Ever experienced a (Burnout) or Nervous breakdown??
By eashoor
@eashoor (307)
Canada
July 14, 2007 9:41am CST
I did and I quit my job. Sadly people still treat me like an unstable hysterical neurotic woman as opposed to vewing it as an acute reaction to prolonged stress. Why does this stigma of mental problems continue while all other medical problems are ok??
1 person likes this
1 response
@derek_a (10874)
•
14 Jul 07
I have been a therapist for the past 30 years and about 15 years ago, I experienced what is called "burn-out". I was completely exhausted all the time and just couldn't get my energy to return.
I had no choice and had to keep going in order to make a living, but it was an awful experience as I had to stay positive and optimistic for my clients.
I have since learned that this is a common problem that many psychotherapists experience. I was fortunate in being a therapist and because I have a strong interest in Zen and zazen (Zen meditation) that has helped me greatly.
I have learned that mind and body are really one and that there is no stigma or shame in experiencing these sorts of break-downs, but society in general tends to shy away from it. I have always told my clients this. And when it comes to society, who's sane anyway!?
Finally, what I have gone through has helped me to help my clients a great deal, so whoever reads this and suffers in such a way, don't ever feel it's something to be ashamed of.
@eashoor (307)
• Canada
14 Jul 07
Derek,
Spoken like a true therapist. Thank you for your amazing input. It is hard for us as medical proffessionals to express and confess that we too are normal and it is sadly even harder for the people who are around us and believe that we are super people who should not experience these common problems. I lost my career because of mu burnout but I think I just lived with it for too long and didnt recognize it early enough.
1 person likes this
@derek_a (10874)
•
15 Jul 07
Thank you for that:-) Yes, it is true that when people learn what I do for a living, they expect me to be Superman and such conditions*should never* touch someone who is so knowledgeable about the way the mind functions. My reply to this is that too many "should-isms" are causing the conflicts in the first place.
The only "difference" with me is that I have a formula that as a therapist, I can share with my clients and that formula can lead to liberation from their conditioned responses to various negative subconscious, influences. Personally I have been conditioned by life too just like everyone else.
Some time back during my "darker" days, I wrote a poem about how I was slowly gaining understanding of my condition (I'm no poet, but this one just seemed to come from nowhere). I posted here on mylot sometime ago here - http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1109151.aspx
