Already being freshmen, students often feel disappointed and exhausted. Such emotional burnout can cause a lot of circumstances: an abundance of tasks, a new team, “wrong” subjects, and even comments from classmates on social networks. Not everyone can cope with their own harsh reactions to these situations.

As a result, by the senior years, such students master their specialty worse, and some of them are completely eliminated. Freshmen need to be helped to integrate into university life. Studying their psychological characteristics will help prevent emotional exhaustion.

There are also such dangerous burnout consequences as alcohol or drug addiction. It happens when a student does not know how to cope with stress and tries different (sometimes not right) methods. Unfortunately, in such cases, a student has one more problem to solve: looking for either a very expensive rehabilitation program or rehab without insurance. 

From a burnout student to a bad professional

Emotional burnout manifests itself in a feeling of confusion, emptiness, and powerlessness. The previous goals and values already disappointed a student, new ones have not yet appeared. In such a state, it is difficult to study and work, to become a specialist in your field. It can also lead to professional burnout when a person loses interest in their specialty.

The risk group is primarily doctors, teachers, social workers, psychologists, and managers. Representatives of these social professions work with people and their problems, which takes a lot of mental strength. Research on burnout actually began with the well-being of social workers. The American psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger, after observing volunteers, first described the emotional burnout syndrome in the 1970s. He discovered that his patients also had a professional crisis.

Doctors, teachers, psychologists have the same nervous work. The oppression of other people's problems wears them out. Representatives of these specialties need a margin of emotional strength, stress resistance. If they do not have it, a person may burn out already at the stage of the study. This often happens among students of social specialties due to the intense experience of someone else's negativity.

Burnout can also lead to such bad habits as alcohol or drug abuse. In such cases, a student has more problems: at least, they have to think of how to get into rehab without insurance.

Causes of emotional burnout

In adults, burnout can be triggered by strenuous and unloved work, conflicts with loved ones, self-disappointment, an ambitious desire to succeed in everything, etc. More often, maximalists and perfectionists burn out - because of their own approach to business.

Students have specific reasons for burnout. Among them, there are a large study load (including online courses and projects) and a very wide range of interactions (with teachers, fellow students, etc.). There is also such a risk as an excess of communication in social networks, including for educational purposes. A student is constantly in the spotlight, sees comments about their actions. This also increases the tension.

How not to burn out 

The stress of school can be relieved in a number of ways, such as through psychological training. You need to learn how to regulate your own state of mind. It is useful for alternate activities - in addition to classes, there should be interesting hobbies.

What helps students fight emotional deficits:

• support of teachers. Their emotional resilience is good for students as well;
• participation in scientific research, that is, active inclusion in the "academic context." It helps students feel needed, feel a taste of science, and the benefits of teamwork;
• additional social activity, for example, participation in student life (it also helps young people to understand their importance);
• the cohesion of the student group, a sense of fellowship;
• no insurance drug rehab (in a case a student already has difficult consequences).

How burnout develops

The first and last years were decisive for the well-being of students, the researcher found out. In the first year, half of the students show no signs of burnout (they are calm and open). At the same time, about a third have the first symptoms of this anxiety condition. In the second year, it grows - the situation is getting worse. In the third year, the feelings of the students stabilize. Some students get rid of emotional burnout, and some develop a negative state.

There are three phases of emotional burnout:

Voltage. People experience traumatic circumstances, they are dissatisfied with themselves, driven into a cage, alarmed.

Resistance. There is emotional and moral disorientation, it is difficult for a person to fulfill professional duties.

Exhaustion. Emotional deficits develop and health problems arise.

Remember, burnout does not depend on the areas of training and educational opportunities of students. Both college and university students can be in a risk group.