Herbert Freudenberger coined the term "burn-out" in 1974 after he witnessed changes among his volunteers from the clinic he spearheaded for drug addiction.
He was a psychologist and studied human interactions and personalities. So to see his people suffer from something unknown at the time was a strange phenomenon to him. His volunteers were full of life, doing great work, and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, they collectively felt weariness, frustration, and feelings of depression.
I was reading his book called "High Cost of High Achievement" when I felt a spark within me. I thought, so this was how it was discovered. The recent pandemic has been a whirlwind of changes, unexpected situations, and overwhelming stressors, not only for medical professionals but for the majority of the working population. The word burnout was, all of a sudden, a common language among people, thereby making 2021 the year of The Great Resignation or The Big Quit.
In Freudenberger's book, he compared his people to a burning building: where once had been activity, there are now only crumbled reminders of energy and life. Some bricks or concrete may be left; some outlines of windows. The outer shell may seem almost intact. Only when you venture inside will you be struck by the full force of desolation.
This is a great comparison because this is what it truly feels for those who suffer from burnout: you just don't feel like yourself anymore. Let's see what other symptoms look like for burnout and take note of the things you personally experience or what others notice about you.
Symptoms
feelings of depression
emotional depletion
loss of inspiration
decreased work efficacy
cynicism
insomnia
short temper
anger
weariness
lack of enthusiasm
frustration
feeling of void
detachment
denial
disengagement
dulling
deadness
Most likely to be affected
Here is the tricky part. In Freudenberger's study, he said that people who set high goals for themselves seem to have more likelihood of developing burnout because these people have energy burst on recognition. You see, when you see a high functioning individual, what do you notice? People support them, root for them, applaud them. However, these recognitions don't last long. Once the congratulations!, good job!, and you did great! slows down, there goes the start of indifference. As soon as life settles into a routine pattern, uncomfortable listlessness overtakes them. They no longer feel rooted or involved, even in situations that were so vital to them before.
This also remains true for another group of people he mentioned: the charismatic and motivator. He mentioned that these people have their systems in harmony, and when the human body is in sync with its surroundings and core, it becomes a remarkable producer of energy. These people have so much energy, it spills over to the people around them. Most of the time, they are the spark of every project, and center of every group. Hence, they exude special attractiveness and charisma. They also have magnetism that draws us to them and makes us feel good.
Are you one of these people? It's okay if you are. There is nothing wrong with wanting to achieve more. It is important, however, to notice signs of unhealthy habits or decisions that could be affecting your wellbeing.
Let's also mention the stages of burnout that most studies agreed to have. This list has not been researched heavily but it is acknowledged by Freudenberger's groups.
Freudenberger's 12 stages of burnout
The proposed 12 stages of burnout include:
excessive drive or ambition
pressure on self to work harder
neglect of your own needs
dismissal of your problems (“displacement of conflict”)
lack of time for your needs outside of work
denial and impatience
withdrawal
behavioral changes, including impatience or aggression
detachment from reality (depersonalization)
inner emptiness or anxiety
depression
mental or physical collapse
Do you notice yourself in the starting stages of burnout? What symptoms do you experience? Do you want to make some changes in order to combat stress-induced burnout? If you want to learn more about burnout and how to properly address it, join our email list. It's free and we'll be sharing more resources soon.
Thank you for reading!
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