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There is growing evidence to show that mental health professionals by the nature of their work are particularly vulnerable to stress with all its detrimental effects on service delivery and quality of care. This comes at a time when mental health services in many countries are under considerable strain. The present paper examines the multifaceted stressors encountered by the mental health team and recommends possible ways of reducing burnout through innovative intervention strategies. The detection of emotional distress and psychological dysfunctioning in mental health providers is outlined and their management carefully considered.
Stress can be defined as a condition in which there is a marked perceived discrepancy between demands on an individual and the individual's ability to respond, the consequences of which may be detrimental to future conditions essential for biopyschosocial equilibrium and general well-being. The individual's response to the stressful situation is dependent on a variety of factors including the extent of the demand, their own personal characteristics and coping resources, their personal or environmental restrictions with regard to the situation and the encouragement and support received from others. Recently there has been more attention focused on stress in health professionals, including mental health specialists, since the delivery of mental health services can have various negative effects on its providers (Corrigan, 1993; Moore & Cooper, 1996; Rees & Cooper, 1992). The interpersonal contact is often emotionally charged with feelings of tension, anxiety, hopelessness, embarrassment, fear and sometimes even hostility. This source of chronic emotional stress can lead to burnout and ultimately affect the overall quality of mental health care.
The burnout syndrome is a set of symptoms leading to a debilitating psychological condition commonly associated with chronic stress and is a syndrome comprising emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). It represents the outcome of a prolonged process of attempting to cope with demanding stressors. The depersonalization aspect of burnout involves the development of negative and callous attitudes about the people one works with, while reduced personal accomplishments involves perceived low expectations and negative self-worth. Emotional exhaustion refers to the depletion of personal resources. Burnout has been related consistently and negatively to health, work performance, job satisfaction, quality of life and psychological well-being. Further consequences of ongoing work-related...