Leading medical expert’s state Dental Job Burnout is far more threatening than you might think. Untreated, the combination of stress and job burnout could lead to serious health issues. High blood pressure from job burnout is symptom-less and is a silent killer in women.

Some signs associated dental job burnout:

• Are you experiencing extreme emotional exhaustion and lack energy?
• Are you literally dragging yourself in to work?
• Are you far more impatient and irritable toward people?
• Have you become more cynical and angry?
• Are you finding it more difficult to sleep at night?
• Are you just a little overweight?
• Are you lacking regular physical exercise?
• Are you eating high sodium foods? Do you lack fruits and vegetable in your diet?
• Have drugs and alcohol become your only escape?
• Do you find yourself often replaying thoughts of build-up anger in your head?
• Do you become extremely angry (over-kill) over simple misunderstandings?
• Are you experiencing these signs? Check your blood pressure on a regular basis at home with a blood pressure monitor. Normal readings are around 120/80.
• Unchanged Blood pressure readings 140-159 upper number (systolic) with diastolic readings 90-99 or higher over 6 months, see a physician.
• No insurance? Visit your local CVS pharmacies that have Minute Clinics that are fast and inexpensive.

What are some of the causes that lead to dental job burnout?  

• Lack of control in the workplace; inability to change what’s causing stress.
• Working environment is completely negative; feeling sabotaged by other employees.
• Job expectations are unclear; dental employer impossible to deal with; you feel trapped in the job.
• Lack of support in the workplace or at home; feeling isolated and unheard by spouse, family and friends.
• Imbalance of work and other areas of your life; work depletes your energy and you spend less time doing what brings you joy.
• Mismatch of job and values; dental employer ethics are in direct conflict with your values.
• Overweight and lacking healthy diet choices and regular exercise.

What are the consequences due to stress & dental job burnout?

Ignoring signs associated with stress and job burnout could lead to serious health conditions:

• Insomnia
• Susceptibility to illnesses
• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Depression
• Impact on relationships
• Anxiety
• Alcohol abuse
• High cholesterol

Suggestions on handling Dental Job Burnout:

1. Take an honest assessment of your current situation. If your job is one of the biggest factors, and you feel it is hopeless, consider an alternative dental job. Read our article on Best Source for Finding Dental Jobs
2. Consider stepping in someone else’s shoes. Maybe you need an attitude adjustment if it doesn’t take much for someone to set you off. Be honest with yourself. Are you over-reacting to simple annoyances? see #5)
3. Seek out support: most of all become informed and make your health a priority.
4. Coping Skills; the key to happiness is through self-awareness and change.
5. Stress management; four common types of stress.
6. Buy and use a home blood pressure monitor. Take your blood pressure at different times of the day. Don’t hesitate to see your doctor if you believe you have high blood pressure or other stress-related symptoms.
7. Consider a Stress Diary: write down the biggest stress factors are; do something about them.
8. Acknowledge: undetected, untreated high blood pressure can lead to more serious health issues.
9. Exercise; get 30 minutes a day of physical exercise, but not less than 3 days a week.
10. Diet: cut out high sodium foods; eat more fruits and vegetables.
11. Get some sleep: sleep experts suggest 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If you cannot sleep, try over the counter, non-addictive sleep aids.
12. Life Style Changes: Treat yourself well, with diet, exercise, a healthy mental outlook, support from others.

Job burnout self-test:

Are you curious? Take this Burnout self-test?

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