The Stigma of Burnout and Help Seeking

     Ahad et al.'s article (2023) suggests that negative stereotypes and discrimination significantly hinder people who seek help for mental health concerns, especially in the cultural context. People who suffer from mental health concerns often feel devalued and discriminated against, leading to increased symptoms and decreased functionality; the fear of being stigmatized also leads to more loss to follow-up. The mental health concerns can be internalized. Ahad et al.'s article (2023) also lists how different cultures interpret mental health concerns and stigmatize mental health concerns.
    To be honest, I am irritated by how many people use mental health concerns as a personal PR strategy. Faking mental health is not fun; it can jeopardize the people who need help. For example, Tiktokers often fake DID because they believe it is dramatic enough, but in reality, different "alters" seldom talk with each other but can potentially feel the other "alter." Other than a common cold or a physical disease where there are signs in addition to symptoms that can be identified objectively, using mental health concerns as an "excuse" will be scrutinized more and judged. For people willing to provide help, when they are fed up with fake cases, they will think again before providing help to those who are struggling with diagnosed mental health.
    I can understand why some people choose to self-diagnose instead of seeking professional help. Even in Canada, when I try to find a resource that focuses on a broader population for a client, I can barely find anything. The only way I can think of is to walk the client to a hospital and let the client take a Form 45. Seeking formal mental health support can be challenging, especially in some social norms (especially in East Asia), seeking mental health support, especially for cis-males, can be highly challenging. From my personal experience, the East Asian community heavily emphasizes the value of the patriarch and the fame of the family (Yang & Kleinman, 2008), which means the leading male must be strong and tough and shall not show a sign of weakness. Similarly, getting diagnosed by a psychiatrist can be considered a label that can be challenging to overcome (Thoits, 2020). Hiding the label and not asking for recommendations seems to be the only option in the workplace. On the one hand, seeking help and accommodation can potentially damage your job; on the other hand, without any sense of achievement or the feeling of being relied on and valued, pre-existing mental health concerns can be exaggerated.
Similar to other mental health concerns, Burnout, as a mental health concern introduced in the ICD-11, highlights the importance of acknowledging the impact of prolonged stress and emotional exhaustion in both personal and professional contexts. As a newly listed disease, relatively little research has been done, not to mention the awareness of such mental health concerns in the field.
    I do realize that there are potential objections that some people claim that the younger generation cannot take the burden anymore. Considering how different generations interpret their motivation, the younger generation prefers money and personal stimulation more than the older generation; Gen Z also focuses more on relating and development (Stiglbauer et al., 2022). These differences make the younger generation less likely to gain satisfaction at work. Doing a monotonous job, like the food service industry, can quickly drain the younger generations' empathy. There is a general notion that "I am only doing this for money." My personal opinion is that the younger generation does not believe that serving food every day can make them the manager of the restaurant eventually. The younger generation often does not have faith in their development path up the company as well, and the enthusiasm often goes quickly after one year or less. Considering how some big companies like Amazon are so anti-union and do not really care about the employees' welfare but about making money and how to satisfy and entertain customers, the younger generation honestly can care about nothing but money. When we cross the younger generation and mental health, some people may consider them lazy and incompetent workers. The misunderstanding and generation gap, as well as the new concept of "burnout," make it difficult for the younger generation to get help and get understood. However, I do realize that the younger generations find ways to maintain their income during the period when they need a break. Remote jobs change the fact that people have to sit in a slot to earn money. Pokojski et al.'s article (2022) discussed the fact that employers perceive remote jobs heavily based on their attitude and they need more effort to evaluate employee performance, as well as their workplace culture. Different people, especially some seniors, may perceive the remote job differently, and the perceived support can be various.
    I want to emphasize the fact that men often receive less support, but to be honest, seeking help is crucial. Without proper help, men can become either broken beyond repair or become monsters. When I was young, I saw how my father got drunk and returned home irritated. To be honest, when I was young, I thought my father was a bad person; however, I realized what my fathers had taken and how little support my father got. The refusal of support for men is a common thing due to masculinity issues and expectations (Berke et al., 2012). Still, the worst part is how they release their stress in a not inappropriate way and how they gradually change that into a standard or even acceptable social norm, like alcoholism or even domestic violence. This cycle of silence and stigma surrounding men's mental health needs to be broken, and men deserve some safe environments to talk about their struggles without struggle. The community should foster open dialogues that challenge these harmful norms and provide resources that promote healthier coping mechanisms. Seeking some community support like "men's groups" can help with this situation.

    What self-care strategies do you want to share with others? 

Not all truth needs to be shared, but all the truth needs to be acknowledged. It's also OK to just rant in the comment, as long as no real name and address is mentioned. Be sure to not judge others when you try to reply to others. "Not to judge" means:

• No dismissing or belittling opinions.
• No making assumptions about intention.
• No condescending language.
• No giving unsolicited criticism and suggestions.
• No mocking or sarcasm at someone's expense.
• No labelling or stereotyping.
• No "misery competition" or "pain Olympics."

Hope you folks to have a nice day ! 

Get Help Here

• United States: 988
• Canada: Please call 1-833-456-4566 toll free, 24/7 or visit www.crisisservicescanada.ca.  
• Hong Kong：撒瑪利亞防止自殺會熱線︰2389 2222
• Macau：明愛生命熱線：28525222（中文）／2852 5777（外語）
• Taiwan：自殺防治守護者-安心專線：0800-788-995
• China：希望24熱線：4001619995