Unclear job expectations, extremes of activity, stress, long-hours, work-life imbalance, lack of control… many factors in our work environment are stressful. We are telling ourselves we can handle stress factors however one day our body handle this daily life and can no longer get up: this is a burn-out
First, the actual meaning of stress is to quickly prepare your body for action in case of danger, but it also arises when we are, for example, worried.
Roughly, during stress our body is producing three kind of hormones: cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. Cortisol causes an increase in blood sugar, providing the body with a lot of readily available energy. Adrenaline and noradrenaline enable the body to perform quickly. This also called the “fight or flight reaction”. Extreme or prolonged stress can cause your body to function beyond what it can voluntarily do.
Consequently, it can lead to various physical symptoms and disorders or burn-out. It may be caused by prolonged exposure to stress at work, such as: excessive workload or too little recognition combined with certain personal characteristics such as perfectionism, excessive conscientiousness and workaholism. During your burnt-out’s daily life you have no interest in your work, you feel constantly restless and tense and you often suffer from physical symptoms: concentration problems and forgetfulness. Other effects may include little time and energy for oneself and your family, increased drug use, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke. Finally, in case of burn-out, it is very important that you see a doctor for help. During therapy a psychologist examines the factors which have contributed to the emergence of a burn-out. You will learn to take better care of yourself and create more balance between your work and your private life. Furthermore, find help in your surroundings for support, there is always someone who can help and encourage you to move forward…
