번아웃 증상Soyoung Yoon, commissioned clinical instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, Seoul
“Burn out” is a term first used by American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. He observed and reported characteristic symptoms among medical staff working at a free drug addiction treatment clinic at the time, and the concept was gradually developed and made known by several researchers. Burnout or burnout syndrome is literally a term that expresses a pathological sign in modern society, meaning that a person who is overly immersed in work suddenly feels extremely tired and lethargic, like all burned fuel. Although it is not yet a clearly defined term in psychiatry, and each scholar explains it slightly differently, it is generally known that people with job-related burnout exhibit the following symptoms. First of all, people feel extremely emotionally and physically tired and lose motivation, their ability to empathize is reduced, they tend to have a cynical attitude, and their personal work efficiency and sense of accomplishment are reduced. These symptoms of burnout may sound similar to the commonly used term slump, and in severe cases, they may not be much different from the symptoms of depression.
So why does burnout occur? Burnout is believed to be caused by a combination of individual-level problems, group system problems, and social atmosphere, rather than any single reason. Above all, if the nature of the work itself is unpredictable, difficult to control, and the amount is too much for an individual to handle, the intensity of stress may be high. Every job has its own hardships, but there may be jobs with relatively high stress intensity due to the nature of the work. As an example, firefighters, police officers, and medical workers often experience unpredictable emergencies and situations that can be traumatic. I do it. Even though they know that it is such a difficult task, there are many people who are willing to choose that path depending on the values they pursue and feel rewarded from it. In this respect, some scholars say that burnout is more related to the atmosphere or system of a group or society rather than the difficulty or burden of the work itself. When the reality required of individuals in the workplace is very different from the professional ideals they usually have or see, people gradually lose meaning in their work and continue to work overload. You literally end up exhausted from working like a machine without a soul. And if you are not sufficiently compensated for your work and feel unfairly treated, this will inevitably accelerate burnout.
In order to prevent burnout of group members, it is necessary to reorganize the structure of the group or society above all else so that people who start working hard with motivation do not lose their motivation. Of course, realistically, there may be problems that cannot be solved in the short term, but the work system must be organized as rationally as possible, work must be distributed at an appropriate level for individual capabilities, and fair compensation must be provided so that professional ideals do not lose their shine. I think it will be maintained. Along with these structural changes, more fundamental efforts are also needed at an individual level. The Dalai Lama pointed out that modern people’s lives are moving only towards achievements that are excessively determined by the evaluation of others. Many people are accustomed to treating themselves harshly by internalizing the voices of their parents, teachers, and society in general from a young age, and do not listen to their own inner voices, which are really important. This attitude makes us tire easily and makes us forget what we really want and why we are doing it. All people living in modern society, and especially those who work with high-stress work, should consciously take the time to feel sorry for themselves when they are busy and things are not going well. You need to take care of your own sleep, meals, exercise, etc., and take the time to absolutely recharge without feeling guilty. In addition, it is very important to take the time to discuss and support each other’s difficulties with colleagues or those doing similar work. Through this awareness, when we realize that we are not the only problem but that we are all experiencing difficulties together, we will be able to stop whipping ourselves and give ourselves time to recharge. .
