Psychological burnout
Psychological burnout – an occupational phenomenon where employees experience a mix of physical and psychological symptoms that result in decreased job satisfaction and productivity; syndrome that results from chronic stress at work. This definition has become a subject of interest in the field of healthcare.
From a psychosocial perspective, there are three stages of burnout:
- emotional exhaustion, characterized by emotional depletion and loss of energy.
- depersonalization or cynicism, which is also described as dehumanization, disengagement from work and clients, and emotional hardening.
- reduced personal accomplishment or inefficacy, that is, a feeling of personal or professional inadequacy, as well as decreased productivity and coping skills.
Symptoms:
- The physical symptoms include: feeling exhausted, unable to recover from a common cold, frequent headaches, frequent gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, and shortness of breath.
- The behaviors include: irritability, heightened emotional responses (quick to cry, quick to anger), suspicious and paranoia about colleagues, substance abuse, stubbornness, rigid thinking, and unwillingness to listen to other people, negative attitude, and appearing depressed.
Consequences:
- Cross-sectional studies described in the research article “Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies” have shown associations between burnout and some health problems, such as increased alcohol consumption, sleep disorders, depression, sedentarism, obesity, and musculoskeletal pain.
- Psychological burnout causes dissatisfaction with the job and the work you do daily.
- One of the worst consequences is depression, which appears as a result of long-term psychological exhaustion.
Burnout threatens educational quality for children and adolescents, leading to early exhaustion and loss of productivity in teachers.
Salvagioni, D.A.J., Melanda, F.N., ... & Andrade, S.M. (2017). Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: a systematic review of prospective studies. PloS one. №12. P. 1-29. Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/GmAW9 .
Al-Adwan, F., & Al-Khayat, M. (2017). Psychological burnout in early childhood teachers. International educational studies, №10(1). Canadian Center of Science and Education. P. 179-189. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1124789
Pérez-Fuentes, M., & ... (2018). Analysis of burnout predictors in nursing... The European journal of psychology applied to legal context, № 11(1). Spain. P. 33-40. Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/r3DF2 .
Nortje, A. (2021, February 27). What is burnout? 16 signs and symptoms of excessive stress. Stress & burnout prevention. PositivePsychology. Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/1rWCA .