I work in the Mental Health Industry and it is Friday! Need I say more…

It has been quite a stressful week and I was happy to find this delightful page that gave a humorous take on the Top 10 Signs of Burnout for Psychologists and Mental Health Workers.

On a more serious note, caregiver and clinician burnout is underrecognized and underdiscussed! In some circles, especially in the healthcare arena, it is almost taboo to even mention that you may be approaching the end of your “care rope”. Prolonged periods of giving of yourself can be exhausting and can leave one feeling empty and resentful.

I think a healthier way to look at burnout is to accept it and not negatively judge people because they find themselves in that spot. I recently posted a good post on clinician burnout on the company blog written by Dr. Richard G. Petty.

It is important to always remember that people who are burned out don’t do their best job. While I agree that healthcare workers should take special precautions to make sure they keep burnout at bay, I also believe that the healthcare industry also has a responsiblity to their workers. Utlimately it is the patient’s lives and health that hang in the balance.

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