Burnout

[applesoranges]

Is burnout really a mental health issue?
Loss of loyalty, disappointment - can it really be helped by shrinks? So you had a certain image of what your job was going to be like. That image might have been created by your own delusions, fiction like movies or books, recruiters, educational institutions. You came to do something good and after several years you finally came to a conclusion that your idea of 'good' is yours only, everyone else appears to be here for the money, pride and ranks, or just waiting to retire.
Trying to work with a psychologist, as they are urge us, would require a hell of a lot of reframing, I'm telling you. Regardless of the proportion our own fault in creating career-related delusions I don't think this is in any shape or form a sizeable task to tackle with a mental health worker...
Loss of loyalty is a cognitive process, disappointment and bitterness are related to experience and praxis. The only way I see therapy could help is by assisting the client to adopt the mindset that would facilitate transition to the one who is here for money, pride and ranks, or just waiting to retire...
Are there any success stories for burnout that did not involve VR, switching to reserve force, switching jobs?

 

[Furniture]

What you're describing sounds more like disillusionment than burnout to me. That said, I'm not a mental health professional.

 

[Quirky]

Are there any success stories for burnout that did not involve VR, switching to reserve force, switching jobs?

I was "burnt out" for the first time in my career last summer. Tones of stuff was going on at work, most of which you mentioned in your original post, and had a couple of deaths in the family in the same month. Went to local MIR and got some time off to clear my head. Those two weeks away from work was all I needed, I was probably good after 4-5 days. It all depends on the situation and a persons mental resiliency to the issue.

 

[applesoranges]

What you're describing sounds more like disillusionment than burnout to me. That said, I'm not a mental health professional.

Hmm, true, but the ability to cope with stress at work is highly dependent on the ability to see the purpose and just the reasons for embracing the suck.
Just a prospective recruit here, trying to make sense of all the forum/reddit posts with personal stories...

I was "burnt out" for the first time in my career last summer.

Thanks for sharing! Maybe the change of perspective that came with the temporary removal of stressor was able to help...

 

[Furniture]

Hmm, true, but the ability to cope with stress at work is highly dependent on the ability to see the purpose and just the reasons for embracing the suck.
Just a prospective recruit here, trying to make sense of all the forum/reddit posts with personal stories...

Thanks for sharing! Maybe the change of perspective that came with the temporary removal of stressor was able to help...

Take all reddit and forum gripes with a heap of salt. People with complaints are always the loudest. The people I see whine the loudest about the CAF in my personal social media feed tend to be the kind that are useless(so always in trouble), or don't get along with anyone. I've seen lots of Corporals who think they can solve all the CAFs problems, but can figure out how to get promoted even once on merit.

There are issues in the CAF, but it can be a rewarding career if you choose to make the most of it.

 

[Navy_Pete]

I think burnout will have physical and mental impacts from my own experience, so would maybe just call it a health issue. Time away and rest helped me, as did some self-driven CBT/mindfulness exercises. I know some people had much better luck than I did with getting support from CAF MH workers, but like anywhere some people are just bad at their job, so maybe should have just asked for a referral to someone else.

You can embrace the suck and still get burnt out if it goes on for a long period of time if you drive yourself too hard, and suspect the longer it goes on the longer it will take to recover, but probably something that varies completely by individual circumstances.

Not just a CAF issue though, happens to everyone. Our health support has it's downsides, but at least I can see a doctor tomorrow if I need to. Referral to an actual MH professional can take a while, as everyone is shorthanded.

 

[Underway]

Burn out is when you no longer have the energy to deal with the day to day stressors of your job. You might still love your job, you just can't deal with it at the present time. Lots of time it isn't caused by work but by your own personal stuff going on.

Cures vary from finding a new job or a position with the old job. Taking time off to changing up your daily routine (say with some PT or dietary changes). It varies for everyone. Some need counseling or perhaps just a good long drink at the mess with some friends to cry on their shoulder.