Intense fatigue, feeling squeezed like a lemon… “Burnout” is a syndrome of professional exhaustion. It is sneaky because it takes a long time to settle…
Burnout is a very contemporary disease, also known as “burnout syndrome”. The term “burn out” cannot not be used for parental exhaustion (we cannot speak of “parental burnout”) since it is reserved for the professional context.
What is the definition of burnout?
Burn out (“burn” means “to burn” in English) is a syndrome which brings together several symptoms characteristic of professional exhaustion. “Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic job stress that has not been successfully managed” defines the WHO in the ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases). “Initially it looks like the walls are holding up, but it’s just a facade. In reality, we can no longer resist theaccumulation of stress prolonged and repeated in his work. We are mentally and physically exhausted. And all of a sudden, it collapses. We end up collapsing, as devoured from withinwhile displaying a pleasant facade: that’s what burnout is all about”, explains Dr. Yves-Victor Kamami.
What are the signs when you burn out?
According to the WHO definition, the symptoms of burnout are:
- a feeling of intense fatigue and exhaustion,
- negative or cynical feelings related to work,
- reduced work efficiency.
When privacy no longer exists, it is the alarm signal of burnout.
► At first : the burnout starts without the affected person being aware of it by a over-commitment to work in which the person feels fulfilled.
► Over the months or years, this overactivity begins to spill over into family and social life. A anxiety manifests aggravated by the fear of no longer being as efficient and effective. The first faults appear and the fear of doing wrong is compensated by the desire to work even harder. Several years generally pass before the collapse occurs, which sometimes manifests itself by the sudden onset, one morning, of the impossibility of getting up to go to work, but also by signs of depression. Can then occur:
- irritability,
- sleep disorders,
- oversights
- a feeling of worthlessness.
- the impression of being “emptied”, of no longer succeeding in recharging one’s batteries
- a great fatigue at the idea of going to work which does not disappear during periods of rest, weekends and holidays.
People gradually become detached, negative and indifferent. There is then observed a decline in positive consideration vis-à-vis people in professional life which can spill over into social and personal life. “They seem to be like a squeezed lemon“, compares Doctor Kamami. According to him, “as long as you maintain an interest in your private life, for your loved ones, for your family, it’s still fine. But watch out for the next step, when that spills over into privacy. People shut down completely: they cut themselves off from their relationships, from their activities… They don’t do anything anymore, except sleep. Privacy no longer exists. At that moment, you have to react, these are the symptoms of burnout.”
Who can burn out?
“Anyone can be affected by professional exhaustion, whatever the profession and sector of activity, certain risk factors are common to many work situations: work overload, loss of meaning, isolation and successive reorganizations” says psychologist Magali Manzano. “THE women are particularly affected by burnout”, says Dr. Kamani. Increasingly involved professionally, they must manage professional life and at the same time the worries of family life.
The doctor questions the patient’s symptoms and work situation. A psychological assessment is imperative to set up a medical treatment and a psychological follow-up, after a blood test has eliminated any infection explaining the fatigue.
What tests to do to know if you are burning out?
THE MBI test, Maslach Burnout Inventory was established in 1986. It explores three aspects: exhaustion, depersonalization and personal achievement. The test CBI, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory looks at personal burnout, burnout and relationship burnout. These are two self-assessment scales. If their results are not of medical diagnostic value, they may provide information on whether to seek medical or psychological help.
7 tips for getting out of a burnout
The management of burnout must be organized in several stages: rest (sick leave, general practitioner), identity reconstruction (therapy), accompaniment to a new professional project (work psychologist), help with returning to work (work doctor). The management and treatment modalities are assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
- Stop. The first step in treatment is to order a stoppage of work. The latter lasts as long as necessary: it is essential to initiate the healing process. The patient needs rest.
- Get help. The management of burnout involves psychotherapy provided by a clinical occupational psychologist.
- Learn to relax to reduce stress and anxiety. “When you are out of breath, you have to know how to refocus and concentrate on your breath and on the present moment. It’s about taking a deep breath : inhale then empty your lungs slowly while listening to the sound of your own breathing.“You have to try at least once or twice and the more you do it, the easier it becomes to go into meditation, explains the doctor. Besides, there is no you don’t have to be quiet to meditate : you can do it at work, in your car during a traffic jam, on public transport, in the supermarket queue, etc. “Meditation practiced regularly, repeatedly, over and over again, even for a few minutes a day, quickly becomes a discipline which helps to better nourish and restore body and mind, to better understand oneself and to discover one’s own inner resources, to better accept one’s limits”, describes Dr. Kamami. Thalassotherapy and hydrotherapy cures can also be effective.
- Install protective covers so as not to “suffer” throughout the day. Doctor Yves-Victor Kamami thus advises toapply the principles of positive psychology which is somewhat similar to the Coué method. Also, one of the exercises usually recommended is to remember before bed, three good times of the day. It’s about remembering the details, rediscovering the emotions experienced and savoring them again. A compliment, a smile, a treat, a joke… Another tip: smile ! “Smile soothes, allows you to better savor the beautiful things in life and makes you in a better mood, more pleasant, more positive, not to mention that it is contagious for those around you” describes the doctor.
- Get (back) into sport. The regular practice of a sport relieves stress and restores self-confidence, in the same way as rest or relaxation. We have to choose what makes us want: collective sport, individual, exercises to practice at home or outside, etc. In addition, a balanced diet is preferred.
- Anxiolytics and antidepressants if necessary. This prescription is not systematic for treating burnout. It can be considered in the most serious situations, in association with psychotherapy.
- A gradual return to work. The return to work is envisaged gradually, after a pre-recovery consultation with the occupational physician. To be carried out in the best conditions, the return to work must be organized in collaboration with the company: modification of the working environment, reorientation of the activity, reorganization of the organization, definition of new projects, etc.
Is burnout recognized as an occupational disease?
There is no table of Occupational Diseases for this syndrome. Its recognition is possible through the complementary route of the Regional Committees for the Recognition of Occupational Diseases (CRRMP).
The prevention of burnout involves early identification of the warning signs and the implementation of an appropriate work organization (regulation of the workload, meaning and recognition). It is essential to avoid an aggravation of symptoms and possible dramatic consequences.
Thanks to Magali Manzano, occupational psychologist in the occupational health service and in charge of the “occupational health” mission within the French Federation of Psychologists and Psychology (FFPP), for her medical validation. And to Dr Yves-Victor Kamami, author of the book “How to avoid burn-out” published by Dauphin.