Work stress: what is burnout syndrome and how to deal with it

Often, the main source of our daily stress is work. Unsustainable rhythms, competition, uncertainty, there are different dynamics of the working sphere that are beyond our control and can cause anxiety problems, psychosomatic diseases and psychological disorders. Today there is a name to describe this condition of "work related stress", or the "burnout syndrome". This word, which in English literally means "burned" and in recent years has officially become part of the common jargon also in Italy, refers to the nervous breakdown in which the stress accumulated by a person over time in the workplace can lead to . This syndrome, which mainly affects those who work in health and social fields and must sometimes be considered as a real disease, involves an invalidating difficulty in adapting to changes in the professional sphere and can seriously affect the quality of life of workers as well as affect the their performance at work. Research conducted by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, in addition to showing that in Europe one in four workers experience Burnout syndrome regardless of their job position, has shown that the consequences of this disorder can compromise quality. of the work carried out, favoring episodes of absenteeism and putting the organization and professionalism of the company environment at risk.

Causes of Burnout

Work-related stress is considered by many experts as a form of post traumatic disorder, due to dynamics that affect the professional context and that also affect a person's private life. But what are the risk factors and situations that lead more and more workers to develop this syndrome? Below is a list of what can be the most common causes of work-related burnout:

• Frantic and unsustainable rhythms
• Exasperated competition
• Overwhelming work commitments
• Difficulty adapting to changes
• Hostile work environment
• Excessive workload
• Requests that are increasingly overwhelming and unmanageable
• Pressure
• Mobbing
• Conflicting relationships with the employer and / or colleagues

The main symptoms of work stress

It's not always easy to recognize burnout before it takes over. Sometimes it is mistaken for a simple anxiety, by others it is even taken for lack of desire to work. If you feel that stress, especially related to your job, is draining you, consider contacting a competent doctor who can make an objective assessment of your situation and understand if it is actually this syndrome. In general, there can be different symptoms, both physical and psychological, that arise due to excessive work stress, here are the most common:
Physical: skin rashes, intestinal problems, gastric reflux, insomnia, loss of appetite, chronic fatigue, tension, cervical, headache
Psychics: low motivation, prolonged and difficult to manage anxiety, discomfort, panic attacks, frustration, dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, isolation, irritability, deconcentration.

Burnout: how to prevent and get out of it

Piling up excessive stress in the workplace can put your health at risk. As we have just seen, Burnout can have dire consequences for the health of workers who suffer from it, both physically and psychically. To prevent this state of anxiety from turning into a full-fledged disease, it is really important to prevent and treat this "work" discomfort in the right way. Here are some practical tips to do this:

• Awareness: Recognizing that you have a problem is the first step to solving it. In short, don't be ashamed to admit that you are sick and talk to someone who can understand / help you.
• Listen to your body: Pay attention to the alarm bells and take immediate action to regain well-being.
• Try to understand the origin of your state of mind: what is it that makes you feel bad? Once this is understood, it will be easier to understand how to proceed to fix the root problem.
• Ask for help: When stress becomes unbearable, don't shut yourself up, but talk to someone. Sometimes, it is necessary to contact a specialist, such as a psychotherapist, who will be able to provide you with the right support with the therapy that is most suitable for you.
• Don't get obsessed with performance anxiety at work. By putting yourself under pressure, you will only worsen the situation further, running the risk of making mistakes caused by tension.
• Organization: Organize your business as best as possible to avoid finding yourself overloaded with backlog.
• Take breaks and take time just for yourself.
• Engage in a civil confrontation with colleagues and / or the employer to find a solution to your discomfort.
• Establish a clear line between work and private life
• Do something that makes you feel good, reminding yourself that you don't live to work, but work to live. Seek refuge in hobbies, passions, and out-of-work relationships.
• If the situation is unsustainable and you do not see any solution, seriously consider a change, looking for work elsewhere or completely changing the sector.