Last weekend I had the privilege to attend a seminar about Burn Out and how it so commonly affects healthcare professionals.
Burn out consists of three components:
1. Negativity and cynism
2. Decreased efficacy.
3. Depression and/or emotional exhaustion
This is a medical Diagnosis now and doctors
are learning how to handle it. I also feel that this is a taboo topic that many prefer not to talk about because as dentists we are supposed to be superhumans and the fix it person. We are naturally a type A personality and extra critical on ourselves. We tend to take on too much on ourselves and frankly speaking very rarely ask for help. I can speak on my own behalf that I can do a million things in one day and at the end of the day feel that I did nothing. I can pour out love to my patients, make sure my daughter is taken care of, help my staff with duties that is theirs to begin with and try my best to be there for my husband and yet I can feel that I haven’t done enough.
.
I once asked my assistant if she ever feels regardless of how much she does in a day that she’s not enough or hasn’t done enough and she gave me a puzzled look and said No. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, a mom, a wife; know that it could happen to you.
Remember reaching out and asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength..
There are resources for dentist and dental staff to reach out to. If you’re naturally an introvert, and used to saying yes to everyone and conscientious you are more prone to experience burn out.
Please reach out for guidance. You can even reach out to me and I can help you towards the right direction
