“I want to run away from here. I am so tired. I want to just pause everything”
We often find the modern worker voicing similar concerns. These statements are not a dabble at mere histrionics. They are ought to be taken at face value for what they try to convey as there is no other or less dramatic way to express what these workers really feel. We call such feelings of overwhelming stress ‘burnout’- a deceptively harmless condition that has the fatal potential of silently paralyzing its sufferer both in mind and body.
What Is Burnout?
The sentiment is becoming so widespread and profound that the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially reclassified ‘burnout’ as an ‘occupational syndrome’ in its widely used manual of International Classification of Diseases-latest edition ICD 11. The decision of including burnout as a medical diagnosis came after arduous discussions across international panels about whether it should be clubbed under a disease or a syndrome, or whether it should be acknowledged as a more ‘acceptable’ label for depression as many of the latter’s characteristics overlap with those of the former.
The revision of the definition, although minor, aims to add legitimacy to an emerging and misunderstood problem. From being ‘a state of vital exhaustion’, burnout is now defined as ‘feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.’
WHO’s revised definition also considers burnout as an occupational syndrome that solely stems from ‘chronic workplace stress’ and that ‘should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.’ It also cautioned against the diagnosis in the context of mood, stress and anxiety disorders. Despite not categorizing it as an illness, WHO does realize the serious medical repercussions the syndrome has on modern-day workers.
To an average person, this might seem like a lot of effort to exert on just categorizing something. The need for making a distinction in these matters is however crucial because of its direct implications on how the condition is going to be dealt with. Rendering burnout as a diagnosis would perhaps shift the attention from the apparent source of the problem-the workplace, and make it a problem specific to an individual. It would also overlook the need to address toxic workplace cultures which would later inevitably result in an even higher burnout rate. Despite possibly resulting from distressing work environments, it is also equally crucial to cater to individual psychiatric conditions that could drive the burnout. These dormant disorders can prove lethal at a later stage thus requiring treatment from an early period.
With over 140 definitions being used to describe burnout, the prevalence of this condition is even harder to track. “In fact, for the medical workforce, the reported range of burnout’s prevalence is 0-80%, although the most often cited prevalence is closer to 60%” . The parameters of burnout hence require clarity for the condition to be both diagnosed as well as treated. Because the symptoms of burnout overlap immensely with symptoms of other mental health conditions such as depression, recognizing the syndrome becomes a global struggle.
Burnout: How Does It Affect Us?
Professions that involve dealing with people on a regular basis are at a higher risk of reporting burnout. These primarily include the healthcare, social care, and education sector. The norm in such jobs always demands workers to exercise selflessness and altruism. This can create an atmosphere where workers might feel that the hours they put in do not justify the rewards, recognition and relaxation times reaped from the daily tussle. Sooner or later a typical workday becomes a fight for the worker’s ambitions, ideals and worth.
ICD-11 describes this as ‘not a single event but a process in which everyday stresses and anxieties gradually undermine one’s mental and physical health.’ This is perhaps what makes burnout even deadlier. It averts investigations at first glances because of its seemingly benign early symptoms. But it feeds on this neglect and passivity, eventually to slowly creep up and manifest itself as an epidemic, suddenly sweeping masses altogether.
Apart from the financial suffering in lost hours and declining productivity, the emotional exhaustion and negativity can completely rewire a worker’s brain, making it harder for burnt out workers to deal with stress in the long term. The long-term health of the worker is hence at a stake with studies confirming workplace stress as a significant risk factor for heart diseases, stomach illnesses, body pains, respiratory problems, and even premature mortality. Apart from such ghastly physiological effects, the psychological traumas are equally terrifying, ranging from insomnia and restlessness and extending all the way to Major Depression and other mental disorders.
Burnout And Modern Times
Seeing the term so easily tossed around makes you wonder how scary experiencing it could actually be. Because of its common usage, it has slowly lost its impact amongst audiences who think that burnout is common in all capitalist societies. People seem to unknowingly conform to the idea of greater reward by putting in long hours at work.
In extreme cases, they exhibit imposter syndrome in that they start cultivating feelings of not being/doing enough, only later to develop internalized feelings of inadequacy. This makes them clock in even longer hours at work hence aggravating an already sizeable problem-a chronic stress that further goes awry. Sufferers, therefore, work towards their detriment and consider exhaustion to be a natural byproduct of the new era where work has slithered past the four walls of their offices to personify as an uninvited guest at their yearly beach retreats.
Keeping the workplace aside, the modern world of increasing poverty, growing intolerance, and mounting instability provide the perfect backdrop for the burnout act behind the 3 walls of a worker’s cubicle. Moreover, the use of social media together with the onslaught of the 24/7 news cycle has also contributed to its increasing occurrence. Burnout could be reflective of the despicable times we live in where both mind and body are tiptoeing towards a complete shutdown.
How Can We Beat Burnout?
Identifying the cause of such a misunderstood ailment is itself a challenge. While the pressures from aggressive management are largely to blame, a person’s predisposition to handle workplace stress should also be factored into the equation. But to assign blame is itself part of the problem; rather than pointing fingers, colleagues should build an atmosphere of support and purpose-a safe space where everyone feels comfortable in sharing any work-related pressures they might be facing.
WHO has contributed a great deal in this regard by cementing a consistent definition of burnout. WHO has also spoken out about the ignored psychiatric conditions that demand remedy by explicitly stating that the diagnosis for burnout ought not to be made without ruling out the psychiatric conditions with which it most overlaps. WHO has made it possible for physicians to bill for the condition, should patients seek care for its symptoms. Finally, by defining it burnout as a diagnosis, it has strengthened the stance that treatments should be actively sought to deal with burnout.
Most people consider burnout something they need to get on top of. They think it’s something they need to beat by returning to work and even by working harder to subside the associated feelings of exhaustion and emptiness. These people need to take a moment and properly register their feelings. This reflection is crucial for the recovery of burnout as a people experiencing the symptoms needs to pause to comprehend that their symptoms are a way for the mind and body to tell them to take a break. They need to accept that it is only human to experience life in both its peaks and troughs. They need to simply walk away and stop this ailment its tracks before the symptoms become worse.
Burnout sufferers offer sense a loss of control as they feel unable to deal with the powerlessness of their working conditions. By investing time in ourselves, we can hope to regain control of our lives. Finding the right balance between work and family life is key. Apart from that, by taking care of one’s mind through improving one’s habits e.g. sleeping without distractions for an optimal 6-8 hours, and by picking up healthy hobbies such as reading or exercising, learning an instrument etc., a person can gain some mental peace of mind without ever compromising on their happiness and fulfillment.
