Almost everyone now knows someone in their circle of friends or acquaintances who is suffering from "burnout". A much-discussed and polarizing term. Is it a fad that "lazy people" use as an excuse to avoid the world of work or is it a serious illness that can lead to suicide?
History and symptoms: The term "burnout" first appeared in the 1970s in connection with nursing professions. The first scientific studies were carried out soon afterwards in the USA. These studies described burn-out syndrome as a reaction to chronic stress at work. Today, in the German adaptation of the "International Classification of Diseases ICD-10-GM", burnout syndrome is described as "burnout" in connection with "problems in coping with life". In the American "DSM 5", burnout is not listed as an independent diagnosis.
I cannot and do not want to judge the extent to which a state of emotional, mental and physical burnout is scientifically or socially accepted. In any case, the fact is that we can observe an increased occurrence of these symptoms and complaints among people in our western world. Those affected who have fallen into the downward spiral of these mechanisms usually need help because they suffer from
Emotional exhaustion
Lack of drive
depersonalization
Indifference towards others
Social withdrawal An unfounded, personal feeling of constant failure
These are just some of the symptoms of the disorder. Very often they are accompanied by depression and/or panic attacks.
What is the cause of burnout? The factors that can lead to excessive demands are always cited as work, private life, society and oneself. I personally believe that we should focus exclusively on ourselves. How we individually deal with stress in our professional and private lives, or whether we get into permanently difficult situations in the first place, is - I think - only up to us. Our conditioning naturally plays a major role in this:
Exaggerated perfectionism (learned behavior, e.g. to get affection from parents)
Boundaries (saying no, knowing and maintaining my personal boundaries)
Compensating for inner emptiness through addiction (drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, etc.)
Conventional treatment: In acute cases - but ideally as a preventative measure - various relaxation exercises, good time management and longer recovery phases help us. Especially in acute cases, therapeutic support is of course necessary, which in severe cases may even need to be supported by medication.
Shamanic view of the cause and counseling options: The people affected often live according to the wishes of others. They allow themselves to be guided by the ideas of their parents, their partner, their friends or their boss. This results in self-abandonment or the suppression of their own needs. From a shamanic perspective, this creates destructive connections that need to be found and severed. Power is often stolen, which acutely supports or promotes the burn-out of the person concerned. Together we can get to the bottom of the causes of self-destructive behavior and change the associated conditioning into a life-affirming form. This puts an end to the nightmare of living according to the wishes of others. Finding our own life purpose and integrating it into our everyday lives brings us lasting fulfillment and inner peace.
A fulfilled life makes you happy and prevents burnout!
