Advocate Burnout
By: Matt Fitzsimmons
It is widely accepted that vocational burnout happens every day, and people in all walks of life will experience some degree of vocational burnout. However, the condition can be far more chronic and come at a much higher personal or organizational cost than the need to simply take a long weekend or consider a change in career path. Burnout as a function of the human body is understood to be a feeling of chronic, cynical exhaustion, brought on by a period of prolonged, unresolved stress (Cox, 2011). The study of human stress patterns has used the term burnout to describe the effects of a sustained period of heightened fight-or-flight response that eventually gives way to deep exhaustion (Cox, 2011). Caregiving occupations are particularly susceptible to experiencing chronic burnout due to the repetitive and stressful nature of their work, such as that of an ER nurse or a stay-at-home parent (Hert, 2020).
Social justice workers, human rights advocates, and political activists are also at a heightened risk of burnout (Chen, 2015). These vocations are all prized for sharing cultures of selflessness and high emotional investment in idealistic values (Maslach & Gomes, 2006). They are also somewhat known for their undercurrent of overwork, near constant exposure to systemic injustice and traumatic events, and a culture of discouraging self-care as ‘indulgent’ (Chen, 2015).
Dr. Laurence Cox, a well-known sociologist and researcher of social movements, presents a model of advocate burnout which suggests there are individual, organizational, and cultural factors bringing about negative outcomes associated with burnout. From a cultural perspective, activists and advocates may feel a sense of social isolation or oppression since their work is divisive by its nature. Working in a professional setting also means engaging in the very systems of power advocates may have set out to change, which has been cited as causing internal personal conflict (Cox, 2011). On an organizational level, unrealistic expectations, lack of personal recognition or measurable benchmarks for success, and poor conflict resolution can all result in burnout (Chen, 2015). Many advocates begin their work because of unresolved personal trauma or because of a particular sensitivity to the issue being addressed (Chen, 2015). Advocacy work has a deep personal meaning or connection to those who build careers out of it, sometimes because they or someone they knew was personally affected by the issue being addressed. This type of connection can be a source of motivation and focus for some, but for others, it can create unnecessary job pressure and anxiety and even be traumatic. Burnout can be the result of a lack of rest and poor work/life boundary building, which can coalesce into negative impacts on mental health.
In the political advocacy and activism circles, burnout often leads to people changing direction in life, which has been found to generally have a negative impact on many well-intentioned advocacy organizations. Some organizations fall apart completely after certain key individuals leave, as was the fate of many of the advocacy groups that formed in the 1960s (Chen, 2015). From an organizational standpoint, burnout can lead to valuable insights and mentorship opportunities being lost, and a culture of instability or the ‘revolving door effect’ (Cox, 2011). On an individual level, burnout can have an effect on mental and physical health. Executive function, active memory, and mental health status are all deeply affected by chronic stress. Major depression and congestive heart failure were listed as two of the most direct outcomes of chronic stress in adulthood, but the cognitive restructuring caused by chronic stress has many varied presentations (McManis, 2022).
Advocacy exists to address cultural, structural, and organizational injustices that create burnout-prone environments but, unfortunately, high-level change is slow to come. In the meantime, while these high-level issues are being addressed, if someone begins to feel the effects of burnout, there are measures that can be taken to ease the negative effects. Research in medical and humanities fields has provided a number of protective steps activists can take to create personal sustainability in their advocacy efforts. Personally sustainable activism looks different for every individual, but the core tenents are self-awareness and self-prioritization. For some, that may look like accessing mental health therapy to help manage post-traumatic events, as well as help address older, unhealed traumas. Journaling can be an alternative way to independently work through difficult thoughts or memories. For others, personal sustainability may mean developing a deeper awareness of working habits, reframing tasks mentally, and taking time away from lengthy or difficult projects. Building organizational structures that allow for mental health-related time off, encourage autonomy and equality, and recognize personal development have been shown to ease the effects of burnout in the workplace and improve employee retention (Cox, 2011). Others cite consistent physical activity and supportive social circles as what staved off the effects of chronic burnout (Maslach and Gomes, 2006). Personal sustainability within activism may mean something different to everyone, but doing work that has a political or social impact can be universally rewarding, even in the face of organizational opposition or deeply rooted structural injustice.
The challenges advocates and practitioners face in their day-to-day lives are critical factors to consider when it comes to providing care to people with opioid use disorder. Burnout, as well as the underlying causes, represent major obstacles within advocacy spaces. When advocates and medical institutions cannot effectively communicate, energy is wasted, frustration mounts, and patient care suffers. Burnout is a major concern for professionals working in substance use disorder as it represents an obstacle to the swift, effective linkage to treatment that sits at the core of MATTERS. By creating an interactive network of hospitals and treatment centers, MATTERS aims to alleviate some of the organizational burden weighing on hospital and treatment systems in New York and Pennsylvania. Investigating and acting against burnout is an opportunity to examine some of the structural issues that have long-plagued advocacy spaces. Raising awareness of chronic burnout and normalizing discussion around the issue are also preventative factors against it, so open and honest conversation within advocacy spaces on this topic is more vital than ever. Addressing advocate concerns and providing them with the tools they need to succeed will always be reflected in improved policies and systems for the populations served.
References
- Chen, C. W., & Gorski, P. C. (2015). Burnout in Social Justice and Human Rights Activists: Symptoms, Causes and Implications. Journal of Human Rights Practice, 7(3), 366–390. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huv011
- Cox, L. (2011). How do we keep going? Activist burnout and personal sustainability in social movements. https://commonslibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/How-do-we-keep-going.pdf
- De Hert, S. (2020). Burnout in healthcare workers: Prevalence, impact and preventative strategies. Local and Regional Anesthesia, 13(13), 171–183. https://doi.org/10.2147/lra.s240564
- Maslach, C. & Gomes, M. (2006). “Overcoming burnout”. In Rachel McNair and Psychologists for Social Responsibility (eds.), Working for peace: a handbook of practical psychology and other tools (new ed.) Atascadero, CA: Impact.
