Dr. Bouras,
In these days of economic stress, many employers are forced to ask their employees to “do more with less.” The terms burnout or compassion fatigue are getting more and more attention. Is there a difference between ‘burnout at work’ and depression? Many Primary Care Physicians wish to prescribe antidepressants for burnout, but I cannot help but wonder if this is the only or best way to treat burnout.
Susan.
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your question. Burnout is a modern phenomenon where people try to squeeze more and morecommitments in the same amount of time. People end up feeling overwhelmed, physically exhausted, and mentally drained, to the point that they no longer enjoy their work. They tend to isolate more, detaching themselves from what they do. They may lose motivation, feel hopeless and helpless, and even develop depression.
Compassion fatigue (CF) is a form of burnout that we typically see in caregivers. Caring for an elderly parent or a chronically ill child can lead to CF, but more commonly it is health care workers (physicians, nurses, etc.) who are more likely to become "compassion fatigued."
Increasing demands at the workplace is a catalyst for people to develop CF. People might take on more job duties and responsibities, work through lunch or stay late to finish paperwork, complain excessively about the work load, becoming too tired to exercise, eat more "comfort" type of foods, and they might even try to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. If one has a history of depression or anxiety, one might experience that those symptoms are coming back.
If you feel that you might be burned out, probably you are. Becoming aware of your burnout or CF is a good first step to getting control of your life and reestablishing your priorities. You need to become "selfish" again, in that you need to take care of yourself. Eating healthy, staying hydrated with drinking plenty of fluids, getting plenty of sleep and rest, and making time to exercise are all common-sense things that we usually neglect to do. Instead of isolating, talk to someone; talk to your spouse, your family, your friends or co-workers. Learn how to set boundaries, by being assertive and say 'no' to prevent overextending yourself. Talk to your supervisor about your concerns of burnout, your job duties and responsibilities, and realistic ways to solve any problems. You might need to learn more about time or stress management.
Sometimes talking to a professional therapist is helpful to put things in perspective and decide on your life goals and dreams. Talking to your family doctor can help you get started on feeling better. Antidepressants may also be used if the symptoms of burnout have led to symptoms of depression.
So, try to avoid burnout by keeping a balanced life between home and work. Take a break from work to "recharge" your batteries. And, don't forget to laugh…
Dr. Bouras
