Burnout in social professions – When the helper syndrome makes you sick
It is no secret that the social sector does not have it particularly easy. Although professions in the field of social pedagogy and care for the elderly are one of the pillars of our society, the wages, as well as the working hours, with which social professionals currently have to contend, is a downright imposition.
If you compare the number of overtime hours and the extraordinary service to people that a nurse or caregiver has to perform today with their current income (the average hourly wage is currently the equivalent of 10.00 euros), it quickly becomes apparent that the earnings of a social worker bear no relation to the services they provide.
This is especially true for the health risk factors that social professions hold for their workforce.
Burnout – Occupational risk: Health
If you ask social professionals about the biggest disadvantages of their profession, you always get the same answers: the nervous as well as the physical strain are simply too great.
Whether it is the strokes of fate of persons to be cared for, in which care workers take part to an unusual degree every day, the unpaid overtime or the high demands on one’s own performance – maintaining one’s personal health over several years of professional activity is almost impossible in the social sector.
If one believes a report on the website www.burnout syndrome.com, so up to 20 per cent of all physicians, a third of all teachers and well half of all care workers suffer from the so-called „Ausgebranntheit“, which not infrequently goes along with depressions and long-term inability to work – tendency rising.
Glimmer of hope: Immigration
In view of these disturbing figures and the high shortage of skilled workers, which could become even worse in the coming years due to demographic change, the recently passed immigration law may be a real boon for the social sector.
Although the CDU and CSU are harshly critical of the new regulation, it cannot be denied that there are also many well-trained specialists who want to try their luck on the German labor market in the future.
Since companies and social institutions have been desperately looking for qualified personnel in the last few years, there is no question that foreign support is urgently needed, especially in the field of social professions.
Ways from the Burnout – Thus you fight successfully the feeling of the Ausgebranntheit
If you suffer from burnout symptoms yourself, it is important not to take the disease lightly.
The earlier the disease is detected and treated, the better the prospects for a successful cure. Here are some suitable methods to deal with chronic overwork:
Change in personal behaviors:
Make fewer demands on yourself. Excessive perfectionism and too high expectations of one’s own performance are two of the most common causes of chronic fatigue states.
In addition, low self-esteem and an excessive desire for recognition can also cause people to exceed the limits of their professional resilience to an unhealthy degree.
Therapies and relaxation exercises:
Take calmly also professional assistance in requirement. Extensive behavioral or talk therapy, autogenic training and targeted yoga exercises are an excellent way to counteract counterproductive behavioral patterns and provide relaxation.
The power of nature:
„There is a herb for every illness.This saying also applies to the Burnout syndrome. Teas and herbal preparations made from valerian, hops or St. John’s wort, for example, actively support the recovery process. For possible depressive episodes, lavender, lemon balm, peppermint and sage are also recommended.
