Workers in Mexico Suffering from Burnout Syndrome Emir Olivares Alonso - La Jornada
go to original August 2, 2014

Moments after sunrise, the hustle and bustle of the city can be heard on the streets, and the sunlight begins to disperse the shadows. The alarm clock rings one, two, three, many times, and there is no way to get up. Exhaustion wins over will, eyelids grow heavy, and the bed feels like an inescapable prison.

Millions of people in the world could be the protagonist in this scene, which generally should not be seen as laziness, but rather, a condition known as Burnout syndrome. This condition causes chronic accumulated stress, a result of being subjected to long work hours, constant pressure, inflexible schedules, unfavorable working conditions, very long commute distances, and short vacation periods, among other circumstances.

This illness, also known [in Spanish] as el quemado, is considered a public health problem in Mexico. It is estimated to affect over 40% of workers.

Specialists note that Burnout syndrome has three components: physical and emotional exhaustion (chronic fatigue caused by excess work or by constantly thinking about work), depersonalization (treating clients or colleagues with distrust or indifference), and personal dissatisfaction (feelings of unfulfillment and frustration).

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Translated by: Patricia Mitchell

Photo: Behance

Mexico Voices is a blogging endeavor aimed at raising the awareness of U.S. citizens regarding the destructive impact of the U.S. economic policy and the War on Drugs on Mexico — on its people, their economic and physical security and their human rights, on the nation’s dysfunctional justice system, and on the rule of law and Mexico’s fragile democracy. Visit the website at MexicoVoices.blogspot.mx.

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