The American Psychological Association’s David Ballard, PsyD describes job burnout as “an extended period of time where someone experiences exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job performance.” Burnout can have serious emotional and physical health consequences, including an increased risk of substance use disorder. In fact, more and more professionals admit to self-medicating or using drugs and alcohol to cope with the increasingly growing stress of the workplace.
This is a dangerous path, however, and one that can quickly lead to addiction. Recognizing the signs of burnout is your best step to avoid it – and this is extremely important if you’re already in recovery. If left untreated, burnout can result in relapse and destroy your hard-won
sobriety. It can also wreak havoc on your happiness, relationships and job performance. In order to catch and combat burnout early, it’s important to know what to look out for and realize when it’s time to seek professional help. Some red flags include:
• Hard time paying attention or concentrating
• Irritability and lack of patience, both at the workplace and at home
• Increased conflicts at home
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Low self-esteem and lack of confidence
• Skipping social obligations
• Feelings of guilt caused by uncompleted work
• Emotional exhaustion
• Loss of interest in once enjoyed activities
• Anxiety and depression
• Problem falling and staying asleep
• Increased frustration, cynicism and other negative feelings
• Eating too much or too little
• Poor immunity or getting sick often
• Frequent headaches
• Digestive issues
Helping You Find Healthy Ways to Cope
At 10 Acre Ranch, our Intensive Outpatient Programs (also known as IOPs) give our clients the opportunity to work alongside other men to manage stress and solidify their sober-living skills and reduce the chances of short or long-term relapse. IOPs are designed for individuals who are preparing to re-enter employment, family life, school, and other responsibilities. To learn more, call today: 877-228-4679.
