Fashion diagnosis burnout syndrome

Burnout diagnosis as a fad?

05.03.2012

The term „Burnout syndrome“ has now become a fashion diagnosis, criticized psychologist Gregor Peikert. Often, other mental illnesses would be behind it. While a few years ago, back pain was the number one cause of workplace failure, today it is burnout syndrome. According to the testing company Dekra, this costs the economy about 43 billion euros annually.
There is often depression behind burnout syndrome
„Just as the term burnout is currently used, it has become a veritable fashion concept“, Gregor Peikert, psychotherapist of the University Hospital Jena told the German Press Agency (dpa). „Burnout is not an independent disease.“ Frequently, sufferers rather suffered from a depression or a precursor. Anxiety and addictions could also be behind it. The psychotherapist explains that the term „burnout“ from the field of industrial psychology and under which the consequences of an excessive burden of the job are to be understood. „Actually committed people, often in helper jobs such as teachers or doctors, feel burned out, disinterested, even cynical to their profession“, explains Peikert. Unfortunately, the diagnosis will be „burnout“ but very inaccurately used today for a variety of symptoms.

These symptoms included fatigue, tiredness, insomnia, and a strong desire to retreat. However, these could also be signs of depression. Peikert points out that physicians therefore necessarily have to make differentiated diagnoses. „Especially since most patients continue to be more likely to suffer from physical disorders.“

On the other hand, the psychotherapist also welcomes the topic „burnout“ is publicly discussed. This increases the sensitivity for mental illnesses and those affected. „It was not so long ago that they were considered weaklings“, explained the expert.

Diagnosis at burnout often problematic
According to estimates of the health insurance companies, a quarter to a third of Germans claim to be burned out, feeling burned out. Whether there is actually a burnout behind it in any case is not always clearly diagnosable because the symptoms are very diffuse. In addition, there are overlaps with the therapies of other mental disorders, such as depression, job dissatisfaction, stress, anxiety disorders or neuroticism. Due to the blurring in the demarcation to other mental illnesses, it is also difficult to give specific numbers of those actually affected. (Ag)

Also read:
Burn-out: Doing business with the stress of others
Burnout syndrome becomes a ticking time bomb
Burnout Syndrome: Total Exhaustion
More and more people are affected by burnout syndrome
Underuse makes you ill: The Bore-out syndrome
Burn-out patients conceal their suffering
More and more lost work due to burnout

Picture credits: Gerd Altmann