The everyday life is organized from morning to night and in the job nothing goes without appointment calendar more… Who gives professionally a lot of gas and constantly demands maximum performance from himself, runs the risk of breaking at the Burnout syndrome. And it is not only managers who are affected. The American psychoanalyst Herbert Freudenberger first coined the term “burnout syndrome” in 1974. He had identified in doctors a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by continuous and repeated stress. Today, it is generally understood to mean a persistent stress reaction to strains in the working world. Almost one million Germans are said to be affected by this syndrome of total exhaustion.
Definition of burnout syndrome
Burnout syndrome is becoming more and more common these days. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is not a disease in its own right, but a “factor affecting health status.” According to the WHO definition, burnout is a syndrome due to “chronic stress at work that is not successfully managed.” Burnout syndrome describes the state of emotional exhaustion and reduced motivation to perform. The progression begins with a slow descent from a high level of performance into inefficient daily work. Burnout syndrome is primarily characterized by:
- Dejection,
- Inner restlessness and
- Exhaustion.
In this state of exhaustion can get anyone who is permanently overwhelmed in everyday work. Excessive expectations of themselves let the pressure grow. According to the WHO definition, the term burnout should be used exclusively in a professional context.
Burnout: what are the possible causes?
The list of causes for burnout is long and very diverse:
- Mobbing
- Overtime
- Long lasting stresses
- A high pressure to perform
- Fear of job loss
But also crises in the family or organizational weaknesses can make their contribution. Other causes are unrealistic demands, excessive demands and too little or no recovery periods. Thus, perfectionists and people with helper syndrome have demonstrably more difficult to say “no” and rarely manage to refuse extra work. The demands on themselves are also often so great in these people that failure is virtually pre-programmed.
Burnout: which risk groups are particularly at risk?
People at risk are usually highly motivated and eager to work. Anyone can suffer burnout, ranging from doctors to housewives. In most cases, those affected are under a heavy multiple workload and show a high level of commitment. These people often take on too many tasks and make unrealistically high demands on themselves and their environment. The constant overload, however, brings body and soul more and more out of balance. Particularly susceptible to burnout syndrome are not only managers, but also members of the medical professions as well as teachers, educators, police officers or housewives. Quite generally, the risk increases with:
- People with multiple stress
- Strongly committed persons
- Overly ambitious or performance-oriented people
- People who can poorly manage their time
- People who can not give work to others
- People who ignore the warning signals of the body
Determine your risk of burnout
- Have you felt totally exhausted for more than 6 months?
- Do you often lack the energy for the simplest tasks of daily life?
- Do you always need longer to recover?
- Do you feel exhausted even when you get up?
- Do you suffer from poor concentration and forgetfulness?
- Have you lost the fun of most things?
- Do you feel like you are accomplishing less and less with more and more energy?
- Do you increasingly withdraw from those around you?
If you answered “yes” to 5 or more questions, you should talk to your doctor. (Source: Kur + Reha GmbH)
Burnout: symptoms
The feeling of not being able to cope with the constant stress and problems in the professional environment soon puts a strain on personal relationships. Feelings of anxiety, aggression or indifference increase even faster as a result. Defeats eat away at self-esteem, the willingness to communicate decreases.Those affected therefore increasingly restrict social contacts and are trapped in this exhaustion situation. The symptoms of the disease are very complex: Some feel nervous and tense, are restless and irritable. Others are depressed or anxious and withdraw. Once the soul has been affected in this way, physical complaints can also manifest themselves:
- Heart trouble, high blood pressure
- Digestive disorders
- Increased susceptibility to infections
- Back pain, muscle tension
- Persistent fatigue
Seek help at the first sign
The fact is, however, the disease does not come overnight, but develops over a long period of time. It is therefore important to pay attention to the first symptoms and signs and to react as early as possible. Early symptoms are, for example, headaches, loss of appetite or difficulty falling asleep. On the psychological level, there may be concentration problems, despair, nervousness as well as a helplessness towards one’s own situation. Typical phrases are: “I can’t cope with the pressure anymore.” or “I feel empty and burnt out inside.”
Self-treat burnout
If you want to break out of the vicious circle and stop burnout, you have to strive for a change in your stuck life situation and bring more relaxation into your life. In the first place, therefore, is an analysis of the life situation and the situations that trigger the inner emptiness. It may then be necessary, based on the analysis, to redefine one’s personal and professional goals. The important thing is to create a new balance and find back to a life in balance. This includes:
- Sufficient sleep
- A healthy diet
- Sufficient exercise
For more security and serenity in dealing with stress, friends and family also contribute – they give the soul the necessary support. Regular breaks should be firmly scheduled in everyday life. For example, you can take a brisk walk during your lunch break and get some fresh air. Or you can exercise after work or listen to relaxation music for 20 minutes to switch off. The time you invest here comes back twice. After a little rest, you’re full of energy again.
Burnout treatment: professional therapy
Many affected people find themselves in a vicious circle: they are stressed, suffer from nervous restlessness and exhaustion and hardly find any sleep at night because of the inner tension. The next day, they feel exhausted and completely depressed. To interrupt this spiral, herbal combination preparations with the ingredients of St. John’s wort, valerian and passion flower are particularly well suited. However, if a warning level is exceeded, a therapist should always be consulted.
