Everybody is vulnerable to burnout. But, burnout is more likely to affect individuals that have controlling and perfectionist tendencies if they work in stressful environments. However, some professionals use the adrenaline and stress that is associated with burnout positively. On the other hand, adrenaline and stress cause physical and mental exhaustion in some people. This is what is known as burnout.
Essentially, burnout can be defined as physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that is caused by prolonged and excessive stress. In most cases, burnout occurs when a person feels emotionally drained, overwhelmed, and incapable of meeting constant demands. Unfortunately, stress and burnout can lead to substance abuse and addiction if not addressed properly.
Common Signs of Executive Burnout
When attending specialized online NA meetings, some people highlight certain signs of stress and burnout that prompted them to start abusing addictive substances. These meetings bring together individuals that are trying to recover from drug addiction. They provide the support that recovering addicts need to know that they are not the only ones battling addiction.
Common signs of professional burnout include:
- Lack of or low energy levels
- Impatience or irritability at the workplace
- Anxiety or depression
- Racing brain and insomnia
- Under-eating or over-eating
- Physical symptoms like regular colds, headaches, and indigestion
- Depending on drugs or alcohol to remain active
How Burnout Lead to Drug Addiction
Many people attending the online NA meetings USA recovering addicts depend on for support say that their addiction originated from the use of drugs to self-medicate for executive burnout. Essentially, many people are under to perform at their workplaces. They are under constant stress to excel in their careers. As such, they may end up overwhelmed by the pressure put on them by their bosses, friends, and loved ones. This can lead to stress and executive burnout. Consequently, they end up self-medicating for stress and executive burnout using alcohol or drugs.
Unfortunately, the addictive nature of alcohol and drugs prompts them to keep increasing their dosage. Before most individuals know it, they have graduated from self-medicating to addiction. That means they will need alcohol or drugs to function at their workplaces.
As the addiction worsens, the ability of these individuals to function at their workplaces and meet responsibilities is affected negatively. This leads to more executive burnout and stress. Since there is a correlation between executive burnout and stress, their treatment should be concurrent. That’s the only way full recovery and healing can occur.
Self-Medicating with Drugs or Alcohol
Research has shown that continued use of addictive substances and alcohol to self-medicate can lead to workplace injuries, decreased productivity, missed work, liability, higher health costs, and social harm. Therefore, organizations should assist employees to get help due to the extensive risks that this problem poses to institutions and individuals.
Nevertheless, some individuals continue to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol when faced with executive burnout and stress. Essentially, they use drugs and alcohol to deal with the symptoms of executive burnout and stress. The drugs that these individuals use enhance alertness and performance at work. Alcohol, on the other hand, helps them sleep or relax while a drug like benzodiazepines can be used to calm anxiety.
In most cases, an employee can drink alcohol in the evening. They use it to unwind after a long, tiring day at work. Unfortunately, an individual can become dependent on alcohol. Since alcohol is addictive, an individual will eventually be unable to relax or deal with some business and social situations without drinking. Thus, they may end up drinking more often than when they started. For instance, an individual may end up drinking before business meetings or during lunch. And, that’s what leads to alcoholism.
Cocaine is a common drug that some professionals use to self-medicate for executive burnout and stress. Many individuals also admit to using this drug to self-medicate when attending the meetings of NA support groups online. Cocaine works by increasing energy and mental alertness temporarily. However, this drug is highly addictive. Thus, a person ends up requiring increased amounts of the drug to realize the desired results.
If a person self-medicates with cocaine for a long time, their concentration will decrease. They will also experience decreased memory. Decision-making and judgment abilities are also affected by long-term abuse of cocaine.
Stress, Burnout, and Treatment for Addiction
Some individuals use drugs to self-medicate for executive burnout and stress for years. That’s because a cocaine user can be a functioning addict for even more than ten years. However, this drug ends up causing risky decision-making, reckless gambling with organizational assets, and dysfunctional judgment. That’s why individuals should seek professional help once they experience executive burnout and stress.
Some recovering addicts say that 24 hour NA chat rooms online discussions can enhance the recovery process. However, professional treatment is required to beat addiction. Alcohol and drugs alter brain chemistry when used excessively and/or extensively. As such, treatment is required to heal the damage caused by the use of alcohol or drugs to self-medicate.
The senior management of an organization or company can help an individual find an ideal rehabilitation program. Research has shown that detecting alcoholism or drug addiction early and undergoing intensive treatment can prevent the development of mental health disorders. That means it can rescue an individual whose life would be ruined by the substance abuse problem. It can also save the organization money and the skills possessed by addicted employees.
If executive burnout and stress cause addiction, senior management should find an ideal rehabilitation or treatment program as quickly as possible. Some companies, families, and societies have invested in skilled and highly trained employees. Ensuring that addiction is detected early and intensive treatment provided can rescue such individuals. It can also save the company from losses that can arise from reduced productivity, treatment for workplace injuries, and missed workdays.
Several rehab facilities provide treatment for addictions that are associated with executive burnout and stress, as well as, co-occurring disorders like anxiety and depression. What’s more, such facilities can provide the connections that individuals need to enjoy the full benefits of NA meetings during their recovery journey.