Burnout is a huge issue for essential workers. From navigating the stresses of the early phases of the pandemic to managing widespread understaffing issues, the frontline workers of the COVID-19 pandemic are exhausted. And this level of burnout can lead to mental health issues.
Therapists play a key role in helping essential workers work through this burnout and stay mentally healthy while juggling a heavy workload.
What Causes Burnout?
Burnout is something almost everyone experiences at some point in their life. It’s that feeling people get at the end of a strenuous college semester or when juggling too many things at once. Burnout is best described as a state of deep exhaustion and a lack of motivation brought up by chronic stress.
While a heavy workload is often part of the reason people get burnout, there are often other factors that play a part, such as the individual’s perception of their work or their satisfaction with their work environment.
During the pandemic, people often felt overworked and may have had to work from home or in an environment they didn’t feel safe in. And many essential workers have had to carry the collective stress and frustration from the community through varying mask mandates, stay-at-home-order, and longer wait times due to understaffing.
Seeking Help for Burnout
When people feel stressed and exhausted, they may not always have healthy coping mechanisms. Constant burnout can lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and binge eating. Chronic stress can also impact someone’s physical health, leading to issues like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Therapy can help essential workers learn to manage their stress and find better ways to cope with difficult emotions and situations. Therapy can also help people rediscover their passions, align their priorities, build confidence, and learn how to say no.
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