r/sysadmin is one of my favorite places to hang out, not only to keep up with what’s happening out there in the industry but also to learn a lot of perspectives outside or inside of the IT world, such as the types or levels of burnout like this, along with many awesome comments by my IT fellows.
=== Common and easy to escape ===
- The Compulsion to Prove Oneself: demonstrating worth obsessively; tends to hit the best employees, those with enthusiasm who accept responsibility readily.
- Working Harder: an inability to switch off.
== Recovery alone becomes difficult ===
3) Neglecting Needs: erratic sleeping, eating disrupted, lack of social interaction.
4) Displacement of Conflicts: problems are dismissed; we may feel threatened, panicky, and jittery.
=== Easy recovery with the help of another ===
5) Revision of Values: Values are skewed, friends and family dismissed, hobbies seen as irrelevant. Work is the only focus.
6) Denial of Emerging Problems: intolerance; perceiving collaborators as stupid, lazy, demanding, or undisciplined; social contacts harder; cynicism, aggression; problems are viewed as caused by time pressure and work, not because of life changes.
=== Recovery with the help of another becomes hard ===
7) Withdrawal: social life small or nonexistent, need to feel relief from stress, alcohol/drugs.
8) Odd Behavioral Changes: changes in behavior obvious; friends and family concerned.
=== Easy medical intervention still possible ===
9) Depersonalization: seeing neither self nor others as valuable, and no longer perceive own needs.
10) Inner Emptiness: feeling empty inside and turning to activities such as overeating, sex, alcohol, or drugs to overcome this.
=== Serious medical help needed to recover ==
11) Depression: feeling lost and unsure, exhausted, future feels bleak and dark.
12) Burnout Syndrome: can include total mental and physical collapse
=== Recovery no longer possible ===
13) Death
Please be kinder to yourself and get the help you need before it is too late.
IT is a fun career if you are into computers but it could also be ruthless, easily get burned out. Be mindful, and don’t be trapped in the rabbit hole. Get a hobby that is not computer related and enjoy your life, not just your work but your own life.
I know what it’s like, I got to 11 and then fundamentally changed my view.
Unfortunately, you don’t get any help at the beginning, only at the end.
It was hard but I learned a lot about myself.
(-:
So sorry to hear that, Ralf, but I am glad you were able to put it behind. Life is much bigger than IT. 🙂