Burnout
Stress during your studies can be overwhelming. Here, you'll learn the essentials about burnout, its causes, and effective strategies for coping with it.
What is Burnout?
Despite a large number of scientific and non-scientific publications on the topic, there is still no universally accepted definition of the illness “burnout.” The term itself was first described in 1974 by the psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Herbert Freudenberger.
Generally speaking, the term burnout refers to physical and emotional exhaustion, which often leads to a state of feeling “burned out.” When long-term stress becomes overwhelming and cannot be avoided, it can result in what is known as burnout syndrome. Work is not always the main cause. Private or personal burdens, such as caring for relatives, can also lead to the development of burnout.
Causes of Burnout
Burnout has nothing to do with personal failure. Anyone can be affected by it. In many cases, the causes arise from an overwhelming interaction of different factors. These may include:
- the workplace or work environment (time pressure, lack of autonomy, competitive thinking, mistrust, etc.),
- private matters (demanding caregiving responsibilities, financial problems, conflicts with a partner or family, etc.),
- the person themselves or their lifestyle (excessively high expectations, insufficient recovery, etc.),
- as well as society (high performance pressure, unrealistic role models, labor market conditions, etc.),
all of which can contribute to causing a state of overload.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is simple but effective. It is also called Progressive Muscle Relaxation, or PMR for short. The American physiologist Edmund Jacobson developed it in the 1930s. It is called “progressive” because it works step by step — or “progressively” — by involving different muscle groups one after another.
verywellmind: How to practice progressive muscle relaxation
Healthline: The Benefit of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and How to Do It
What Is Disability Burnout?
Disability burnout describes exhaustion experienced by people with disabilities or chronic illnesses due to additional challenges in everyday working life. The cause is not the disability itself, but rather barriers, lack of flexibility, and insufficient understanding in the professional environment.
Many affected individuals perform so-called invisible extra work: they have to organize transportation to work, apply for assistive devices, or deal with inaccessible buildings and digital systems. These additional demands require time and energy and increase the risk of burnout.
In addition, many people face discrimination, prejudice, and social pressure. As a result, some try to hide their disability or illness (“masking”) in order not to attract negative attention. This constant adaptation and self-monitoring creates further strain and can lead to severe exhaustion.
You can find more information on this topic here.
Quick Links
I'll help you choose your study program.