Burnout
Introduction
Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that emanates from immense and sustained stress. It develops gradually over a lengthy period. An individual feels overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, and incapable of executing assigned tasks. Burnout can be manifested in various life areas, such as work, parenting, romantic relationships, and so forth. Substance abuse counselors are prone to experiencing burnout because of the challenging circumstances they face in their line of work.
Uncertain certification and licensure standards, limited resources, special care clients, and controls on service delivery are some of the difficulties associated with the addictions counseling field. Besides, other factors such as low wages, high staff turnover, demanding clients, and narrow career advancement opportunities exert more pressure on substance abuse counselors. Burnout has detrimental effects on counselors’ performance, results in high job turnover, affects the recovery of clients, among other negative impacts.
Causes
The causes of burnout among addictions counselors include work-related causes, lifestyle causes, and particular personality traits. Work-related reasons are the most common. Lack of control in the workplace, where a counselor has no influence on critical decisions concerning his job, such as workload or schedule, can eventually lead to job burnout. Inadequacy or lack of resources required for the job can also result in exhaustion. Additionally, when the job expectations are unclear, such that a counselor is not certain of what is expected of him or about the extent of his authority, it may cause discomfort at the workplace and result in burnout eventually.
Substance abuse counselors can develop burnout if the workload is excessive or emotionally draining (Vilardaga et al., 2011). Too much work results in physical and mental fatigue. Addictions counselors work in a demanding field. Failure to recognize or reward them for the challenging and excellent work that they do can result in the development of burnout. Substance abuse counselors can also experience fatigue and job burnout if the job is too monotonous or turbulent. Such a task requires one to stay focused throughout, which is energy consuming and tiring.
Burnout can also emanate from lifestyle causes. Failure to get enough sleep causes exhaustion because one does not get enough rest and experiences fatigue. Additionally, some counselors work too much and ignore other aspects of their lives, such as family and socializing. Counselors who do not balance work and personal life are vulnerable to suffering from burnouts (Oser et al., 2013). Counselors face difficulties in life and require support too. Counselors who lack social support are prone to experiencing sustained stress and burnouts.
Some counselors have particular personality traits that can advance the development of burnouts. One such feature is perfectionism. Perfectionist counselors are never satisfied with outcomes, no matter how good they are. Such people are likely to experience mental and emotional fatigue because they are never contented. Counselors who hold a negative view of themselves and the world are also prone to suffering from burnouts. Substance abuse counselors who prefer to execute all tasks instead of delegating are also likely to develop exhaustion.
Signs
Burnout develops gradually, with faint early signs and symptoms that worsen with time. Burnout can be prevented if one is keen on the initial signs and symptoms and takes timely action to eliminate the underlying problem. The signs and symptoms are physical, emotional, and behavioral. Tiredness and feeling weary are some of the physical signs. Persons suffering from burnouts also experience recurrent back pains, headaches, muscle aches, and joint pains. Changes in appetite and sleeping patterns are also common among people experiencing burnouts (Thompson et al., 2014). Additionally, individuals with burnouts have weaker immunity and fall sick frequently. Other physical signs include increased heart palpitations, high blood pressure, and poor concentration or memory.
Loss of motivation is one of the emotional signs and symptoms of burnout. Substance abuse counselors who no longer show interest in the job might be at risk of burnouts. Other emotional signs and symptoms include feelings of helplessness and defeat, feeling lonely, having a skeptic and pessimistic outlook, and detachment. Behavioral signs and symptoms involve abandoning responsibilities, cutting yourself off from others, failure to go to work or arriving late, postponing or taking a lot of time to complete tasks, substance abuse, and venting out your disappointments on others. Counselors should watch out for the different signs and symptoms of burnouts discussed and take timely measures to prevent a complete breakdown.
Interventions
Various interventions assist addictions counselors in recovering from burnouts. First, it is essential to slow down by reducing the commitments and activities you engage in as a counselor. This creates adequate time for rest, reflection, and healing. Another vital intervention is to seek support from friends, family, and colleagues. Taking time to share your thoughts and concerns with loved ones can help relieve the burden on one’s shoulders and promote recovery. Developing close and supportive relationships with coworkers is also an important technique of preventing and recovering from job burnout (Dr. Dawn, 2018). Joining a community organization or drive that is significant to you as an individual is another feasible recovery intervention.
Substance abuse counselors should learn to identify and request the resources they need. This ensures that there are adequate resources to perform various tasks and prevents the likelihood of burnout. Maintaining a healthy balance between work and life is another vital intervention. Counselors should learn to finish their responsibilities in the workplace and set aside time for socializing, self-care, relaxation, and other personal life aspects. Leading a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and taking proper diets is another crucial measure for preventing and recovering from burnouts (Kiser, 2017). It is also essential to avoid having perfectionistic tendencies and a pessimistic view of the world.
Setting SMART goals for work is vital in recovering from burnouts. Goals set should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. It is also important to take another look at your goals and priorities, and determine whether you still want to pursue them, or there is a need to change direction. Counselors suffering from burnouts should take time to recognize the losses they have undergone and acknowledge them. Such losses include loss of physical and emotional energy, friends and fun, esteem, self-worth, etc. Recognizing and grieving these losses enables one to heal and move on with life purposefully. Other interventions include practicing mindfulness, using psychological flexibility, and limiting interactions with negative people.
References
Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes, AllCEUs Counseling Education. (2018, Nov 20). 338 Burnout Prevention [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_7bGWhgVuo
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Kiser, P. M. (2017). The human services internship: Getting the most from your experience.
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Oser, Carrie B, Biebel, Elizabeth P, Pullen, Erin, & Harp, Kathi L. H. (2013). Causes, Consequences, and Prevention of Burnout Among Substance Abuse Treatment Counselors: A Rural Versus Urban Comparison. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 45(1), 17-27.
Thompson, Isabel, Amatea, Ellen, & Thompson, Eric. (2014). Personal and Contextual Predictors of Mental Health Counselors’ Compassion Fatigue and Burnout. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 36(1), 58-77.
Vilardaga, Roger, Luoma, Jason B, Hayes, Steven C, Pistorello, Jacqueline, Levin, Michael E, Hildebrandt, Mikaela J, …Bond, Frank. (2011). Burnout among the addiction counseling workforce: The differential roles of mindfulness and values-based processes and work-site factors. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 40(4), 323-335.