shutterstock_276092132Burnout is the result of a protracted period, usually months or years, of chronic stress. As veterinarians, we are more prone to burnout than the general population due to work – related stressors but sometimes stress in another area of life is a causal or contributing factor. Our personal vulnerabilities, strengths and coping skills also come in to play.

SYMPTOMS

  • psychological, emotional and physical exhaustion
  • feeling overwhelmed / unable to cope anymore
  • emotional fragility
  • loss of vitality and motivation
  • mental fogginess and confusion
  • difficulty making decisions
  • various forms of illness
  • chronic fatigue
  • difficulty fulfilling normal roles
  • withdrawal in relationships
  • substance abuse
  • anxiety /depression (may be pre-existing)

RECOVERY

The keys to recovery from burnout are:

  • seeking help
  • prioritising all aspects of self-care.

The goal is to bring your life back in to balance psychologically, emotionally and physically. It is advisable to seek medical and psychological support, not only to deal with your current predicament and strategise your recovery but also to address underlying personal issues which may have been contributing factors such as a tendency to workaholism, rigid self-reliance, high expectations of self and others, over-responsibility and people-pleasing behaviours.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to take that first step towards recovery. Our thinking can become distorted due to fatigue. We may minimise our predicament (denial) or feel too ashamed or embarrassed to reveal the truth to anyone and seek help. It’s vital to overcome any internal resistance to seeking the help and support which will enable us to get back on track.

STRATEGIES
(1) Seek professional help and support
(2) Work out what you can change and what you can’t.
(3 )Reduce workload or life demands to what you can reasonably manage.
(4) Prioritise self-care, especially sleep / rest and nutrition.
(5) Utilise available support networks on an ongoing basis.
(6) Learn meditation /relaxation techniques which will help restore you.

Go to “Managing Stress” for an expansion of these points.

Recovery from burnout is rarely quick and, sometimes, difficult choices have to be made. If unaddressed, burnout can have serious long term consequences such as chronic ill-health and debilitation, difficulty returning to normal level of functioning both professionally and personally and chronic unemployment or underemployment.

It’s vital that we take care of ourselves as well as we do our patients and clients