Burnout syndrome or “burned out worker syndrome” is a psychological alteration based on the chronification of work stress suffered by a person, and manifests itself in a series of both physical and psychological symptoms that have a decisive impact on the person’s life.
In this article you will find a summary explanation of burnout and how it is treated in therapy.
Workplace burnout is an alteration whose impact increases progressively with the passage of time, some of its symptoms being a loss of interest in the tasks that must be performed, a lack of enthusiasm for the work and negative psychological reactions towards it.
In addition to that, people who suffer from burnout syndrome may also experience irrational ideas about their work, problems managing time due to apathy, and stress due to accumulated work, even though they do not feel a genuine interest in the job. entrusted work.
It should be noted that the stress and anguish felt by people with burnout syndrome are not only related to the desire to avoid discomfort and the inconvenience of not reaching work objectives, but these symptoms are associated with the way in which he perceives his whole life. This dynamic causes depressive symptoms to emerge that anchor the person in their problem, since they make it difficult for you to take measures to solve what is happening to you. That is why it is important to have professional help.
How is burnout syndrome treated in psychotherapy?
Burnout syndrome has been studied over several decades by psychology and medical professionals and thanks to this detailed study, a series of intervention strategies in psychotherapy have been established to successfully treat it.
1. Cognitive restructuring
Cognitive restructuring is one of the most used techniques in modern psychological practice to resolve and help overcome a wide variety of disorders that affect the life of the person who needs psychotherapeutic support. It basically consists of helping the person to detect the maladaptive and problematic beliefs that you have been holding on to and that contribute to keeping the psychological alteration going for which he suffers.
Our reality is conditioned by how we interpret everything that happens to us daily, and precisely the technique of cognitive restructuring is based on changing those negative thoughts, ideas and interpretations that the person makes of their daily reality with more positive ones.
By restructuring the person’s mental and cognitive scaffolding with the help of a qualified psychology professional, we will ensure that they conceive their reality in a different way than they did before, which will allow them to be happier and have a higher quality of life.
2. Training in anxiety management techniques
Anxiety is one of the main causes of burnout syndrome, and more especially the inability to manage anxiety and all the physical and psychological symptoms associated with it. This is a paradoxical phenomenon; At the same time, the person feels unmotivated and feels that they do not connect emotionally with their job, You feel overwhelmed by the tasks you must perform and that causes you to suffer stress and anxiety.
In a psychological consultation we can share with the qualified professional everything we feel about work in detail, that is, each situation of anguish, stress, discomfort or tension that we have previously experienced in a work context.
Psychologists are experts in training various techniques that will help us successfully manage anxiety, all of them very useful and based on years of scientific research.
3. Training in detecting limiting beliefs
Training in the detection of limiting beliefs is another of the strategies that are implemented by a psychologist to treat cases of burnout syndrome and help the person to overcome it successfully.
This technique consists of learning to know ourselves better through labeling, with the help of the psychologist, both our limiting beliefs and everything we feel in relation to our work or work context.
By understanding and naming these beliefs that prevent us from moving forward and being better, we will learn to detect them whenever they cross our minds and change them for other, more positive and adaptive beliefs.
4. Establish healthy lifestyle routines
As physical and mental health are related, establishing healthy lifestyle routines both physically and mentally is essential to overcome any alteration that may appear in a person’s life, including burnout syndrome.
The psychologist specialized in this intervention will teach the patient to put into practice a series of healthy routines, moving from desires to action. For example, eating and physical exercise habits that help us feel better about ourselves, increase our self-esteem and be less vulnerable to negative thoughts.
5. Enhancement of self-knowledge
The enhancement of self-knowledge can also be achieved in therapy and aims to for the person to reconnect with their values and also discover new exciting goals in the medium and long term.
Having in mind a new horizon for the future and new goals to achieve with the present job, the person will once again regain joy in their present situation by detecting the opportunities it offers, and from there a motivation may arise that allows them to perform again. in your job, either to maintain it or to use it as a platform to improve your work situation.
6. Learn relaxation techniques
Burnout syndrome too It is related to excessively agitated mental states, as well as cases of excessive stress and uncontrollable anxiety; That is why learning relaxation techniques are so useful in overcoming this disorder.
There are many techniques that we can put into practice to achieve states of relaxation, among the most common we find Mindfulness, yoga, oriental meditation, pilates or conscious breathing.
7. Time management to take advantage of free time
One of the recommendations that the psychologist will give us in cases of burnout syndrome is to Always take advantage of the free time we have after work both during the week and on weekends.
Taking advantage of rest time by doing pleasant and relaxing activities will help us regain strength and forget about the worries and discomfort caused by work for a few hours.
Some of the activities that we can do in our free time are outdoor excursions, reading, extreme sports, watching series or movies and social gatherings with friends.
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This article has been reviewed by our editorial team at PsychologyFor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to evidence-based research. The content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.
