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It seems like stress and burnout are regular parts of modern working life. People who are consistently experiencing stress and are failing to manage it may develop burnout. This condition leaves an individual feeling exhausted, empty, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. Job burnout can also affect health. The unsolved problem of burnout can reduce a person’s ability to perform not only their job responsibilities but their daily life chores as well.
What Is Burnout?
The World Health Organization calls burnout an occupational phenomenon. It describes it as a syndrome that results from prolonged workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed.
This syndrome is characterized by three major dimensions: overwhelming exhaustion, negativism or cynicism (less identification with your job functions), and feelings of decreased professional efficacy.
When you suffer from burnout syndrome, it’s really hard to relax naturally. People often self-medicate with alcohol and drugs (including over the counter and prescription) trying to create artificial relaxation. This approach can lead to unintended worse results. You may end up developing alcohol or drug addiction and seeking treatment in “rehab near me” (AddictionResource provides details).
Are You Experiencing Burnout?
Stress and burnout are closely related. But they are not the same thing. To cure stress, one needs to slow down, work fewer hours, or take an extended vacation.
When you are stressed, you still fight with pressure. Once burnout occurs, you are out of strength and give up hope of overcoming the obstacles. It’s time to recalibrate your work-life balance if you:
- Feel fatigue that doesn’t disappear after extra rest
- Postpone basic self-care needs (whether intentional or not)
- Feel moody and irritated
- Lack focus and concentration
- Notice minor inexplicable physical ailments (headaches, neck and shoulder pain and tightness, digestive problems, weight change).
The problem of professional burnout is quite common. A recent Deloitte’s survey of full-time US professionals revealed that 77% of respondents have experienced burnout in their current jobs.
How to Cope With Stress and Burnout?
Burnout is not considered a medical condition. That means that you don’t need medicine. There are three easy ways to combat stress and avoid burnout in the workplace:
- Add some new relaxing activities into your daily routine, like self-care procedures, eating healthy food, or taking plenty of exercises. This can reduce the effects of a stressful day.
- Take intentional relaxation breaks during the day. Spare 5 minutes to stand up and stretch, close your eyes and focus on breathing, or take a quick walk around the block.
- Prioritize the “musts”. Put your time and energy into foundational, basic tasks both at work and home. Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle will help you.
What Is the Link between Burnout and Substance Use?
The chain “high-stress job – burnout – substance use – addiction – drug rehab near me” is quite easy to explain. Burnout is a response to stress. Sleep problems are common for both. People may start drinking alcohol before going to bed as it’s a sedative. Or they may self-medicate stress and anxiety with prescription drugs, such as Benzodiazepines.
To cope with large scopes of work or complete a difficult project, people can use cocaine or amphetamines to stay energetic throughout the day.
Alcohol and drugs (both prescription and illegal) release feel-good chemicals. When your brain gets used to this, it signals you to make this quick shot to feel better whenever you are stressed. Unfortunately, none of the substances solve anything. It creates a dangerous cycle that can soon spiral into a full-fledged addiction.
How to Cope with Substance Abuse?
It’s important to listen to your loved ones and other people who care about you when they say that your substance use has gotten out of control. If you can’t stop using or are experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut down the dosage, you yourself can understand that it’s time to get help in one of the “drug rehabs near me”.
There are three treatment options available for addiction:
Detoxication
It’s a controlled and medically supervised withdrawal from the drug. Detox is recommended for those with a long history of substance use disorder (SUD) and chronic users.
Why is it so important to undergo detox in a special facility? Quitting cold turkey can be dangerous. Withdrawal syndrome that includes a variety of physical and mental symptoms can be severe. All-around the clock medical supervision and medication that helps to relieve the withdrawal symptoms increase the chances for a successful recovery.
Inpatient Treatment
Clients in an inpatient (residential) treatment program at somewhere like one of the Houston rehab centers out there stay on the site for the duration of the program. Short-term programs may last 30, 60, or 90 days. Long-term treatment lasts for 120 days, 6 months, or longer if necessary.
Inpatient care allows addressing physical and psychological issues of SUD. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps a person detect the roots of the problem and learn to cope with them.
Special diet, wellness and fitness activities, and holistic therapies help to improve health and well-being. Since addicts often struggle with psychological disorders, many treatment centers offer integrated co-occurring mental health services.
If you have experienced a relapse, or who have already tried a less intensive course of alcohol or drug addiction treatment but then failed to stay sober, then it’s best to look for “inpatient drug rehab near me”.
Outpatient Treatment
This option fits those who are at the early stages of addiction, and have job, family, or social obligations that cannot neglect. If that is your situation, Google “drug rehab centers near me” with an outpatient treatment program available.
An outpatient treatment program offers the same services as the residential one:
- Drug education and counseling
- Individual psychotherapy
- Group therapy
- Family or couple therapy if needed.
An outpatient program a lower intensity alternative to an inpatient one. That’s why it may take a longer period of time. Outpatient clients are required to spend 10-12 hours a week in a local treatment center. And it lasts from 3 to 6 months, or over a year in some cases.
If you feel that you need help, seek it right now!
You may also like: 9 Ways to De-stress at Work
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