Are you Feeling Emotionally Exhausted during the Pandemic? You May Be Experiencing Burnout

As a practicing psychiatrist, I am experiencing emotional exhaustion since a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has dominated the news and impacted our lives.  I am drained. I am tired of the virus engulfing my entire life. It is as if every conversation revolves around the pandemic. Escaping the virus seems impossible as it has taken over social media and news outlets. I can only process so much suffering.  I know I am not alone. I am constantly hearing the same message from patients, colleagues, family and friends. Our lives have been turned upside down from the pandemic. We long for this bad dream to end and for everything to return back to normal.  What is Burnout? The term “burnout” is a relatively new term, first coined in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger. He defined burnout as the state of “becoming exhausted by making excessive demands on energy, strength, or resources.” Even though burnout is not a mental health diagnosis, the term has been widely studied. It has traditionally been used to describe a reaction to prolonged work stress. Burnout is prevalent among many employees, especially healthcare providers, teachers and social workers.  Considering the abrupt and intense emotional, financial and psychosocial stress that people are enduring during the pandemic, it is reasonable to believe that many are experiencing symptoms of burnout during this difficult time. Symptoms of burnout include: Feelings of detachment or apathy A high level of dissatisfaction A r...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Personal Self-Help Burnout coronavirus COVID-19 Exhaustion Source Type: blogs