Most of us wake up every day from our warm bed, quiet room, and familiar tranquility to go somewhere and face the world. Some go to school or university, while others go to work.
We embark on this necessary journey from our personal space to a public arena filled with threats and demands that require a lot of effort. We live a long life of constant pursuit, constantly chasing after many things. Initially, we run to school, then to university, and later we go to work, carrying numerous responsibilities both inside and outside the home.
It's true that we gain knowledge, perhaps social value, and the necessary funds for our lives in return, but despite ourselves, we feel stress, and that is something we should be wary of.
We need this constant pursuit in our lives, but we must not lose ourselves or drain ourselves and face burnout. You may have heard of this term before, or maybe not, but I will explain it to you.
The burnout:
Burnout is a term that encompasses a range of negative reactions we engage in because of continuous pressure within professional, personal, and emotional contexts. The most significant aspect of burnout is the state of exhaustion and emotional depletion we experience due to our inability to cope with these various pressures. Burnout can affect us whether we are students, professionals in a particular field, or even parents with many family burdens.
Burnout is a state of emotional and mental exhaustion, diminished personal accomplishment, and a loss of motivation. Emotional exhaustion refers to the loss of energy, performance, and increased work demands. Depersonalization refers to negative feelings, cynicism, and mood imbalances. Reduced personal accomplishment refers to an individual's belief in their lowered competence and that their efforts are futile (Maslach & Jackson, 1981).
Causes of burnout:
1. Role conflict: Leads to emotional tension, decreased satisfaction, and motivation towards work and family.
2. Workload: Includes excessive role demands that exceed an individual's capabilities, as well as insufficient role demands that occur in cases of ambiguous or unclear work.
3. Lack of resources and inadequacy: Arises from an imbalance between rewards and recognition, as well as relationships with colleagues and supervisors.
Symptoms of burnout:
The behaviors of a person experiencing burnout serve as a psychological escape and self-protection from their deteriorating state and increasing fear. These behaviors include:
- Lack of responsibility.
- Depletion of mental energy.
- Abandoning ideals and increased negativity.
- Blaming others in the event of failure.
- Decreased personal effectiveness in performance.
Researchers also attempt to explain the phenomenon of burnout through the following symptoms:
1. Physiological symptoms: High blood pressure, back pain, extreme fatigue, constant headaches, general body tension, and disturbances in certain bodily functions.
2. Cognitive symptoms: Inability to concentrate, sarcastic mood, changes in perception.
3. Psychological symptoms: Emotional changes, feelings of frustration, helplessness, and despair, fear.
Copingand prevention of burnout:
Preventing and treating burnout requires specific measures and steps. The following are recommended:
1. Recognize the symptoms and identify signs of burnout.
2. Determine the causes and understand them through self-assessment or available tests.
3. Prioritize and gradually address the causes.
4. Implement coping mechanisms for stress, such as time management and forming friendships for social support.
5. Distance oneself from the work environment if possible and seek help from professionals.
6. Acknowledge the problem and think of positive solutions.
7. Evaluate the steps taken, adjust them, and replace them if necessary.
Researchers also recommend taking regular vacations, engaging in physical exercise, and diversifying work tasks to avoid routine.
In the end, we must prioritize the necessary care and continuous attention to ourselves. We need to strike a balance between our needs and our drive to work and study, and our mental well-being. We should make every effort to maintain our positive emotions and exchange support within our schools, universities, workplaces, and most importantly, within our families and communities.
Ultimately, burnout is a condition that can affect any of us, whether it be ourselves, someone dear to us, or a colleague. Therefore, it is important that we educate ourselves and those around us about it, and seek help from professionals when we are unable to cope.
By Maher Dabboul.
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Here are the references :
1. Alhumailan, A., 2008, Burnout and Social Support: Their Relationship to Kuwaiti Workers' Attitudes, Zagazig University, College of Education, Egypt.
2. Bouyahia, N., 2012, Psychological and Social Sciences Journal, Kasdi Merbah University, Issue 8, Algeria.
3. Benin, A., Bnin, I., 2016, Psychological Stress among Working Students at El Oued University, Psychological and Educational Sciences Journal, El Oued University, Algeria.
4. Said, R., 2020, Burnout among Mothers of Children with Autism, Duhok University, College of Basic Education, Iraq.
5. Saeed Ahmed, W., Reghi, R., 2019, Level of Burnout among University Students in the Context of Implementing the (LMD) System, University of Saida, Algeria.
6. Merad, S., Samani, M., 2011, Coping Strategies among Residents Experiencing Burnout at the University Hospital of Oran, University of Oran, Faculty of Social Sciences, Algeria.
7. Worry and Stress - Guide Help Self Your, 2012, Trust Foundation NHS.
8. www.headingtoninstitute.org
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