In:
International Journal of Person Centered Medicine, University of Buckingham Press, Vol. 9, No. 1 ( 2021-04-01)
Abstract:
Background: Sociology is concerned with the rules existing in a society for organising itself within a behavioral context, including the interpretative paradigms that members of the society use to define their rules. Accordingly, social phenomena are both “social facts” that need to be explained as well as components of the “world as constituted by meaning” that requires both understanding and interpretation. This also applies to burnout, whereby sociology can provide various different perspectives. Method: This article considers burnout from a sociological perspective. Results: Stress theories outline theoretical conditions that contribute to an increased likelihood of burnout. Analyses of the individual’s life course and interactions enable us to see how biographically, in everyday interactions as well as in institutional contexts, individuals under stress can evolve into “people with burnout.” These perspectives allow for the social function of talking about burnout and the phenomenon itself. In this vein, co-creation and self-organization of work processes, conceived initially as emancipatory, are generalized and revert to a demand on people in the sense of marketing themselves in everyday life as an entrepreneurial project in competition with other citizens. This permanent selforganization leads to chronic overload. The result is a social mood that can be characterized by the term “exhausted self” and can be understood as an expression of the crisis of developed capitalism. Discussion: From a sociological perspective, burnout is less a question of individual pathology than a challenging social configuration that may contribute toward a focus on resource-saving and sustainability; this includes a concrete utopian moment, a claim to self-realization in meaningful work, which should be taken up socially. This realization is controversial and requires social negotiation. Conclusion: Burnout is increasingly becoming an issue addressed by doctors, despite recognizing it having been taboo for a long time now. To counteract burnout, group work within circles so-called quality, interdisciplinary professional teams can strengthen the sense of coherence, support processes of empowerment, and professional development.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2043-7749
,
2043-7730
DOI:
10.5750/ijpcm.v9i1.962
Language:
Unknown
Publisher:
University of Buckingham Press
Publication Date:
2021
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