As people are working more hours with less disposable income and more debt than previous generations, many are at risk of suffering from Burnout.
Burnout is classified as an official medical diagnosis and the criteria for diagnosis appears in the World Health Organization’s handbook, the ICD-11. A person who is suffering from it may display some or all of the following symptoms: feelings of severe tiredness or exhaustion, feelings of negativity towards their job, reduction in their efficacy at work, depersonalisation with co-workers. It can even lead to a reliance on drugs and alcohol.
The diagnosis for Burnout is strictly limited to work environments, with doctors careful to rule out other similar disorders such as anxiety or depression. Increased emotional distress and work-related Burnout can negatively impact an individual’s job satisfaction. Burnout has been closely associated with increased absenteeism and turnover of staff, lower productivity and low workplace morale. If burnout is untreated, it can lead to acute psychological distress, depression and anxiety. It has a significant effect on physical health also.
The Mental Health Foundation found that 74% of Brits had at some point, over 2018, felt so stressed they were “overwhelmed or unable to cope”. This is having a direct effect on physical health too; 29% of adults reported that they started drinking or increased their drinking, and 16% reported that they started smoking or increased their smoking. Burnout, if untreated, can lead to people to leave their jobs to avoid stress.
Individuals working in certain professions, where workers are more frequently exposed to disasters or other stressful events, such as doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals, emergency responders and social workers may be at a higher risk of developing work-related psychological trauma or Burnout.
There are a few ways to combat work-related Burnout. Physical exercise and maintenance of hobbies is helpful for de-stressing. It is also important to maintain a disciplined and balanced work/life equilibrium. This involves avoiding presenteeism (the act of staying at the office past the hours that you are required) and spreading holidays evenly out during the year. It is also important to confide in those around you both in a professional and personal capacity. Talking to colleagues, spouses, family and friends about work can provide relief from work-related stress. If you are experiencing symptoms of burnout then it is important to prioritise a good level of self-care and speak to your manager at work.
One method of treating symptoms of anxiety and depression is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, TMS is a non-invasive therapy for a range of mental health conditions that require no medication or sedation. The treatment uses pulsing magnetic fields to activate or suppress the brain centres associated with a number of medical and psychiatric disorders. The magnetic fields used are the same type and strength as produced by an MRI machine and only reach approximately 2-3 centimetres into the brain. One TMS treatment centre, Smart TMS, found that in the patients they have treated for depression 75% had a clinically significant reduction in the severity of their symptoms.
