinctures of ginseng, eleutherococcus, magnolia vine. In the evening, to get rid of insomnia, preference should be given to sedative preparations: a decoction of motherwort, mint, lemon balm, valerian.

Great alternative drug therapy in difficult situations, with the syndrome of emotional burnout, psychotherapeutic treatment becomes. Communication with a specialist in comfortable conditions will help determine the cause of the deterioration, develop the right motivation and protect yourself from prolonged depression.

When the burnout syndrome takes on a life-threatening turn, pharmacological treatment will help to cope with the disorder, the scheme of which is chosen individually, taking into account the characteristics of the disease and clinical symptoms.

Preventive actions

Prevention of the syndrome of emotional burnout consists in carrying out activities aimed at improving health, resolving difficult situations and preventing nervous breakdowns. A few rules:

• Balanced good nutrition with a minimum entry of fats, but an abundance of vitamins, minerals, proteins.
• Regular physical activity.
• Daily exposure to fresh air and communication with nature.
• Sufficient night sleep.
• The golden rule: work exclusively during working hours, not finishing the “tails” at home.
• Mandatory day off with a radical change of activity.
• Minimum two weeks vacation once a year.
• Daily "cleansing" of thoughts through meditation, auto-training.
• Clear arrangement and observance of priorities in affairs.
• A variety of high-quality leisure activities in your free time: attending entertainment events, friendly meetings, traveling, hobbies.

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