The Burnout Paradox
Publisher: Houtekiet
The History of an Elusive Societal Disease
A critical insight of the scientific and historical views on burnouts
Some say burnouts do not exist, others state that burnouts are an epidemic in Western societies. There is some truth in both views. Medically speaking, there are no indicators that make burnout a disease, yet many people nowadays experience real exhaustion. The phenomenon points to a social problem. Experts and therapists work with contradictory descriptions and treatments. The rise of burnout can indeed partly be explained by its vagueness: the concept applies to more and more situations. That makes it even more difficult for healthcare providers, because there is not one workable description. How do we get a grip on this elusive phenomenon?
The Burnout Paradox sharpens our view on contemporary burnout precisely by mapping its forgotten past. Learning how the concept originated helps in comprehending how it has grown into a social issue of epidemic proportions and in understanding our society – and, by extension, ourselves.
