Therapists and doctors often affected by burnout

Therapists, doctors, nurses and social workers are often themselves psychologically stressed

24/08/2011

Especially in the helping professions workers are quickly burned out. Particularly affected by a possible burnout are psychiatrists, doctors, social workers, nurses and caregivers. Due to their activities, they often run the risk of mental and physical illness.

76 percent of young doctors are exhausted and demotivated
Therapists, doctors, nurses, educators and social workers: they all combine the helping activity of people. Often without thanks and with many hostility from those who are cared for or cared for. The danger of becoming ill is enormous. Health problems due to stress and excessive workload often cause symptoms such as burnout syndrome. According to the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology (DGPPN), a good 76 percent of young physicians show signs of acute work overload because they are emotionally and physically exhausted and demotivated. Often young doctors, especially in terms of the patient, often pursue ideals that are hardly echoed in practice. The result: The doctors are quickly disappointed, because the professional life is different, than in their idealized ideas. It is noticeable that above all career starters fall ill fast. According to the DGPPN, the risk of total exhaustion is falling, in professional helper occupations, especially large. In the field of psychotherapy and psychiatry often show strong symptoms. Psychiatrists report more often „burnout“, Depression and other mental illnesses than other doctors.

Cost pressure in health care
In the opinion of the medical-scientific society, the ever-increasing cost pressure in the healthcare sector is at the top of the list, along with rising quality requirements and patient numbers. Helpers always have to do better work and care for or care for more and more people at once. In addition, the resulting emotional bonds, which are not absent when working with people, also an increasing psychological burden for those affected. „In social work, establishing a relationship with the addressee is fundamental“, says Gritli Bertram, social worker from Hanover. „On the other hand, this relationship is a burden, because the fate of the individual also leaves its mark on the helper“ adds the expert on trauma-centered pedagogy. In the professional world, this transmission „secondary traumatization“ called. The first warnings may be insomnia, headache, chronic fatigue or irritability.

Take the first warnings seriously
The thesis that persons who choose the professional field of psychiatry, social work or psychotherapy in a broader sense, even showed significant inclinations to mental disorders, in the opinion of DGPPN is not tenable. For those affected, it is important to notice and counteract the first signs of fatigue. If burnout is recognized too late, depression is imminent. „The DGPPN recommends improving one's own time management, using delegation options for assignments or even saying no and avoiding excessive overtime.“ If the first signs are already present, a cognitive behavioral therapy could initially be counteracted. In this form of therapy, patients learn to question their own behavioral structures, which, for example, have led to emotional and physical states of exhaustion. The goal of such a therapy is to deal better with stress in the future and to pay attention to the signals of the body.

The topic „Burnout with professional helpers in psychiatry and psychotherapy“ will be treated in some events at this year's DGPPN congress. Up to 10,000 trade visitors and guests are expected to attend the congress. The congress is Germany's largest symposium on the subject of mental illness. (Sb)

Also read:
Burnout Syndrome: Total Exhaustion
Burn-out patients conceal their suffering
More and more people are affected by burnout syndrome
Underuse makes you ill: The Bore-out syndrome
Valerian & L-tryptophan: approaches to sleep disorder

Picture: Gerd Altmann