Many people have a hard time seeking counseling because of the stigma attached to getting psychological help. They imagine their prestige or their job will be at stake if they seek treatment and fear jeopardizing future assignments. They are actually afraid of being stigmatized and maybe of losing face.
These people are locked in by the fact that they are generally looked upon as the authorities, the ones in charge. They have the ultimate knowledge, position or control and can’t be perceived as faltering. This seems to be especially true for men who fear that asking for support would be interpreted as a shameful weakness, while in fact, it is wisdom. But, we should remember that no one is perfect.
Furthermore, others ignore counseling because feeling bad feels right and they can’t imagine that it can be different. Those who experience, witness or work with mental illness, rarely have the opportunity to unload psychologically. They then run the risk of stress-induced symptoms or PTSD. (post traumatic stress disorder)
The effect of witnessing people in psychosis can be cumulative. Others exposed to and affected by first and secondhand trauma may eventually experience burnout if they don’t use processes that help them release their stress. Therefore, it is necessary to break the taboo and overcome the stigma connected to the effects of getting help of any kind.
We all have to watch out for burnout signs in ourselves and in those near and dear to us. These are some of the physical signs you may notice:
- Overeating or loss of appetite.
- Loss of sexual desire.
- Sleep disorders.
- Inability to focus.
- Turning to ineffective coping strategies like alcohol or drugs.
- Their belief that the world is a bad place.
- Loss of interest in hobbies or loss of creativity.
- Signs of becoming cynical about humanity as a result of too much exposure to human cruelty and some people’s indifference to human suffering.
- Denying that they have been affected by tragedies witnessed.
- Experiencing delayed reactions which might be triggered by insignificant incidents.
Any kind of shock or bereavement is a normal part of life and most of us have bodies and minds that cope with it naturally. Most of the time, we heal on our own, but if it is too overwhelming and the energy remains stuck in our systems, we develop traumatic symptoms. When tragedy strikes, people struggle with emotions that trouble them for months after the catastrophe.