Burnout in Healthcare: How Depersonalization and Dissociation Manifest, and How to Overcome Them
Nov 8, 2024
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In this discussion, Dr. Jessi Gold, a psychiatrist and Chief Wellness Officer at the University of Tennessee System, sheds light on burnout's emotional toll in healthcare. She explains depersonalization as a defense against trauma, leading to emotional numbness and detachment from patients. The conversation touches on alexithymia and its impact on empathy. Dr. Gold shares effective strategies like early intervention and advocating for systemic changes to foster clinician resilience and reconnect with their purpose.
Burnout in healthcare professionals often leads to depersonalization, causing emotional detachment that negatively impacts patient care and clinician well-being.
The stigma surrounding mental health in healthcare creates barriers for professionals seeking help, emphasizing the need for a cultural shift towards prioritizing mental well-being.
Writing serves as a therapeutic outlet for healthcare workers, fostering connection and advocacy to address mental health challenges and promote systemic change.
Deep dives
The Impact of COVID on Mental Health Care
The conversation delves into the psychological toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers, especially mental health professionals. Dr. Jessie Gold reflects on the guilt she felt for not being on the front lines and how this led her to overcompensate by increasing her patient load and outreach efforts. She highlights that many healthcare workers delay seeking help due to stigma and fear of judgment, often waiting until their mental health issues become severe. The discussion underscores the need for a cultural shift in healthcare that prioritizes mental health without stigmatizing those who seek assistance.
The Culture of Presenteeism in Healthcare
Presenteeism, the practice of showing up to work regardless of sickness, is prevalent among healthcare professionals, leading to serious implications for their health and patient care. Physicians often feel a sense of burden if they take time off, fearing that it will impact their colleagues and patients negatively. This culture is compounded by expectations to push through illnesses, even when significant physical and mental health issues arise. Dr. Gold's experiences shed light on how this mentality can lead to longer-term health consequences and lower-quality care for patients.
The Importance of Addressing Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion
Burnout among healthcare professionals is a pressing issue characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of decreased personal accomplishment. Dr. Gold emphasizes how depersonalization can lead to treating patients as objects instead of individuals, causing even empathetic clinicians to disconnect from their work. She candidly shares her own struggles with feeling disconnected during patient interactions, highlighting the importance of addressing emotional well-being to provide effective care. The episode encourages a better understanding of burnout's roots and the importance of seeking support among healthcare professionals.
The Need for Systemic Change in Healthcare
Dr. Gold discusses the systemic issues within healthcare that contribute to increased stress and burnout among professionals. The pressures of delivering care within a broken system often lead to a lack of consideration for the well-being of healthcare providers. She points to the need for organizations to prioritize mental health support and create an environment that allows for both professional success and personal well-being. By recognizing that systemic issues, rather than individual failings, contribute to burnout, the conversation advocates for more humane and supportive healthcare systems.
Writing as a Tool for Healing and Advocacy
Dr. Gold shares her journey of using writing as both a therapeutic outlet and a means of advocacy for mental health in the healthcare field. Through her personal experiences and struggles, she began to write about the challenges faced by health care workers, which eventually led to her book 'How Do You Feel?' She emphasizes the importance of expressing one's story to break down stigma and facilitate healing, not only for oneself but also for others in similar situations. This discussion underlines writing as a powerful tool for reflection, connection, and promoting systemic change within healthcare.
In this episode, we explore the emotional toll of burnout on healthcare professionals with Dr. Jessi Gold, a psychiatrist and Chief Wellness Officer at the University of Tennessee System. Burnout often manifests as depersonalization—a form of emotional detachment that shields clinicians from the relentless trauma they witness. Dr. Gold delves into how this protective mechanism can lead to emotional numbness, distancing healthcare workers from their patients and even themselves.
We discuss the concept of alexithymia, where prolonged detachment causes clinicians to lose touch with their own emotions, making it challenging to process trauma or empathize with patients. Dr. Gold offers practical strategies for overcoming burnout, such as early intervention, therapy, setting emotional boundaries, and advocating for systemic change within healthcare institutions. Tune in to learn how reconnecting with the meaning behind their work can help clinicians rediscover a sense of purpose and resilience in their careers.