Burnout syndrome: signs and how to cope with it

Burnout syndrome

So, emotional burnout, as stated above, is an exhaustion of strength, both moral and physical. The syndrome manifests itself in a number of unpleasant symptoms affecting several areas of life.

The deterioration of morale is characterized by:

• unwillingness to take responsibility for duties and actions;
• need for solitude;
• unmotivated anger and aggression.

Often a person cannot understand the cause of his condition and blames others for it. He also tries to forget himself by drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages and drugs.

To diagnose SEV, you need to know its main symptoms. Signs of mental exhaustion against the background of internal burnout include:

• feeling of self-doubt;
• indifference to everything that happens;
• Bad mood;
• decreased performance;
• hot temper;
• lack of goals;
• restlessness and constant anxiety;
• irritability.

The listed manifestations of exhaustion syndrome are similar to depression. To these can be added thoughts of loneliness, problems with concentration, and concentration.

Physical symptoms of emotional burnout include:

• headache;
• constant fatigue;
• excessive sweating;
• muscle weakness;
• decrease in the body's defenses;
• darkening of the eyes;
• sleep problems;
• pain in the lumbar region and heart;
• disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• dyspnea;
• nausea;
• pain in the joints.

For mothers on maternity leave, in relationships, at work, moral exhaustion syndrome manifests itself in different ways. For example, someone loses their appetite and loses a lot of weight. For others, on the contrary, their appetite increases, which leads to a rapid gain of extra pounds.

New impressions

Some advise those who are mentally tired to go on a trip. This method can really help you relax physically and mentally.

However, it does not always work, because even at the resort a person can be overcome by negative thoughts about a failed career, problems in the family and personal life, and so on. This method will help you physically relax. For it to become effective mentally, you need to choose a place for travel where you will receive a lot of interesting and unique information that will displace all heavy thoughts from your brain. We are talking about excursions, meeting new positive-minded people, a trip to some unusually beautiful place.

How to find out CMEA

As can be seen from the symptoms described, EBS or emotional burnout syndrome is easily confused with other psychosomatic disorders. Four main distinctive features will help you avoid this:

1. The “patient” is so exhausted morally that he does not feel pleasure from anything. He is in constant stress and experiences only negative emotions. As a result, work and relationships with others suffer.
2. The desire to develop in the profession disappears. It seems to a person that no one appreciates his work, so he can work at half capacity. Burnout can happen in other areas of life as well. For example, many people don’t see the point in taking care of themselves. “It won’t get better anyway,” they say.
3. Psycho-emotional exhaustion will not disappear even after proper rest. Returning to work, the person will be just as unhappy, tired and joyless.
4. Psychological burnout is based on anger, irritability and malice. This is its main difference from depression. It seems to a person that he is doing everything well, but for some reason those around him are opposed.

At first, this condition does not cause alarm. However, over time, it increasingly changes not only a person, but also his attitude towards life. He may lose his job because he cannot cope with his responsibilities. Also, such people are often turned away by loved ones who can no longer tolerate constant negativity.

Dream

How to relax mentally with sleep? Scientists have found that during night rest, brain cells get rid of not only negative information received during the day, but also harmful toxins. That is why a person always thinks more positively in the morning than in the evening. Popular wisdom says that there is nothing sweeter in the world than sleep.

If you are tired of everything that is happening in our world and in your life, if you are tormented by thoughts that nothing can be changed, give yourself a good, sound sleep. This method is perfect for those who work hard. Do not think that your self-sacrifices will go unnoticed by the body. He will endure as long as he can, and then he will begin to react with moral fatigue and all sorts of sores.

A person should sleep about 7-8 hours a day. Try to set aside this time. To make your sleep more pleasant, buy a sachet pillow and place it at your head. Take a light walk before bed. When you get home, take a relaxing bath with aromatic oils and drink a cup of herbal tea with honey.

Development of burnout

Moral burnout develops gradually and at first seems like banal fatigue. However, psychologists advise seeking help as early as possible.

There are several stages of emotional burnout. It all starts out quite innocently. A person wants to assert himself and stand out from others. Afterwards he becomes uninterested in what is happening around him. Suddenly the desire to communicate, play sports, and take care of your appearance disappears.

At the next level of exhaustion, conflicts with colleagues, relatives, and friends appear. He doesn’t want to resolve them, so the conflicts drag on. Then any reaction to controversial situations disappears.

Ultimately, burnout causes you to lose interest in life. A person lives by inertia, without thinking about the future.

It is noteworthy that burnout syndrome is difficult to diagnose. The “sick” person goes to work and even communicates as usual. He attributes his bad mood and communication problems to fatigue. Only those closest to him will notice his inner emptiness. The main thing is that this does not happen in the last stages of burnout.

Types of emotional burnout

CMEA develops for various reasons. Depending on them, it is divided into several varieties.

Mild and chronic burnout

The mild form is a consequence of severe fatigue, which occurs when caring for small children or elderly relatives, before exams, or when performing urgent work. During these periods, a person forgets about everything, in particular, the need to rest.

After the children have grown up, the relatives have recovered, and the exams have been passed, the condition improves. Now you can have a good rest, play sports or any other pleasant activity.

In mild cases of exhaustion, positive emotions help to cope with despondency and restore interest in life and work.

The chronic form of emotional burnout develops with more serious problems. This may be a significant lack of money for something needed or too high demands from the employer. A person is under constant tension and feels anxious, resulting in increased stress on the nervous system. It manifests itself not only in a bad mood, but also in muscle pain and grinding of teeth at night.

An example of a chronic syndrome might be an employee who is afraid of his superiors at work or is tired of increasing responsibility. At some point, he begins to perform his duties purely mechanically, without experiencing satisfaction. The body, feeling tension, encourages a person to hide from people and problems, to retire. This begins the path to burnout, both emotional and physical.

Burnout at work

Burnout syndrome at work is the most common. This is usually a consequence of excessive workload and lack of days off. A person’s performance decreases, he needs more time to rest, and the desire to work disappears.

There are many examples of burnout at work. This could be a nurse who, due to fatigue, forgot to distribute pills to patients on time. Or a teacher who is indifferent to the class's bad behavior in class. These people no longer have the strength to fight. They are tired of everything that is happening around them.

Burnout nullifies all attempts to grow and develop professionally. It deprives you of the desire to move forward and learn something. Moreover, the person considers himself a bad worker.

What is moral fatigue

It is impossible to answer the question of how to mentally rest without finding out what moral fatigue is. This phenomenon belongs to the field of psychology. Experts define it as a psychological characteristic that reflects the depressed state of an individual, leading to an unwillingness to live, low self-esteem, and a lack of any interests.

From a medical point of view, moral fatigue is a psychological-neurotic mental disorder that can lead to prolonged depression, psychosis, neurosis, and suicide. As you can see, everything is serious.

Reasons for the development of CMEA

As mentioned above, emotional burnout develops due to excessive workload and fatigue. But there are other reasons:

• the need to repeat monotonous actions;
• low labor incentives;
• undeserved criticism from the outside;
• unclear tasks, unattainable goals;
• feeling of uselessness.

This condition is most often encountered by people who have a number of qualities:

• maximalism;
• responsibility;
• daydreaming;
• tendency to idealize.

Those at risk are those who abuse alcoholic drinks and energy drinks, as well as those who care for seriously ill relatives for a long period of time.

It is noteworthy that housewives can also develop SEV. They are oppressed by monotony and a feeling of uselessness. A good example is young mothers on maternity leave.

Spiritual practice

Turning to church values ​​will allow you to find the answer to the question of how to mentally rest when you are tired of everything. Many successful businessmen, artists, scientists and ordinary citizens turn to God, seeking peace for their suffering souls. At the same time, it is not necessary to go to a monastery. It is quite possible to do without such sacrifices. You can start reading church literature, the Holy Scriptures, and mentally talking to God at home. It is advisable to observe fasts. They help cleanse both body and mind. Trips to holy places help a lot. Spirituality, a change of impressions, and admiring the beautiful work at the same time here.

How to overcome burnout

How to deal with moral exhaustion syndrome? Treatment directly depends on the form of the “disease”. For example, the following measures will help get rid of a lung:

• reduce the load;
• share responsibility;
• set and achieve realistic goals;
• don’t panic if something goes wrong;
• realistically assess the possibilities.

Also, if possible, you should replace mental stress with physical activity, for example, by playing sports or just taking a walk. If you wish, you can relax in a sanatorium.

How to treat chronic exhaustion?

1. You need to learn to say no. Don't take on extra work or responsibility. Let everyone fulfill their duties.
2. Charge yourself with positive emotions. Walking with friends or going to the theater or museum will help here.
3. Tell someone about your problems and together look for the right solution.
4. Build relationships with colleagues.
5. Communicate with self-confident people who are not prone to developing the syndrome.
6. Find a pleasant hobby, do something new.
7. Take short breaks during the working day.
8. If your exhaustion is related to your job, you may need to change your job.

There is another way to fix the situation. You need to write down the reasons for your condition on a piece of paper. It is important to be as honest as possible. After that, think about possible ways to solve problems.

If necessary, psychologists recommend consulting a doctor. He will prescribe medications that will help you calm down and relax, at least for a short period of time.

Outing into nature

This is the perfect way to relax mentally. Unfortunately, it is not feasible for everyone. If you can afford it, try getting out of town. Have a picnic with barbecue somewhere on the river bank, go fishing or go to the forest to pick mushrooms. Communication with good friends and unity with nature are the best medicines for a sick, tired soul.

How to recover on your own

Three effective steps will help eliminate the consequences of emotional burnout at work or in life in general:

1. First of all, you need to reduce the time you spend at work, for example, by taking a vacation or several days off. The freed time should be devoted exclusively to rest.
2. The second step is to seek support. You shouldn’t keep your feelings to yourself, because this only makes the situation worse. It is better to share them with loved ones and family. Even talking will make it easier.
3. Experts recommend reconsidering priorities and goals. Burnout is a sign that something is wrong with them. It is important to conduct a thorough analysis and find out the reasons for what happened. Perhaps it's all about the wrong job and needs to be changed. Or you will have to work on yourself, your character.

There is no need to panic if the condition does not improve. In order to “cure” from burnout, you will have to spend more than one day, but maybe a month. The main thing is not to stop on the path to recovery.

Silence

In our modern life, we all daily “cook” in the information surrounding us from all sides. Television, telephone, Internet, just conversations with neighbors, colleagues, acquaintances. Various information (often negative) covers us like an avalanche. Many people can’t stand it and say: “I want to rest mentally and morally.” What does such a vacation mean? For some, silence will be the best remedy. This method is more suitable for those who live alone. Take a few days off from work. If you stay at home, turn off the TV, hide your phone. Spend at least one day without information. Enjoy reading your favorite book. Light scented candles. Take a relaxing bath. Eat something very tasty. Dedicate this day to yourself.

Prevention of burnout syndrome

Prevention of emotional exhaustion syndrome will help prevent the development of extremely unpleasant symptoms, including apathy and depression. Psychologists recommend taking a number of fairly effective measures:

1. Sports activities. This medicine is not only for physical diseases. Activity helps to cope with psychological problems. You don't have to go for a run or go to the gym in the morning. You can do some light exercise, do yoga, or learn meditation techniques.
2. Complete rest. This is an excellent way to prevent emotional problems in people of any status, profession, age: teachers, educators, doctors and just parents. Rest does not necessarily mean sleep. A change of environment often helps, for example, a trip to another city. The main thing is to relax mentally, get new impressions, and recharge with positive emotions.
3. Mode. Work and rest need to be planned. This way you can do everything you need to do without being distracted by useless activities.
4. Psychological protection. The ability to protect yourself with an imaginary wall from unpleasant people will also help protect yourself from moral exhaustion. It will prevent stressful situations, provocations, and manipulation from others.

And, probably, the main preventive measure is maintaining harmony. You should not mix your personal life and work, or waste emotional resources discussing the problems of work colleagues or acquaintances. It is better to talk about abstract or constructive topics.

beauty

As you know, she saves the world. Won't it help your tired brain? We have already mentioned a trip to an unusually beautiful place. There are millions of them in nature. Literally every corner of our planet is unique in its own way. But beauty can be found nearby, without leaving anywhere. Almost every city has museums, art galleries, parks, and architectural monuments. This is the best answer to the question of where to relax mentally. Don't be lazy, go to the exhibition. Both classical and contemporary art have enormous potential, capable of touching the deepest strings of the soul. Don’t rush to leave, wander through the halls, linger at each exhibit, try to make out all the details. Your soul will be grateful to you for such spiritual “vitamins”.