Burnout syndrome, which emerged as burnout syndrome in the 1970s, is defined as an individual's feeling tired, having difficulty doing any work, reluctance to go to work or do activities. Experts point out that boredom and high stress can lead to burnout, stating that burnout is seen in 3 different forms in the person, pointing out the importance of early intervention.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Clinical Psychologist Özgenur Taşkın explained the factors that cause burnout syndrome, which negatively affects the lives of individuals, the ways the syndrome is experienced and treatment methods.
The syndrome has changed over time
Stating that the burnout syndrome, which was introduced by New York psychotherapist Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s under the name of burnout, has undergone changes over time, Taşkın said:
"Freudenberger defined burnout syndrome as a state of exhaustion accompanied by feeling tired, difficulty in doing any work, reluctance to go to work or do activities, and physical complaints. Burnout was initially defined primarily for people who were too preoccupied with their work, but now people who feel burned out outside of work are considered at risk. Examples that fit the new definition include people who take care of family members or who take on the entire burden in the family. It is no longer considered as a necessary condition of burnout syndrome to be exhausted because of the work done, that is, to be absorbed in the work done, to try to give more effort than you can give. The common denominator of all definitions is that people with burnout syndrome associate their complaints with the intensity and difficulty of their work, and that they think that complaints continue if unfavorable working conditions persist, but that complaints will decrease with the improvement of working conditions."
Burnout is seen in three different forms
Stating that burnout syndrome can be seen in three different ways: emotional, depersonalization, low productivity and a sense of inadequacy, Taşkın said, "If a person is emotionally burned out, they do not need to work, they may feel exhausted even when they go to work early in the morning. While it would normally be good to spend time with friends or go on a short vacation after a busy working day, people with emotional burnout cannot feel rested even if they go. Negative emotions such as irritability, low mood and even somatization may occur. The result can be a feeling of emptiness. Burnout is associated with emotional fatigue. The person may experience sleep disorders."
It leads to low productivity and feelings of inadequacy
Özgenur Taşkın noted that people who experience the syndrome, called depersonalization, show less emotion in their interactions with other people and are more distant:
"They find it meaningless to spend leisure time and maintain relationships. There may be a gradual loss of value, friendship and job loss. Negative thoughts cause feelings of guilt in people who feel exhausted. There is also a mood of feeling alienated or changed. In burnout syndrome, which is characterized by low productivity and a sense of inadequacy, productivity decreases. People who feel burned out understand this and fear that they will not be able to meet the demands of work and daily life. They try to compensate for the feared failure by working more than they should, or they try to increase their productivity by taking medication, alcohol or drugs."
Boredom and chronic stress lead to burnout
Taşkın stated that the research on the frequency of burnout syndrome revealed different results and continued his words as follows: "It is not possible to make precise predictions about the frequency of burnout syndrome. If we talk about how it occurs, the risk factors affecting the development of the process may depend on working conditions, personality traits or stressful situations in life in general. The burnout process is the result of a constant disparity between demands and the fear of not being able to meet them. The result is chronic stress. However, when demands turn into stress depends on environmental factors and the individual's nature. It also depends on the person's coping abilities and resources. We can say that constant boredom and chronic stress can lead to burnout. The determinant of risk factors in the workplace is not the amount of work, but the conditions under which this work must be done."
Sleep disturbance is a harbinger of the syndrome
Pointing out that people can get the signal that they will get burnout syndrome in advance, Taşkın said, "The first signals of the syndrome are usually complaints of sleep disturbance. Victims cannot fall asleep or wake up very early in the morning. They may start to think that their problems are right next to them. What other symptoms may occur depends on the person's weaknesses. Some people have stomach problems, while others react with back or headaches. In addition to these symptoms, there may also be a comprehensive feeling of fatigue and loss of energy, which is understood as a result of the physician's questioning."
Early intervention is important
Pointing out the importance of early intervention, Özgenur Taşkın listed the measures that individuals can take to prevent burnout syndrome as follows:
"The person who is at risk of burnout syndrome tries to respond to the warning signals by focusing more on the situations that cannot be overcome and by reducing the time they allocate to themselves beforehand, instead of lightening their burden. This would be the wrong system, if the person realizes that something is wrong, they should stop and listen to themselves, then seek expert support without letting the stress take over. The process is similar because it intersects with the symptoms of depression. We can say that both psychotherapy and medication are effective methods in the outpatient and inpatient treatment of the syndrome."
