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Recognizing BurnoutRecognizing Burnout

What is Stress?What is Stress?

An adaptive response to a An adaptive response to a

situation that is perceived as situation that is perceived as

challenging or threatening to the challenging or threatening to the

person’s well-beingperson’s well-being

What is Burnout?What is Burnout?

Burnout is physical, emotional or spiritual Burnout is physical, emotional or spiritual exhaustion brought about by sustained exhaustion brought about by sustained stress without adequate adjustment.stress without adequate adjustment.

Burnout is otherwise know as exhaustion or Burnout is otherwise know as exhaustion or when the bodily reserves used in the stress when the bodily reserves used in the stress response have been used up.response have been used up.

Who Suffers From BurnoutWho Suffers From Burnout

Anyone can suffer from burnout.Anyone can suffer from burnout. It is not a sign of weakness, mental illness It is not a sign of weakness, mental illness

or inability to cope with life.or inability to cope with life. Burnout can be treated, overcome, and Burnout can be treated, overcome, and

prevented in the future.prevented in the future.

A Healthy Stress PatternA Healthy Stress Pattern

Excited

Relaxed Ah!

Uh Oh!Normal

A Unhealthy Stress A Unhealthy Stress PatternPattern

Excited

Relaxed

Uh Oh!

Breakdown

Uh Oh!

Uh Oh!

AccountantAccountant

ArtistArtist

Auto MechanicAuto Mechanic

ForesterForester

Low-StressOccupations

High-StressOccupations

Hospital managerHospital manager

Physician (GP)Physician (GP)

PsychologistPsychologist

School principalSchool principal

Police officerPolice officer

Police DispatcherPolice Dispatcher

Air Traffic ControllerAir Traffic Controller

Waiter/waitressWaiter/waitress

Telecommunicator Stress Compared to Other Occupations

Medium-StressOccupations

The Stress ResponseThe Stress Response

The Clue to BurnoutThe Clue to Burnout

Three StagesThree Stages

Initial Response - Initial Response - Alert StageAlert Stage

Resistance StageResistance Stage Exhaustion StageExhaustion Stage

Stage 1Alarm Reaction

Stage 2Resistance

Stage 3Exhaustion

The G.A.S. in ActionThe G.A.S. in Action

Notice how the curve first dips before ascending upward?

This is where the curvePeaks if adaptation

Occurs normal

The General Adaptation The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)Syndrome (GAS)

A Three-Stage physiological response to stress.A Three-Stage physiological response to stress. Sometimes also known as the “Sometimes also known as the “Fight or Flight” Fight or Flight”

response.response. Occurs several times a day.Occurs several times a day. Occurs every time a stressor is introduced into Occurs every time a stressor is introduced into

our environment.our environment.

The GAS – Stage One – ALERTThe GAS – Stage One – ALERT

Respiration Respiration increasesincreases

Heart rate Heart rate increasesincreases

Blood pressure Blood pressure increasesincreases

Muscles tenseMuscles tense Blood shifts away Blood shifts away

from the skinfrom the skin

Digestion is Digestion is slowedslowed

Sugar is releasedSugar is released Adrenaline is Adrenaline is

secretedsecreted Blood thickensBlood thickens

Some of The Biological Some of The Biological Reactions to StressReactions to Stress

The brain signals the release of adrenaline, dopamine, and The brain signals the release of adrenaline, dopamine, and norepinephrine, as well as the primary stress hormone coritisol.norepinephrine, as well as the primary stress hormone coritisol.

Your heart rate and blood pressure elevate and breathing becomes Your heart rate and blood pressure elevate and breathing becomes rapid and shallow. This restricts oxygen to the brain which increases rapid and shallow. This restricts oxygen to the brain which increases the tension and stress.the tension and stress.

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

The GAS – Stage Two - The GAS – Stage Two - RESISTANCERESISTANCE

Not as intense as the Alarm Stage, Not as intense as the Alarm Stage, but bodily levels of hormonal but bodily levels of hormonal secretion are still above normalsecretion are still above normal

Occurs during the stress response Occurs during the stress response and if stressor is removed helps and if stressor is removed helps return the body to normal levels.return the body to normal levels.

The GAS – Stage 3 - The GAS – Stage 3 - EXHAUSTIONEXHAUSTION

Resistance all but ceasedResistance all but ceased Bodily systems have been Bodily systems have been

depleted due to prolonged depleted due to prolonged resistanceresistance

Can bring about the threat of Can bring about the threat of onset of “diseases of onset of “diseases of adaptation” adaptation”

Job Burnout ProcessJob Burnout Process

DepersonalizationDepersonalization

Reduced PersonalReduced PersonalAccomplishmentAccomplishment

Physiological,Physiological,

psychological,psychological,

and behavioraland behavioral

consequencesconsequences

EmotionalEmotionalExhaustionExhaustion

Interpersonal andInterpersonal andRole-Related StressorsRole-Related Stressors

StressStress

WorkWorkStressorsStressors

PhysicalPhysicalenvironmentenvironment

Role-relatedRole-related

InterpersonalInterpersonal

OrganizationalOrganizational

Stressors and Stress OutcomesStressors and Stress Outcomes

NonworkNonworkStressorsStressors

IndividualIndividualDifferencesDifferences

ConsequencesConsequencesof Stressof Stress

PhysiologicalPhysiological

BehavioralBehavioral

PsychologicalPsychological

Symptoms of BurnoutSymptoms of Burnout

Symptoms are grouped into three Symptoms are grouped into three categories:categories:– PhysiologicalPhysiological– Cognitive/psychologicalCognitive/psychological– BehavioralBehavioral

Physiological SymptomsPhysiological Symptoms

Loss of appetite/gain of appetiteLoss of appetite/gain of appetite Weight loss/weight gainWeight loss/weight gain TremblingTrembling FatigueFatigue InsomniaInsomnia AngerAnger DepressionDepression MalaiseMalaise

Physiological ConsequencesPhysiological Consequences

Colds, headaches, and situations caused by Colds, headaches, and situations caused by muscle contractions may occur.muscle contractions may occur.

Cardiovascular disease and hypertension may Cardiovascular disease and hypertension may result.result.

Unexplained weight gain or loss.Unexplained weight gain or loss.

Psychological ConsequencesPsychological Consequences

Emotional exhaustion - also called compassion fatigue, Emotional exhaustion - also called compassion fatigue, it represents the first stage of burnout and plays a it represents the first stage of burnout and plays a central role in the burnout process.central role in the burnout process.

Depersonalization - follows emotional exhaustion and Depersonalization - follows emotional exhaustion and is identified by the treatment of others as objects rather is identified by the treatment of others as objects rather than people.than people.

Reduced personal accomplishment - the final Reduced personal accomplishment - the final component of job burnout which refers to the decline component of job burnout which refers to the decline in one's feelings of competence and success.in one's feelings of competence and success.

Behavioral ConsequencesBehavioral Consequences

When stress becomes distress, job performance falls When stress becomes distress, job performance falls and workplace accidents are more common.and workplace accidents are more common.

High stress levels impair the ability to remember High stress levels impair the ability to remember information, make effective decisions, and take information, make effective decisions, and take appropriate action.appropriate action.

Overstressed employees tend to have higher levels of Overstressed employees tend to have higher levels of absenteeism.absenteeism.

Signs of Excessive StressSigns of Excessive Stress

Confusion in thinkingConfusion in thinking Difficulty making Difficulty making

decisionsdecisions Increased heart rateIncreased heart rate Rapid breathingRapid breathing DepressionDepression Change in eating habitsChange in eating habits Feeling overwhelmedFeeling overwhelmed

More Signs of Excessive StressMore Signs of Excessive Stress

HeadacheHeadache Sleep disturbancesSleep disturbances Difficulty in Difficulty in

concentratingconcentrating Short temperShort temper Upset stomachUpset stomach Job dissatisfactionJob dissatisfaction

What to Do?What to Do?

Know YourselfKnow Yourself– Know your limitationsKnow your limitations– Gage your reactions, learn to take each day one Gage your reactions, learn to take each day one

step at a timestep at a time– Become a “Stress Expert”, know about Stress Become a “Stress Expert”, know about Stress

and how it affects your mind and body.and how it affects your mind and body.– Don’t do nothing, if you think you are getting Don’t do nothing, if you think you are getting

burned out and have the symptoms speak to burned out and have the symptoms speak to someone about it!someone about it!

We are here to help!We are here to help! Headsets911 is the Headsets911 is the ONLYONLY Dispatcher Specific Dispatcher Specific

Stress Management Company. We know about Stress Management Company. We know about Dispatcher stress and how to help you cope with Dispatcher stress and how to help you cope with it. We have a trained and competent network of it. We have a trained and competent network of professionals to help you.professionals to help you.

Contact us by email with any questions you may Contact us by email with any questions you may have. Again, the worst action is NO action. If have. Again, the worst action is NO action. If you are suffering from burnout, you are not alone. you are suffering from burnout, you are not alone. There is hope, there is help!There is hope, there is help!