Dr Dumakazi Mapatwana
Diaan Bisogno, a clinical psychologist practising at Netcare Akeso Stepping Stones, says that emotional detachment, hopelessness and helplessness are characteristic of burnout.
The symptoms of burnout may be physical, emotional and behavioural. Picture: iStock
Burnout can result in even the most dedicated and passionate individuals feeling overwhelmed, helpless and disengaged in their working and private lives, with potentially severe consequences for their mental and physical health, relationships and productivity. Given the pressures of the Covid pandemic, much greater awareness of this often-overlooked syndrome is needed to help prevent its destructive progression, warns Dr Dumakazi Mapatwana, a psychiatrist practising at Netcare Akeso Alberton. “Burnout is a complex reaction to sustained extreme stress. It is not an overnight phenomenon but, rather, a gradual process defined by emotional, physical and mental exhaustion that follows chronic and severe...