Final answer:
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when an individual feels overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands, often involving the depletion of their emotional resources, a sense of detachment from their work, and a marked decrease in accomplishment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Someone suffering from burnout typically experiences an imbalance between their own resources and the high demands of dealing with difficult, distressful issues on a daily basis. Job burnout is a significant psychological syndrome that particularly affects individuals in human service jobs, such as social workers, teachers, therapists, and police officers. This condition is characterized by three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, where one feels that their emotional resources are depleted; depersonalization, which leads to an emotional distance between the worker and recipients of their services; and reduced personal accomplishment, where individuals feel dissatisfied with their job-related achievements or their ability to influence others through their work.
Job strain is one of the greatest risk factors for job burnout, with older workers, those who are unmarried, and those in manual labor positions being more susceptible. Contributing factors also include heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, being overweight, and having a physical or lifetime mental disorder. Moreover, job burnout often occurs concurrently with depression, exacerbating the situation.
Effective management of job stress and professional support can play essential roles in mitigating the effects of burnout. Individuals can benefit from strategies that help balance life and work demands, encourage physical activity, and provide avenues for emotional support and professional growth. Recognizing the signs of burnout and taking proactive steps to address the balance between meliors and stressors can help individuals move along the continuum toward a state of enjoyment and away from distress.