New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) Amid reports of the death of a young CA in Pune due to work pressure, experts on Thursday said fatigue, insomnia and frequent illness are early signs of burnout and exhaustion due to workplace stress and should be monitored and help should be sought.
Anna Sebastian Perayil (26) died due to excessive work pressure, the deceased’s mother Anita Augustine has claimed this in a letter to chairman Rajiv Memani.
The letter said that Perayil worked at the accounting firm for four months. However, no one from the office was present even during his funeral.
Earlier this year, Satish Nandgaonkar, a senior Mumbai-based journalist working for Hindustan Times, died of a heart attack. Before he died of a heart attack, he was insulted in the office.
In another case, Saurabh Kumar Laddha, 25, who worked with McKinsey & Company, committed suicide by jumping from the ninth floor of his building in Mumbai, reportedly unable to cope with the work pressure.
Many more names may be included in this list.
Dr Suchismita Rajamanya, Lead Consultant and HOD, Internal Medicine, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru, told IANS that almost every week, “around 6 to 10 patients complain of stress and exhaustion.
“Symptoms of burnout and exhaustion can be obvious, and physically these symptoms can include chronic fatigue, insomnia, as well as frequent illness,” Rajamanya said.
The expert said that stress can also manifest as irritability, emotional exhaustion, decreased motivation to maintain one’s appearance, reduced reluctance to perform at work. Individuals may also struggle with concentration and memory problems.
“The important thing here is to prevent yourself from ‘getting to that point’ and so when someone does, recognise the need for help,” Rajamanya said.
A recent report by workplace assessment and accreditation organisation Great Place to Work India revealed that one in every four employees finds it difficult to talk about mental health issues such as stress, burnout, anxiety or depression at the workplace.
Burnout has become a significant concern. 56 percent of employees are affected by it. Studies have also shown the negative health effects of stress at the workplace.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that job stress can significantly increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Counselling psychologist and founder Divya Mohindroo told IANS that it is important to think more practically rather than emotionally and find a balance between your emotions and practical life.
He suggested some measures that one can take to reduce the impact of stress in one’s life.
Keep yourself well hydrated throughout the day, eat nutritious food and exercise for 45 minutes. This will make you feel happy and good, said Mohindroo.
–IANS
DKM/CBT
