Articles - Burnout

Burnout.. What is it and how can we avoid it?

Our modern lives are characterized by an abundance of personal, family, and societal burdens that increasingly weigh on individuals. With less room for leisure and fun, these burdens have transformed into psychological pressures that exhaust people, leading to feelings of boredom, monotony, nervous fatigue, and burnout.

With scientific advancement now closely linked to psychology, it has become important for individuals to gain psychological knowledge that helps them understand human behavior and its motivations, as well as to comprehend and develop human personality both emotionally and behaviorally. This contributes to achieving psychological and professional satisfaction.

The concept of burnout has evolved:

Burnout is a relatively modern concept. It was first used in psychology by Freud in 1974, when he observed, through a study of workers in various professions, a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion resulting from the burdens associated with those professions. He referred to this state as "burnout."

Other scholars have expanded the concept of burnout, including Freudenberger and Maslach, who described burnout as a state of physical and mental exhaustion that leads to a negative self-image, as well as negative perceptions of work and others, accompanied by feelings of anger and a loss of idealism.

Factors Contributing to the Phenomenon of Burnout:

The nature of work and its pressures significantly contribute to the occurrence of burnout, according to subjective, social, and functional factors:

1.Subjective Factors: These are related to an individual's expectations and ambitions, as well as their level of professional commitment. Excessive ambition and obstacles that hinder goal achievement can make a person susceptible to burnout.

2.Social Factors: Societal pressures, such as the expectation for an educator to perform roles beyond their capabilities, lead to psychological stress that increases the likelihood of burnout.

3. Functional Factors: Work provides individuals with multiple needs, including recognition and autonomy. If these needs are not met, individuals may be at risk of experiencing burnout.

Symptoms of Burnout:

Burnout symptoms can be divided into three levels:

1. Level One: Mild symptoms that can be managed through exercise and hobbies.

2. Level Two: Symptoms become more severe and take longer, requiring more complex treatment.

3. Level Three: Severe health and psychological issues arise that require intensive medical or psychological treatment.

Sources of burnout:

1.The individual themselves: Exaggerated expectations or taking on responsibilities that exceed their capabilities.

2.The relationship with others: Such as the relationship with managers or colleagues.

3.Material aspects: Such as low salaries or lack of incentives.

4.Work conditions: Excessive job burden and value conflicts between the individual and their organization.

Stages of Burnout:

1. Engulfment Stage: Job satisfaction begins to decline.

2. Stagnation Stage: Gradual decline in efficiency and performance.

3. Detachment Stage: Psychological withdrawal and health deterioration.

4. Critical Stage: Emergence of severe and dangerous symptoms.

Dimensions of Burnout:

According to Maslach, burnout includes three dimensions:

1. Emotional Exhaustion: Depletion of emotional resources.

2. Depersonalization: Negative attitudes toward others.

3. Reduced Personal Accomplishment: Negative self-evaluation and loss of enthusiasm.

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