Being burnt out(Ref: SvD) is a terrible thing to happen to somebody. I have experience of seeing close friends go through this and it has had profound effects on them and their families.
One of my friends was off sick for about 2 months and luckily they were able to pull out of the downward spiral of depression which so often follows those who are burnt out. They were able to change jobs and get themselves back on their feet.
They were lucky...And even so they still have symptoms such as memory problems, low stress tolerance and anxiety.
What we really need to do is tackle the work environments which give rise to this condition in the first place. Poor working conditions, poor management and support, setting people unrealistic goals and then not giving them the tools needed to achieve them all add to the problem. This is the key to having less people off work due to being burnt out, not ingoring their symptoms and sending them back.
Being burnt out is not like catching a cold, it is like being hit by a car. It's not something you catch it is something which is done to you.
The fact that my friend was able to take those weeks off allowed them to recover. Taking this away will just drive more people into the ground and hide what is becoming a real social problem.
A sign of life
6 months ago
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