Burnout is a condition that is triggered solely by the patient’s misbehavior. Therefore it is very important to start with this problem and to change the patient’s behaviour, as this is the only way to achieve a successful therapy. Behavioural therapy is therefore one of the most important forms of therapy for burnout syndrome.
Behavioural therapy is mainly concerned with the current problem, unlike psychoanalysis, for example, which is mainly based on biographical background. Behavioural therapy is therefore a suitable therapy for the burnout syndrome because the patient has to face the current problem and reflect on it. It is analyzed exactly how it came to the situation that the patient could slip into a burnout.
In further sessions we will look how it can be avoided that the patient gets into a burnout again. Here the patient has to learn to change his behaviour and to adapt it more to the needs of his own body. As burnout is caused by misbehaviour and ignoring the physical warning signals, behaviour therapy is often a difficult part of burnout treatment, as old behaviour patterns are reluctantly changed.
Many patients are very stuck in their behaviour and it takes a while and costs several therapy hours until the patient comes to the conclusion that he has to change his behaviour if he does not want to slip into burnout again. Behavioural therapy is also a very important treatment for burnout because it absorbs conflicts and helps the patient to cope with them without being subjected to additional pressure again. Certain world views (paradigms) must also be broken through in behavioural therapy so that the therapy of burnout is also meaningful and above all long-lasting.
Self-help group
A self-help group can help affected patients to find a suitable therapy for the burnout or replace the therapy for a mild burnout. Many patients are initially overwhelmed by the therapy options for burnout and do not know which offers or which form of therapy is best suited to them. Since the patients are mostly lacking in drive due to the burnout, it is often very difficult to find a suitable therapy from the mass of information and possibilities.
Therefore, there is the simple possibility to turn to a self-help group for burnout patients. In the self-help group, the patient can not only receive valuable tips from other affected patients, but he can also make new contacts and make contact with people who know and understand his situation without reproach. A self-help group for burnout patients can possibly replace a therapy for mild forms of burnout.
Nevertheless, it is important that the patient not only seeks a self-help group, but also seeks professional treatment to overcome the burnout in the long term. The self-help group can be a first important step towards burnout treatment or it can be considered as “aftercare”. If, for example, the therapy sessions with the psychiatrist are over, the patient can go to a support group which can help him or her not to fall back into old behaviour patterns.
Thus the support group is an important additional option for burnout patients, but should not replace behavioral therapy. The positive thing about the self-help group is that relatives, who often had to suffer strongly from the burnout syndrome, can also visit the group and can also freely report their worries and needs here. This can help to rebuild a more stable relationship with the relative, and other group members can also give valuable tips that help the relative and the patient. All in all, a support group for burnout patients can be an important additional option, but each patient should decide for himself whether the group is of personal benefit to him and it should not be considered as a therapy alone.
