Burnout in mental health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental
exhaustion that is induced by states of prolonged and
intense stress. It is a significant occupational problem
among mental health providers and is heightened especially
during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple
psychological and occupational risk factors cause emotional
and mental exhaustion, often leading to burnout. This minireview
aims to synthesize evidence on burnout among
mental health professionals and associated risk factors. A
targeted literature search was carried out from PubMed,
PsychINFO and google scholar to retrieve relevant
literature. A review revealed a high prevalence of burn-out,
ranging from 21 to 67% among mental health professionals.
Long working hours, compassionate fatigue, vicarious
trauma, distress, depersonalization, constant worry related
to personal well-being and those of significant others, and
lack of psychosocial support emerged as associated risk
factors for burnout. Based on the evidence, we propose a
strategic framework to prevent and manage burnout
effectively.