Everything you need to know regarding burnout, its symptoms and how to deal with it
Many people mistake professional burnout for exhaustion stemming from the daily pressures we all experience from time to time, but burnout is a distinct health condition that can cause health and psychological issues.
One in five workers in Britain suffers from occupational burnout, according to the latest report on it, and the World Health Organization did not define it until 2019 when it described it as an occupational syndrome resulting from not successfully managing work stress, according to the Telegraph newspaper.
The components of burnout syndrome are detachment from work, emotional exhaustion, and reduced performance. These three components have a complex impact on health, says Dr Claire Ashley, a general practitioner and burnout specialist.
Physical symptoms
1- Fatigue
Feeling drained and exhausted are common symptoms of burnout. Burnout not only leads to feeling unable to work due to exhaustion but also to feeling unwilling to work.
2- Low immunity
Psychological stress can lead to inflammation in the body, and chronic inflammation can compromise the immune system. In the long term, high cholesterol and low dopamine can lead to disease.
3- Headache
Tension headaches are a common symptom of occupational burnout, worsened by lack of sleep and insomnia.
4- Change in appetite
While some people lose their appetite due to burnout, others find comfort in binge eating.
5- Insomnia
“I’m not sure if insomnia is a physical symptom or an emotional symptom, because it’s somewhere in between,” says Dr. Ashley.
6- Muscle pain
Physical signs of burnout include pain in the shoulder, back, neck, and head.
7- Serious health problems
Ashley points out that prolonged high stress hormones are dangerous for heart health.
Emotional symptoms
1- Separation
People who suffer from burnout feel numb and disconnected from their own and others’ feelings.
2- Sarcasm
When our bodies are under chronic stress, the mind and body work to adapt and restore balance, turning to sarcasm and negativity as defense mechanisms.
3- Loss of pleasure
One of the main signs is withdrawal from life, hobbies, exercise, and people, relationships, and social activities, says Kelly Swingler, a coach who specializes in dealing with burnout.
4- Anger and agitation
People with burnout focus on the negative aspects of their work, which leads to feelings of resentment and anger, developing into agitation and loss of empathy for others.
5- Self-doubt and feeling of failure
Professional burnout can lead to a loss of confidence in work performance and self-doubt, which may develop into a strong feeling of needing to work harder to prove oneself.
6- Losing the goal
Psychologist Rachel Austin notes that research has shown that people with burnout begin to question the meaning and purpose of life and work.
Institutions bear the greatest responsibility for employees reaching the stage of burnout (AFP)
Behavioral signs
1- Frequency
Swingler describes the effect of burnout on the brain as being similar to the effect of trauma, which leads to a decline in the sufferer’s ability to make decisions and judge things, as well as affecting his self-confidence.
2- Lack of concentration
Chronic exposure to stress hormones leads to cognitive difficulties, as it destroys the hippocampus region of the brain, leading to learning difficulties and memory problems.
Causes of occupational burnout
1- Continuous stress
Our bodies and minds are designed to handle short periods of stress when we feel threatened. The problem is that we are constantly surrounded by small things that cause stress, such as deadlines, news headlines, and the noise of cell phones.
When stress and tension become a normal part of our way of life, we don’t feel it has crossed the line until we are close to burnout.
2- Things out of control
“In the workplace, there is a lot of uncertainty, job insecurity, and low levels of trust,” Austin says.
3- Heavy job duties
A British psychological study found that factors that contribute to burnout include increasing job duties, working more hours than agreed upon without compensation, and feeling isolated in the workplace.
4- Stay alert
“Staying on alert, waiting for an email or a phone call,” Swingler says, “takes a toll on our health.”
5- Social media
Burnout sufferers turn to social media to get the dopamine hit they get when someone likes a photo or post of theirs. Over time, they become addicted to these dopamine hits, and start comparing themselves to others and feeling sorry for themselves.
How to overcome burnout?
1- Acceptance
Accept that you are suffering from burnout because you have pushed yourself too far, and that you need time to recover.
2- Take time to rest.
Recovering from burnout involves sleeping longer and engaging in activities that you don’t expect a specific outcome from.
3- Health care
Exercise regularly, eat healthy, and make time for rest and make it a priority.
4- Treatment
Dr. Ashley says that 60 percent of people who suffer from burnout also have psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, so seeing a doctor can help manage stress.
Everything you need to know regarding burnout, its symptoms and how to deal with it
Many people confuse professional burnout with exhaustion resulting from the daily pressures we go through from time to time, but burnout is a separate health condition that may cause health and psychological problems.
One in five workers in Britain suffers from occupational burnout, according to the latest report on it, and the World Health Organization did not define it until 2019, when it described it as an occupational syndrome that results from not successfully managing work stress, according to the Telegraph newspaper.
The components of burnout syndrome are detachment from work, emotional exhaustion and reduced performance, and these three components have a complex impact on health, says Dr Claire Ashley, a general practitioner and burnout specialist.
Physical symptoms
1- Fatigue
Feeling drained and exhausted are common symptoms of burnout. Burnout not only leads to feeling unable to work due to exhaustion, but also to feeling unwilling to work.
2- Low immunity
Psychological stress can lead to inflammation in the body, and chronic inflammation can compromise the immune system, and in the long term, high cholesterol and low dopamine will lead to disease.
3- Headache
Tension headaches are a common symptom of occupational burnout, and are made worse by lack of sleep and insomnia.
4- Change in appetite
While some people lose their appetite due to burnout, others find comfort in binge eating.
5- Insomnia
“I’m not sure if insomnia is a physical symptom or an emotional symptom, because it’s somewhere in between,” says Dr. Ashley.
6- Muscle pain
Physical signs of burnout include pain in the shoulder, back, neck, and head.
7- Serious health problems
Ashley points out that prolonged high stress hormones are dangerous for heart health.
Emotional symptoms
1- Separation
People who suffer from burnout feel numb and disconnected from their own and others’ feelings.
2- Sarcasm
When our bodies are under chronic stress, the mind and body work to adapt and restore balance, turning to sarcasm and negativity as defense mechanisms.
3- Loss of pleasure
One of the main signs is withdrawal from life, hobbies, exercise, and people, relationships, and social activities, says Kelly Swingler, a coach who specializes in dealing with burnout.
4- Anger and agitation
People with burnout focus on the negative aspects of their work, which leads to feelings of resentment and anger, which develops into agitation and loss of empathy for others.
5- Self-doubt and feeling of failure
Professional burnout can lead to a loss of confidence in work performance and self-doubt, which may develop into a strong feeling of needing to work harder to prove oneself.
6- Losing the goal
Psychologist Rachel Austin notes that research has shown that people with burnout begin to question the meaning and purpose of life and work.
Institutions bear the greatest responsibility for employees reaching the stage of burnout (AFP)
Behavioral signs
1- Frequency
Swingler describes the effect of burnout on the brain as being similar to the effect of trauma, which leads to a decline in the sufferer’s ability to make decisions and judge things, as well as affecting his self-confidence.
2- Lack of concentration
Chronic exposure to stress hormones leads to cognitive difficulties, as it destroys the hippocampus region of the brain, leading to learning difficulties and memory problems.
Causes of occupational burnout
1- Continuous stress
Our bodies and minds are designed to handle short periods of stress when we feel threatened, and the problem is that we are constantly surrounded by small things that cause stress, such as deadlines, news headlines, and the noise of cell phones.
When stress and tension become a normal part of our way of life, we don’t feel it has crossed the line until we are close to burnout.
2- Things out of control
“In the workplace, there is a lot of uncertainty, job insecurity, and low levels of trust,” Austin says.
3- Heavy job duties
A British psychological study found that factors that contribute to burnout include increasing job duties, working more hours than agreed upon without compensation, and feeling isolated in the workplace.
4- Stay alert
“Staying on alert, waiting for an email or a phone call,” Swingler says, “takes a toll on our health.”
5- Social media
Burnout sufferers turn to social media to get the dopamine hit they get when someone likes a photo or post of theirs. Over time, they become addicted to these dopamine hits, and start comparing themselves to others and feeling sorry for themselves.
How to overcome burnout?
1- Acceptance
Accept that you are suffering from burnout because you have pushed yourself too far, and that you need time to recover.
2- Take time to rest.
Recovering from burnout involves sleeping longer and engaging in activities that you don’t expect a specific outcome from.
3- Health care
Exercise regularly, eat healthy, and make time for rest and make it a priority.
4- Treatment
Dr. Ashley says that 60 percent of people who suffer from burnout also have psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, so seeing a doctor can help manage stress.
