Since 2015, burnout can be recognized as a disease of occupational origin, without being classified as an occupational disease. This psychological pathology affects people psychologically cornered by their work.
What situations can lead to burnout? How to recognize this phenomenon? Answers.
What is a burnout?
Burnout is defined as professional exhaustion. It is a mental disorder resulting from chronic stress generated by work. The conditions of exercise of the professional activity can thus be too heavy or degraded, and lead to physical, emotional and mental exhaustion.
The term burnout was used for the first time by the American psychiatrist Freudenberger, in 1974, in the context of the work of caregivers. This concept was then extended to the rest of the workers.
According to a barometer of the psychological health of French employees, conducted by Empreinte Humaine and Opinion Way in 2020, 5<% of employees are in severe burnout. This represents approximately 1 million people. The Covid-19 crisis, and sometimes reluctant teleworking, has increased the risk of burnout.
What are the reasons for burnout and how does it manifest?
Burnout follows working conditions that are too difficult for the worker to live with. This can be explained by an overload of work, conflicts with colleagues or superiors, a lack of means made available to carry out one’s tasks, work under pressure, excessive emotional involvement, too many responsibilities, a lack of recognition, etc.
The employee is then cornered psychologically, sometimes without realizing it immediately. Symptoms can accumulate insidiously. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the three main elements characterizing burnout are:
– the feeling of exhaustion;
– withdrawal from work, or negative and cynical feelings related to work;
– and a decrease in professional efficiency.
The WHO defines burnout as “a syndrome resulting from chronic occupational stress that has not been properly managed”who lead “a feeling of intense fatigue, loss of control and inability to achieve concrete results at work”.
However, employees do not all have the same risk factors at the start, some are more likely to burn out than others, given equal working conditions. You can find people who are perfectionists, ambitious, anxious, others who are already experiencing personal or family conflicts.
What are the warning signs of a burnout?
The first signs, which you did not have before, can put you on the alert and lead you to consult a doctor. Among them are:
– difficulty concentrating, memory and attention disorders;
– permanent fatigue;
– back pain;
– insomnia and sleep disorders;
– migraines;
– stomach aches;
– more frequent infections – than usual;
– an emotional void;
– anxiety;
– irritability;
– a search for isolation;
– demotivation;
– a tendency to feel overwhelmed;
– the development of cynicism;
– a feeling of failure;
– frustration;
– eating disorders;
– addictions, etc.
These early symptoms gradually lead to exhaustion, and can even trigger depression. Other complications can arise such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity.
How to diagnose and treat a burnout?
The doctor takes into account the symptoms described by the patient, as well as his situation at work, to make a diagnosis.
He can treat his patient’s stress and anxiety, as well as his depressive symptoms, if he has any. He can also put him on sick leave to rest. And advise him to undergo psychotherapy. The psychotherapist can identify the causes of burnout and advise his patient on the measures to be put in place. Behavioral and cognitive therapy is ideal for this type of disorder. You can also try to prevent burnout by listing your tasks in order of priority, by delegating, by refusing certain tasks, by not setting unrealistic goals, by preserving the barrier between private life and professional life, or even by setting limits on their workload.
Stress can be taken care of early, by talking to loved ones, listening to your body, practicing physical activity, taking breaks.