thelinguist.uberflip.com
APRIL/MAY The Linguist 29
OPINION & COMMENT
called 'burnout' in 1974 by the American
psychologist Herbert Freudenberger,
who defined it as "a state of mental and
physical exhaustion caused by one's
professional life". It is very likely to occur
George Dimitrov is Chair of the
Interpreters' Voice magazine
committee and a member of the
British Psychological Society.
TL
among people involved in social jobs,
including teachers, police officers, lawyers,
medical staff and interpreters. Because
their focus is on person-to-person interaction,
their personal values and qualities, as
well as their mental state at work, are of
great significance.
Other typical symptoms include weariness
and weakening of the immune system,
sleep disturbance and insomnia, hyperactivity
and impulsiveness, concentration and
attention issues, constant fatigue, headache,
body pain, muscle tension, stomach
problems, rapid heartbeat, feeling drained,
loss of appetite, anxiety, depression,
cynicism and substance misuse (such as
alcohol and nicotine).
Burnout is considered to be a medical
diagnosis in some European countries,
including Sweden and the Netherlands,
similar to general stress but with a work-
related scope. It is included in the official
therapeutic manuals and there are health
professionals trained to recognise, observe
and apply appropriate treatments, including
consultant methods and approaches.
A widespread concern
More than half (51%) of full-time employees
in Britain have experienced anxiety or
burnout in their current job, according to a
YouGov survey commissioned by Virgin in
2015.
1
According to Psychology Today,
"Burnout is not a simple result of long
hours. The cynicism, depression, and
lethargy of burnout can occur when you're
not in control of how you carry out your
job, when you're working toward goals
that don't resonate with you, and when you
lack social support. If you don't tailor your
responsibilities to match your true calling,
or at least take a break once in a while, you
could face a mountain of mental and physical
health problems."
2
There are many mental states similar to
burnout, so anyone suffering from symptoms
such as these should meet with a
professional to discuss the situation. A
well-prepared consultant or psychotherapist
can advise whether or not a course of a
professional treatment could be helpful,
but it is important that all elements are
taken into consideration: when we started
feeling like this; whether it is a constant state
or something that comes and goes; what
kind of social support we have; what we do
to relax.
For interpreters who are working outside
their native country, our home culture can be
important here, as a lack of understanding
of the native culture on the part of the
mental health professional can impede a
proper diagnosis – something that we may
recognise in the course of our work but
can often forget when we become the
patient/client ourselves.
A key element to help us avoid burnout
is maintaining good relationships and
communication with our colleagues. The
support of colleagues can also enable us to
identify burnout when it does happen and
seek help.
To discuss these issues confidentially
or support further research in this area,
contact info@healthspirit.co or visit
www.healthspirit.co.
Notes
1 See www.virgin.com/disruptors/over-half-uk
-workers-have-experienced-burnout-their-job
2 www.psychologytoday.com/basics/burnout
[Websites checked 16/3/18]
Burnout is considered
to be a medical
diagnosis in some
European countries,
including Sweden
A heavy workload
with long hours
can make it difficult
to realise when
something is wrong
© SHUTTERSTOCK
