What is Stress?

An adaptive response to a situation

that is perceived as challenging or threatening to the persons well-being.

What is Burnout?
Burnout is physical, emotional or spiritual exhaustion brought about by sustained stress without adequate adjustment. Burnout is otherwise know as exhaustion or when the bodily reserves used in the stress response have been used up.

Who Suffers From Burnout

Anyone can suffer from burnout. It is not a sign of weakness, mental illness or inability to cope with life. Burnout can be treated, overcome, and prevented in the future.

A Healthy Stress Pattern

Excited Uh Oh! Normal

Relaxed

Ah!

A Unhealthy Stress Pattern

Excited Uh Oh! Uh Oh!

Breakdown Relaxed Uh Oh!

Accountant Artist Auto Mechanic Forester

Hospital manager Physician (GP) Psychologist School principal

Police officer
Police Dispatcher Air Traffic Controller

Low-Stress Occupations

Medium-Stress Occupations

High-Stress Occupations

The Stress Response

The Clue to Burnout

Three Stages
Initial Response - Alert Stage Resistance Stage Exhaustion Stage

The General Adaption Syndrome in Action

Stage 1 Alarm Reaction Stage 2 Resistance Stage 3 Exhaustion

Notice how the curve first dips before ascending upward?

This is where the curve Peaks if adaptation Occurs normal

The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A Three-Stage physiological response to stress. Sometimes also known as the Fight or Flight response. Occurs several times a day. Occurs every time a stressor is introduced into our environment.

The GAS Stage One ALERT

Respiration increases Heart rate increases Blood pressure increases Muscles tense Blood shifts away from the skin Digestion is slowed Sugar is released Adrenaline is secreted Blood thickens

Some of The Biological Reactions to Stress

The brain signals the release of adrenaline and dopamine as well as the primary stress hormone. Your heart rate and blood pressure elevate and breathing becomes rapid and shallow. This restricts oxygen to the brain which increases the tension and stress.

The spleen pumps more red blood and white blood cells into your bloodstream to enable increased transportation of oxygen to the body. The immune system is suppressed as white blood cells are transported to parts of the body that may be injured.

The GAS Stage Two RESISTANCE

Not as intense as the Alarm Stage, but bodily levels of hormonal secretion are still above normal Occurs during the stress response and if stressor is removed helps return the body to normal levels.

The GAS Stage 3 EXHAUSTION

Resistance all but ceased Bodily systems have been depleted due to prolonged resistance Can bring about the threat of onset of diseases of adaptation

Job Burnout Process

Interpersonal and Role-Related Stressors Emotional Exhaustion Physiological, psychological, and behavioral consequences

Depersonalization

Reduced Personal Accomplishment

Stressors and Stress Outcomes Work Consequences

Stressors
Physical environment Individual Differences

of Stress

Physiological

Role-related
Interpersonal Organizational

Stress

Behavioral
Psychological

Nonwork Stressors

Symptoms of Burnout
Symptoms are grouped into three categories:
Physiological Cognitive/psychological Behavioral

Physiological Symptoms
Loss of appetite/gain of appetite Weight loss/weight gain Trembling Fatigue Insomnia Anger Depression Malaise

Physiological Consequences
Colds, headaches, and situations caused by muscle contractions may occur. Cardiovascular disease and hypertension may result. Unexplained weight gain or loss.

Psychological Consequences
Emotional exhaustion - also called compassion fatigue, it represents the first stage of burnout and plays a central role in the burnout process. Depersonalization - follows emotional exhaustion and is identified by the treatment of others as objects rather than people. Reduced personal accomplishment - the final component of job burnout which refers to the decline in one's feelings of competence and success.

Behavioral Consequences
When stress becomes distress, job performance falls and workplace accidents are more common. High stress levels impair the ability to remember information, make effective decisions, and take appropriate action. Overstressed employees tend to have higher levels of absenteeism.

Signs of Excessive Stress

Confusion in thinking Difficulty making decisions Increased heart rate Rapid breathing Depression Change in eating habits Feeling overwhelmed

More Signs of Excessive Stress

Headache Sleep disturbances Difficulty in concentrating Short temper Upset stomach Job dissatisfaction

What to Do?
Know Yourself
Know your limitations Gage your reactions, learn to take each day one step at a time Become a Stress Expert, know about Stress and how it affects your mind and body. Dont do nothing, if you think you are getting burned out and have the symptoms speak to someone about it!