By: Juan Fernando González G. 

In the last 50 years, diseases linked to the workplace have become more notorious, including chronic fatigue syndrome, bullying syndrome (which occurs when a person is subjected to strong psychological pressure to quit their job) or the syndrome of professional burnout (Burnout), characteristic of individuals with extreme physical and mental exhaustion, low work performance and loss of interest in work.

In 1970, approximately, people began to talk about Burnout Syndrome, a psychological disorder that makes a person unable to cope with the stress generated by their work. Today it is known, without a doubt, that most of those who experience this condition put all their effort and concentration to fulfill one or more tasks assigned, but, in the end, whatever they do, they are involved in a whirlwind of despair, they feel that they have failed and that “nothing is enough to look good.” This situation, after a certain time, will cause the individual to sink into a state of extreme exhaustion, anxiety and depression.

Burnout and pandemic, very bad company
Given the health emergency that the world has been experiencing since January 2020, companies of all kinds established work from home as a way to protect their employees from possible infections and continue with their operations.

The Home Office survey, prepared by OCC Mundial and the Asociación de Internet.mx. In the first half of 2020, it concluded that 85% of workers feel comfortable with remote work, although 70% of people considered that they work more under this modality. The investigation also indicated that the perception of workload is high since half of the workers accepted that they invest between five and eight hours a day to carry out their tasks from home, but four out of 10 employees dedicate between nine and 12 hours to it .

To this, it should be added that workers resent the fatigue of staying a long time in the same place, as well as the distrust of their superiors, the lack of interaction with other people and the presence of various distractors. According to the aforementioned study, the group that has suffered the most from the increase in workload are women, specifically those between 30 and 39 years old and living in the central region of Mexico.

Adaptive behavior
Given the circumstances in which we find ourselves, psychology specialists recommend, first of all, to accept that confinement and care measures are going to last a few more months, despite the fact that vaccination plans are advancing around the world and that the light is already on the horizon at the end of the tunnel.

Many people will continue to work at home, so it is recommended that we adopt “an adaptive behavior that helps us manage stress and prevent depression at home,” said Juan José Sánchez Sosa, professor emeritus of the Faculty of Psychology of the National University Autónoma de México (UNAM), during the first virtual discussion Depression in Times of Pandemic.

Additionally, it must be considered that the economic crisis has developed at the same time as the health crisis, hence there are many who have lost their jobs or are “on the table”, which generates uneasiness that is difficult to control. There are others who have had to accept the decrease in their salary, which undermines not only the size of their pantry, but also their self-esteem. As if that were not enough, the workload increases incessantly; hence the Burnout Syndrome has already been installed in the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Effects of the pandemic
Experts in human behavior explain that the pandemic has generated a lot of fear at the risk of testing positive for covid-19; The concern grows, of course, when we learn that one of our acquaintances or relatives has contracted the disease and, of course, the situation worsens if we are notified of the death of a loved one.

According to UNAM specialists, the emotional reactions generated by the pandemic and work stress are the following:
Depression.
Anxiety.
Anger.
Domestic violence.
Irritability.
Intolerance.
Hyperreactivity.
Trouble concentrating
Gastrointestinal disorders.
Insomnia and weakening of the immune system.

Nature, on your side
Kalium phosphoricum has long been observed to be a highly beneficial mineral for the nervous system, and essential for muscles to function properly. When used homeopathically, it also helps with sleep regulation, extreme tiredness, irritability and weakness, unmistakable symptoms of Burnout Syndrome.

Homeopathic doctors find in Kalium phosphoricum, the so-called “salt of the nerves”, a great tool to treat lack of concentration, disinterest and lack of spirit, that is, clear signs of a certain degree of depression.

Some other substances, such as Passiflora, Ignatia and Valerian, treated homeopathically, are excellent supplements to achieve a state of well-being and relaxation that will make us more productive, but, above all, happier.

References

UNAM Gazette. https://www.gaceta.unam.mx/el-comportamiento-adaptativo-ayuda-para-manejar-el-estres/.

Anales Medicos Magazine. ABC Medical Center. https://www.medigraphic.com/pdfs/abc/bc-2018/bc184b.pdf.

OCC World. https://www.occ.com.mx/blog/presentan-la-asociacion-internet-mx-occmundial-estudio-home-office-en-mexico-en-tiempos-del-covid-19/.