Burnout syndrome

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What you can perceive calmly no longer controls youConfucius

Life without emotions is bland and boring. We can be happy and angry, amazed and indignant, sad and adore, hate and admire. At the same time, negative emotions accumulate in the body, provoking emotional experiences that can lead to chronic stress. Gradually, emotions literally leave us, and in the end only a feeling of emptiness remains... This path leads to emotional and professional burnout.

In modern society, burnout syndrome is by no means a rare phenomenon. Day after day we don’t receive emotions, but rather give them away, life becomes gray and boring, and you begin to perceive those around you “according to a template” - all people are the same, you won’t expect anything new from them, etc. You can often feel aggression or complete indifference towards others. As for professional burnout, it is such a depletion of nervous, mental and physical strength that causes an acute reluctance to work. Professional burnout is expressed in a depressed state, a feeling of fatigue and emptiness, lack of energy and enthusiasm, loss of the ability to see the positive results of one’s work, and a negative life attitude towards work.

Naturally, there are professions that are at risk. Basically, these are professions located in the system of “person-person” relationships, involving constant communication with other people. These are, first of all, teachers, doctors, educators, social workers, psychologists, etc. This also includes representatives of other professions who do not like their work or it simply does not bring positive emotions.

Emotional burnout is a professional “disease” of medical and social workers, clergy and psychologists, employees of guardianship departments and orphanages, and volunteers of various areas of charity. People go into these professions at the call of their hearts, feeling the need to help others, to give them warmth and care, having at a certain period of life an increased supply of mental strength. However, the more a person gives, the more requests there are. The world is not perfect. Having opened the door to the kingdom of pain and misfortune, a person sees how huge and diverse it is. At some point, it becomes obvious that there is still so much to be done, and there is less and less strength and warmth left every day! If at such moments you don’t give yourself a break and don’t replenish your mental strength, a person’s health and mental state will be at risk.

People who, as part of their job, constantly come into contact with human pain for a long time, know what emotional burnout is. This is when you regularly have to give a lot of mental strength to others, there is no end in sight to your problems, and there is nowhere to replenish your own “reservoir” of love and warmth.

Causes of emotional burnout

Emotional burnout occurs as a result of the internal accumulation of negative emotions without a corresponding “discharge” or “liberation” from them. It leads to the depletion of a person’s emotional, energetic and personal resources.

Burning out means losing touch with the world, alienating yourself from yourself, other people, and life in general. At the same time, all positive emotions are dulled. In its deeper stages, burnout can be called “death within life.”

Burnout syndrome is characterized by emotional and mental exhaustion, decreased satisfaction from work and physical fatigue. In this case, life does not bring you joy, and work does not bring you satisfaction. Your nervous energy is exhausted; you need to deal with this problem in time. The result is that a person becomes indifferent to everything. In place of pity for others comes a lack of understanding. The attitude also changes not only towards patients or clients, but also towards employees and family, when a stream of aggression and contempt is poured out on innocent people. And where did that friendly person everyone knew go?

Burnout syndrome in social professions occurs quite often; unfortunately, not everyone takes the necessary measures to prevent or treat it. What's even more surprising is that many people don't even know what it is, and the symptoms of burnout syndrome are attributed to ordinary fatigue.

Burnout syndrome can arise as a result of constant and long-term interaction with a large number of people, when there is a need to show various emotions, sometimes not coinciding with the internal emotional state. There are situations when a person sacrifices his needs to work needs, almost completely forgets about himself and his family. It is not right.

How to make a diagnosis

A diagnosis of CFS can be made if the following criteria are met. The presence of 2 major signs is required. This is constant fatigue with decreased activity during the day, lasting more than 6 months. However, it does not go away even after proper rest, and can intensify.

The second main criterion is the absence of somatic and mental illnesses. For this purpose, the patient is referred for examinations and consultations with specialized specialists: a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, neurologist, etc. The impact of the psychotraumatic factor is taken into account.

Having these 2 points is not enough. The presence of 6–8 other (minor) symptoms of the disease is also necessary.

With proper and timely treatment, complete recovery occurs. But there is a possibility of relapse under favorable conditions, for example, when exposed to stress factors or after an illness. In rare cases, the syndrome leads to serious consequences.

Why can’t the psyche stand it?

Because it faces loads that altogether exceed its processing capacity. This can be compared to a fracture - the bone cannot withstand the force of a blow or fall. Or, if a person sits in an uncomfortable position for many years, then at some point the back begins to hurt, and after some time the consequences are the same as in the case of an acute injury. The psyche works thanks to the integrity of neural chains that ensure the stability of emotional reactions, and if these chains are destroyed under the influence of stress, then a person loses his usual internal supports.

That is, emotional burnout is the result of accumulated tension, which for a long time (several months, and sometimes a year) does not receive release in the form of a pause in work, communication with loved ones, or spiritual nourishment in the form of a hobby.

How the process develops:

1. At the moment when euphoria appears in the form of “dizziness from success” in work (the project was a success, brought good profits, etc.), a person often strives to work more so that next time it will turn out even better. Sometimes to the detriment of personal life, friendship, and recreation. After all, they do not bring profit and the pleasure from them is too ordinary. The first stage of burnout is also called “falling in love” or “honeymoon”; a person is so passionate about a new job, “fired up” with a new idea, that he cannot think about anything else, talks only about this, puts his whole soul into a new project. During this period, the immune system is mobilized, the person practically does not get sick, and there is a feeling of flight “not walking, but soaring above the ground.”

2. At the second stage, which is called “working” or “lack of fuel,” a person continues to work hard, but he already begins to feel tired, increased fatigue, but for now additional rest helps eliminate it. In the absence of additional motivation and stimulation, the employee’s interest in work begins to decrease. But at the second stage, a person can quickly get himself into a working state, for example, by drinking a cup of strong coffee or tea.

the muting of emotions begins, the severity of feelings and freshness of experiences is smoothed out;
the specialist suddenly notices: everything seems to be fine so far, but... it’s boring and empty at heart;
misunderstandings arise with clients (students, patients), a professional among his colleagues begins to talk about some of them with disdain.
friends and family are offended that you suddenly began to pay less attention to them.

3. At the third stage of emotional burnout, which is called “exhaustion,” gradual emotional burnout actually occurs if preventive measures are not taken urgently. The person continues to work hard, but now the work no longer brings joy (the enthusiasm that was at the first stage gradually disappears). A person does everything more slowly; the same work takes much more time than at the first stage. Accumulated fatigue dulls emotions, and it becomes almost impossible to get yourself into a working state, for example, with the help of strong coffee or tea. The body requires rest, but even weekends (vacations) are not able to bring a person into working condition, and a feeling of chronic fatigue appears. At the third stage:

mood deteriorates - a person feels irritable (and this irritation exceeds the reason that caused it) and it becomes more difficult for him to restrain negative feelings when communicating with people, conflict increases;
positive emotions disappear, some detachment appears in relationships with family members;
the range of emotional sensations narrows (the so-called flattening of affect), when nothing brings joy or pleasure. As with anesthesia: brightness is lost, emotional dullness is noted;
hostility begins to gradually manifest itself in the presence of clients (students, patients) - at first it is barely restrained antipathy, and then outbursts of irritation. Such behavior of a professional is an unconscious manifestation of a sense of self-preservation during communication that exceeds a level that is safe for the body;
out of habit, such a person may still retain external respectability and some aplomb, but his eyes lose the sparkle of interest in anything, and an almost physically tangible coldness of indifference settles in his soul;
optimism and the desire to make long-term plans disappear;
ideas about the values of life become dulled, the emotional attitude to the world “flattens”, a person becomes dangerously indifferent to everything, even to his own life;
relationships with loved ones are deteriorating, and these are not just quarrels, but deep emotional alienation, and, as a result, the space for restoring mental strength is limited. After all, when you were busy with work, you did not feel that you were moving away from your loved ones, and now you have become “distant” for them;
a state of anxiety and dissatisfaction arises; returning home, more and more often I want to say: “Don’t bother me, leave me alone!”;
it seems to a person that he is underestimated, he has put his “whole soul” into his work, but does not feel any response, it seems to him that no one notices all his achievements at work, conflicts with colleagues are possible, envy and a sense of rivalry may appear in relation to the successful colleagues. All successes of colleagues are perceived negatively by “upstarts,” and conflicts with management are possible. Thoughts appear: “Isn’t it time to change jobs?” your legs “don’t go to work.” The legs seem to become weak, the former lightness of gait, which was in the first stage, gradually disappears.
at the third stage, the imbalance between give and take is very acutely felt. In order to maintain both physical and psycho-emotional health, this balance should not be disturbed. How much physical and emotional strength a person puts into work, the same amount should be received back:
in the form of relaxation , where there are no thoughts about work, but there is a favorite hobby, or some favorite activity: yoga, meditation, massage, gym, bathhouse, meeting with friends, even a computer game, the main thing is that a person can completely relax and take your mind off thoughts about work. Do not forget that with prolonged stress, the muscles are constantly tense and the body needs relaxation to maintain health. One day a week should be completely devoted to yourself (there should be a personal space where you feel comfortable both physically and emotionally);
in the form of a positive assessment of your work - praise, admiration, just words of support. If you can’t wait for words of support from your colleagues, forget about pride and ask management directly “did they like the way you implemented the latest project, are they satisfied with your work in general.” Remember how a cat behaves when it wants to be petted; it will not leave a person until it receives its portion of positive emotions. Learn from the cat! Believe me, it’s better to ask for a compliment than to live for months with the feeling that you are underestimated, and no one notices your efforts, because you didn’t just work for a salary, but put your whole soul into your work, and you should know how this work is assessed from the outside other. At the same time, do not forget to praise yourself for every small step forward: “I did it! I'm done! I managed! I’m super!!!”, it’s not for nothing that they say: “If you don’t praise yourself, no one will praise you!” You can give yourself a gift, for example, in the form of shopping, a trip to a beauty salon, a trip to nature, to the sea - the main thing is that the emotional response is equal to the emotional effort spent, then the balance between “give and take” can be maintained and emotional burnout will not occur and you can return to the second or even the first stage.

4. If a person at the third stage does not take any preventive measures, the fourth stage of burnout occurs, which is called “crisis” or “devastation”, when stress accumulated over a long period of time manifests itself at the body level - bodily symptoms appear - insomnia, loss of appetite, problems with the heart or stomach, the immune system becomes so weakened that the person constantly feels various ailments. Not only health problems are possible, but also long-term, protracted depression. Often at this stage there is a breakdown in relationships with loved ones, divorce. At the same time, on an emotional level, worries about work become less. Work becomes easier, but any work is done as if mechanically, without a soul, since a person at this stage is already “emotionally burnt out.” A person simply sits at work for the allotted time, strives to leave early if possible, and take sick leave. At the fourth stage, a person does not receive any satisfaction from work, goes to work as if it were hard labor, does not agree to stay even a minute after work (although at the first stage he easily stayed for hours, and even took work home). Here the proverb comes to mind: “From love to hate there is one step” and this step has been taken... There is a desire to urgently change jobs, or better yet “retire” right away. At the fourth stage, a person is not able to show sympathy and understanding towards people, he can only emit these feelings, a feeling of cynicism appears. A person feels a sense of neglect towards clients; at this stage it seems to a specialist that the client himself is to blame for all his problems, and he certainly deserves them. In essence, a person in the helping profession at the fourth stage becomes professionally unsuitable. And then the circle is closed: if you don’t maintain relationships for a long time (with your wife, children, friends, yourself outside of work), they don’t develop. A person is deprived of any space in which he feels comfortable and safe, except for work. But now it is work that becomes the source of negativity: the more work, the deeper and more extensive the devastation.

How can CFS be cured?

The quality of treatment for the syndrome is influenced by the patient’s awareness that his condition is a consequence of a real disease, and not just overwork, and it requires adequate therapy.

First of all, it is necessary to relieve the human nervous system and reduce psycho-emotional stress . Eliminate activities that cause a lot of stress and try not to overload your day with too many things to do.

In some cases, when it is difficult for the patient to understand the state of affairs, psychotherapy comes to the rescue. It is aimed at developing in the patient an adequate perception of reality and assessment of his situation, helps him understand how to correctly and rationally distribute the load during the day in order to avoid overwork, teaches stress tolerance and methods of proper rest.

Auto-training and relaxation help you relax and redirect your attention. They also instill in the patient behavioral programs designed to harmonize his internal state, relieve tension, and tune into a positive mood.

Medications can also be used to treat CFS :

antidepressants and tranquilizers;
antiallergic drugs;
enterosorbents;
mineral complexes. Particular attention is paid to magnesium preparations. It is believed that it regulates energy metabolism in the body. It is its deficiency that causes loss of strength and rapid fatigue;
L-carnitine preparations;
vitamins, especially group B.

Among the physical procedures , massage, physical therapy, water procedures, including contrast showers, are very useful.

Special training programs are now gradually spreading , for example, Lightning Process, The Gupta Program. According to the developers of these programs, chronic fatigue syndrome appears against the background of brain dysfunction. If you return him to normal activity, this will help get rid of a number of problems.

The trainings are based on the neuroplasticity of the brain, that is, its ability to restructure itself. The brain seems to reboot and begins to work according to new rules.

Changes occur when a person begins to work on himself. An individual set of exercises is selected for him, adapted to his level of development. As work progresses, they become more complex. Exercises must be done systematically.

This program of techniques makes the brain work more productively, strengthens it and improves it. It makes it more adaptive, allowing it to adapt faster and better to changing environmental conditions, and also improves mental activity and memory.

At the moment, there are a sufficient number of such systems. Each of them works according to its own scheme, and has in its arsenal a variety of techniques and collections of exercises and auto-trainings. They help fight not only CFS, but also other mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, phobias, etc.

One woman suffered from CFS for 20 years and did not leave the house. But three days of training in one of these programs changed her enough that she was able to run a marathon.

Many of the authors of such programs themselves once suffered from various disorders. But they were able to get rid of them by retraining their brain and are now in a hurry to share their experience for the benefit of others.

Symptoms of professional burnout:

The first group is psychophysical symptoms:

feeling of constant fatigue not only in the evenings, but also in the mornings, immediately after sleep (a symptom of chronic fatigue);
feeling of emotional and physical exhaustion;
decreased sensitivity and reactivity due to changes in the external environment (absence of a curiosity reaction to the factor of novelty or a fear reaction to a dangerous situation);
general asthenia (weakness, decreased activity and energy, deterioration of blood biochemistry and hormonal parameters);
frequent causeless headaches; persistent gastrointestinal disorders;
sudden weight loss or weight gain;
complete or partial insomnia;
constant lethargy, drowsiness and desire to sleep throughout the day;
shortness of breath or breathing problems during physical or emotional stress;
a noticeable decrease in external and internal sensory sensitivity: deterioration of vision, hearing, smell and touch, loss of internal, bodily sensations.

The second group - socio-psychological symptoms:

indifference, boredom, passivity and depression (low emotional tone, feeling depressed);
increased irritability to minor, minor events;
frequent nervous breakdowns (outbursts of unmotivated anger or refusal to communicate, withdrawal);
constant experience of negative emotions for which there is no reason in the external situation (feelings of guilt, resentment, shame, suspicion, constraint);
a feeling of unconscious anxiety and increased anxiety (the feeling that “something is not right”);
a feeling of hyper-responsibility and a constant feeling of fear that “it won’t work out” or “I can’t handle it”;
a general negative attitude toward life and professional prospects (like “no matter how hard you try, nothing will work out”).

The third group is behavioral symptoms:

the feeling that the work is becoming harder and harder, and that it is becoming more and more difficult to do it;
the employee noticeably changes his work schedule (increases or reduces working hours);
constantly, unnecessarily, takes work home, but does not do it at home;
the manager finds it difficult to make decisions;
feelings of uselessness, lack of faith in improvements, decreased enthusiasm for work, indifference to results;
failure to complete important, priority tasks and “getting stuck” on small details, spending most of the working time in a way that does not meet job requirements on little or unconscious performance of automatic and elementary actions;
distance from colleagues and clients (patients, students), increased inappropriate criticality;
alcohol abuse, a sharp increase in cigarettes smoked per day, drug use.

Burnout syndrome also occurs with chronic maladapted stress.

How to recognize stress? Signs of stress:

1. Physical:

general muscle tension and associated pain in the chest, abdomen, back, neck;
trembling or nervous tics;
spasms and associated intestinal and renal colic, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, headaches, stuttering;
high blood pressure, increased heart rate.

2. Emotional:

Restlessness or increased excitability;
Irritability, anger, aggressiveness;
Inability to concentrate, confusion of thoughts;
Feeling of helplessness, fear.

3. Behavioral:

Restlessness or increased excitability;
Irritability, anger, aggressiveness;
Inability to concentrate, confusion of thoughts;
Feeling of helplessness, fear.

How does the syndrome manifest?

CFS has a fairly broad symptomatic picture. Its symptoms are not specific, and given that many of them accompany other diseases, it is quite difficult to diagnose CFS. As a rule, the patient manages to visit many specialized specialists before getting on the right path.

The main symptom of this condition is overwhelming fatigue, present for at least 6 months. It accompanies a person even after sufficient sleep or rest. When waking up, the patient already feels tired. In addition, fatigue is present even when he does nothing.

Weakness, malaise, and lack of vital energy tirelessly accompany a patient with CFS. His performance drops sharply. A previously active, cheerful person behaves like an amoeba. Work is difficult for him; he can spend all day working on one task without ever bringing it to fruition.

Things around the house are also not going well. It is difficult to force oneself to fulfill one’s duties, and more often the patient simply ignores them, lying on the couch all day and doing nothing.

Although people with chronic fatigue syndrome feel sleepy all the time, even during the day, they often have difficulty falling asleep. They are often accompanied by insomnia or restless sleep.

Other common signs of CFS include apathy and depression. Patients are accompanied by a bad mood and lose interest in everything that is happening. Even what previously aroused special interest now loses any significance. The need for sex is also reduced or absent altogether. The patient is irritable and aggressive.

Cognitive abilities decrease. The person becomes inattentive. Makes mistakes in his work. To avoid this, he performs his duties very slowly and double-checks everything several times.

Perception and memory suffer. Sometimes it happens that when looking at a document or text, the patient does not understand what it says. Information is also not perceived by ear. A person forgets even what he heard a few minutes ago.

Physiological symptoms are also varied. Among them:

causeless headaches;
hyperthermia up to 38°;
enlarged lymph nodes in the neck and armpits;
pain in large joints and muscles for no reason, and today the pain is present in the knees, and tomorrow in the elbows. That is, her character is fickle;
exercise intolerance. The slightest physical activity leads to complete exhaustion. For example, going to the store closest to your home is comparable to running several kilometers;
frequent pharyngitis and colds;
allergies.

Such people often experience irritable bowel syndrome. It is functional in nature, manifested by abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, and changes in the character of stool. False urges to defecate, flatulence, and a feeling of full intestines appear.

A girl suffering from CFS describes her condition as “on her last breath”: a little more, and she will not be able to take another breath. She has no strength at all, although she doesn’t do anything special. I just want to sleep and eat. Everything is annoying, I want peace and quiet. Conversations with people are tiring and cause unbearable headaches.

Preventing emotional burnout

Why not everyone is susceptible to burnout syndrome. The secret here is that a person constantly needs positive emotions. Even if you don’t like your job, but you are happy in your personal life or when communicating with friends, then you are not in danger of emotional burnout. If you don’t have such positive emotions, you can only try to avoid emotional burnout.

One way to avoid burnout is to change jobs. However, where is the guarantee that the new job will not have the same result, and there is not always the desire and opportunity to change it. Try to change the situation somehow. For example, you can get additional education. The longer the courses last, the better it is for you. The minimum course duration must be 6 months.

Sometimes it happens that communicating with people overloads you. When you feel emotionally overwhelmed, try to retire for at least half an hour. Think in silence, sort out your own thoughts. You can also take a walk if possible.

And don't forget about self-expression. All people in creative professions are very rarely subject to emotional burnout. Take a dance class, play chess, or draw in your free time. Your emotions must have an outlet. Share your impressions with friends or family. If your family and friends do not support you, then create your own circle of interests in which you can share your own experiences with people who will understand you. And these could be the same people who are also at risk of emotional burnout, but they must work in other companies.

Every time you are tired of everything, surround yourself with blue and white flowers and try to spend the day in silence. On such days, the body itself will recover from emotional overload, as self-regulation mechanisms will be turned on. Try to do such “fasting days” more often, otherwise you will not avoid health problems.

You can prevent burnout by asking yourself two simple questions:

Why am I doing this? Why am I studying at the institute, why am I writing a book? What's the point of this? Is this of value to me?
Do I like doing what I do? Do I love doing this? Do I feel like this is good? So good that I do it willingly? Does what I do bring me joy? It may not always be this way, but a feeling of joy and satisfaction should prevail. Ultimately, I may ask another, larger question: Is this what I want to live for? If I'm lying on my deathbed and I look back, do I want it to be that I lived for it?

What to do to avoid emotional burnout? You may find these preventive measures helpful:

Choose time to rest; at least one day a week you will spend is useless in terms of profit.
Make sure that this time is inviolable. Turn off your phone and anything else that might keep you busy with work.
Record this time and space (where and with whom you will spend useless time) in a calendar. Why do we write down the time of important business meetings in a diary, but not the time of rest?
Find a way to switch to another activity. Here's a list of counterintuitive activities: start cooking, walk, learn a new "useless" skill that you'll never get paid for (learn to sing, draw, play a musical instrument, play some fancy game).

And, most importantly, remember all the people with whom you communicate. Analyze which of them drains you the most, which one do you least want to meet? Then think about whether you can somehow reconsider your relationship with these people in a way that is more comfortable for you. If not, can you eliminate interaction with them from your life? If you convince yourself that for some reason you are obliged to communicate with them no matter what, then ask yourself: what forces you to prioritize in this way?

When you answer these questions honestly, a lot in your life will change for the better.

What qualities help avoid professional burnout:

Firstly:

good health and conscious, targeted care of one’s physical condition (regular exercise, healthy lifestyle).
high self-esteem and confidence in yourself, your abilities and capabilities.

Secondly:

experience of successfully overcoming professional stress;
ability to change constructively under stressful conditions;
high mobility;
openness;
sociability;
independence;
the desire to rely on one's own strength.

Third:

An important distinguishing feature is the ability to form and maintain positive, optimistic attitudes and values, both in relation to oneself and other people and life in general.

It is quite possible to significantly reduce their destructive impact on the health of working people. How to avoid encountering professional burnout syndrome:

Be attentive to yourself: this will help you notice the first symptoms of fatigue in a timely manner.
Love yourself, or at least try to like yourself.
Stop looking for happiness or salvation in work. It is not a refuge, but an activity that is good in itself.
Stop living their lives for others. Please live your life. Not instead of people, but with them.
Make time for yourself. You have the right not only to work life, but also to private life. Choose a business that suits you: according to your inclinations and capabilities. This will allow you to find yourself and believe in your strength.
Learn to soberly comprehend the events of each day. You can make an evening review of events a tradition.
If you really want to help someone or do their work for them, ask yourself the question: does he really need it? Or maybe he can handle it on his own?

What to do if you notice signs of burnout?

First of all, acknowledge that they exist. It is difficult to admit to yourself: “I am suffering from professional burnout.” Moreover, in difficult life situations, internal unconscious defense mechanisms are activated. Among them are rationalization, repression of traumatic events, “petrification” of feelings and body.

People often evaluate these manifestations incorrectly - as a sign of their own “strength”. Some protect themselves from their own difficult conditions and problems by becoming active: they try not to think about them and devote themselves completely to work and helping other people. Helping others can actually bring relief for a while. However, only for a while. After all, overactivity is harmful if it distracts attention from the help you need yourself.

Remember: blocking your feelings and being too active can slow down your recovery process.

Anti-stress techniques:

1. Get distracted:

A five-minute walk in nature can bring many benefits.
try to switch your thoughts to another subject.
Look around and take a closer look.
Pay attention to the smallest details.
Slowly, without rushing, mentally “go through” all the objects one by one in a certain sequence. Mentally say to yourself: “Brown desk, green curtains, etc.”

2. Reduce the significance of events:

It should be remembered that the true cause of stress is not people, not disappointments, not mistakes, but how you feel about it.
Use the principle of positivity in everything with attitudes such as: “I didn’t really want to,” “this is not the main thing in life, you shouldn’t treat what happened as a disaster,” etc.;
“there’s no need to beat yourself up”, “stop being dramatic”;
He who worries earlier than he should worry worries more than he should.

3. Take action:

any activity, especially physical labor, acts as a lightning rod in a stressful situation;
Stress is a very powerful source of energy. You can unwind in the simplest way: clean up your home or workplace;
take a walk or brisk walk;
go for a run;
hit a ball or pillow, etc.

4. Create:

Any creative work can heal from experiences:

draw;
dance;
sing;
sculpt;
sew;
design, etc.

5. Express emotions:

Pushing emotions inside, trying to hide them, is very harmful!

Learn to show emotions, “throw them out” without harm to others.

Emotional release is necessary to maintain health (physical and mental),

The ability to talk about your problems will help you establish contacts with others and understand yourself.

depict emotions using gestures, facial expressions, and voice;
crumple, tear paper;
throw objects at the target on the wall;
try to draw your feeling, then color it, make it funny or tear it up;
talk to someone, emphasizing your feelings (“I’m upset..”, “I’m offended by this..”).

6. Reframing (The word 'reframing' comes from the English word 'frame' (frame), so it can literally be translated as reframing. Changing the point of view, attitude towards something, without changing the situation itself):

Make it a rule to reframe at least three times:

Whenever something negative happens, try to find three positive consequences or wins that can be derived from this trouble.

7. Visualization of the resource state:

A group of methods aimed at developing the ability to manage one’s condition.

A person, in a state of deep relaxation, evokes any pleasant memory: place, time, sounds and smells, gets used to this state, remembers it and trains the ability to recall it at will.

This state is called a resource state, and having learned to quickly evoke it, one can turn on this state in difficult moments.

8. Kinesiological set of exercises:

One palm is placed on the back of the head, the other on the forehead. You can close your eyes and think about any negative situation that is relevant to you. Take a deep breath and exhale. Mentally imagine the situation again, but only in a positive aspect, think about and realize how this problem could be resolved. After the manifestation of a kind of “pulsation” between the occipital and frontal parts, self-correction ends with inhalation and exhalation.

Relaxation (when we accumulate energy) includes the following:

Sleep (7-9 hours)
Trance (meditation)
Breathing exercises
Energy gymnastics (strangely enough, this is relaxation – and at the level of the internal environment)
Prayer
Being in the temple
Solitude (solitude greatly restores strength!)
Color visualization
Leisurely walk
Swimming
Drinking water
Listening to classical music (and organ music is especially valuable in this sense)
Aromas (smells of forest, sea, field, essential oils)
Massage
Acupressure
We accumulate energy when we sincerely admire someone!
And of course, forgiveness - from it the return of energy wasted on offense comes in double volume (and if you have at least once managed to sincerely forgive someone, you know this well)
And gratitude.

Your condition can be alleviated by physical and emotional support from other people. Don't give up on it. Discuss your situation with others who have had similar experiences and are feeling good.

DO NOT hide your feelings. Show your emotions and let your friends discuss them with you.
DO NOT avoid talking about what happened. Take every opportunity to review your experiences alone or with others.
DO NOT let your feelings of embarrassment stop you when others give you a chance to speak or offer to help.
DO NOT expect the severe symptoms of burnout to go away on their own. If you don't take action, they will visit you for a long time.
Allocate enough time for sleep, rest, and reflection.
Express your desires directly, clearly and honestly, talk about them to family, friends and at work.
Try to maintain a normal routine in your life as much as possible.

Methods of helping with emotional burnout:

1. Physiological (effects on the body): sunlight, physical exercise, sunbathing (tanning), fresh air, air baths, walks, bathing, swimming in reservoirs, baths (Russian, Finnish), solarium, infrared radiation, breathing Strelnikova, breathing exercises.

2. Physiotherapeutic: physiotherapy, electrosleep, acupuncture, acupuncture of all schools, massage, homeopathy.

3. Biochemical (effects at the cellular level): healthy food, medications.

4. Psychological: auto-training, meditation, biofeedback method, self-regulation methods, music, prayer.

If you understand that combustion is already happening and has reached deep stages, remember: special work is needed to respond to the traumatic experience and revive feelings. Real courage is admitting that I need professional help.

First comes the difficult work, the goal of which is to “remove the shell of insensibility” and give permission to your feelings to come out. This does not lead to a loss of self-control, but suppressing these feelings can lead to neuroses and physical problems. At the same time, special work with destructive “poisonous” feelings (in particular, aggressive ones) is important. The result of this preparatory work is the “clearing” of the internal space, freeing up space for the arrival of something new, a revival of feelings.

The next stage of professional work is a revision of your life myths, goals and values, your ideas and attitudes towards yourself, other people and your work. Here it is important to accept and strengthen your “I”, to realize the value of your life; take responsibility for your life and health and take a professional position in your work.

And only after this, step by step, attitudes towards other people and ways of interacting with them change. There is a new development of one’s professional role and one’s other life roles and behavior patterns. A person gains confidence in his abilities. This means that he has come out of the emotional burnout syndrome and is ready to live and work successfully.

Psychologists believe: in order not to become a victim of the syndrome, you must, first of all, have the right attitude towards yourself, other people and your work.

The main thing is to remember: burnout syndrome is not a disease or a death sentence, it is just the ability of your psyche to respond to emotional overload.

Prepared by: educational psychologist Konon Svetlana Nikolaevna

What are the dangers of ignoring CFS?

The problem with the disease is that many domestic doctors do not recognize its official existence. Accordingly, such a diagnosis is not made in all cases that require it. At the same time, the malaise of such people is attributed to the presence of chronic diseases and they are sent to all possible doctors.

In other cases, they consider it a manifestation of laziness. At the same time, the patient not only does not receive sympathy and understanding, but is also subjected to ridicule, reproaches and ignorance of his condition.

Meanwhile, the disease poses a serious threat to both the physical and psychological state of a person . Its second name is myalgic encephalomyelitis. The term symbolizes that the pathological process covers not only the mental sphere, but also affects physical well-being. In particular, as the concept suggests, on the muscles and brain.

Constant inactivity, atony, and lack of physical activity in chronic fatigue syndrome lead to muscle weakness, and in severe cases, muscle atrophy. They lose their volume, and, accordingly, the ability to fully carry out movement. The enrichment of body tissues with oxygen decreases, bones become brittle and brittle.

Problems with blood pressure appear. Vessels lose their tone. Moreover, if a person tries to get out of bed, there may be a disruption in blood circulation, resulting in its outflow from the head. Simply put, fainting is likely.

Physical inactivity also leads to fibromyalgia – muscle pain of varying severity. They can be so strong that a person cannot move and loses his ability to work. But he is not entitled to disability, as well as the benefits associated with it, because chronic fatigue syndrome, even if it is officially established, does not provide such powers.

Apathy and reluctance to gain new knowledge, grow and develop cause a decrease in mental activity. Partial amnesia occurs, and it becomes more difficult to establish logical connections. There are times when it is simply difficult for a person to speak or even think. Such a gradual extinction of thought processes, if not stopped in time, leads to degradation.

The lack of strength and vitality leads to the fact that people with CFS are less and less likely to leave the house. This lifestyle gradually leads to social isolation. Severing contacts with acquaintances and friends smoothly develops into a situation where a person is left alone, alone with his thoughts and problems. Together with concerns about one’s health, this often becomes a cause of suicide.

Of course, extreme illness does not happen very often. But it is worth noting that in quite a large number of cases, patients themselves find the problem of their ailment thanks to the Internet, studying information and looking for an explanation for their condition. As a rule, this happens after long, unproductive wanderings to doctors.