Surely many people have heard about ergophobia at least once in their lives. And some, having learned about the meaning of this term, even found in its meaning a lot of life for themselves. After all, ergophobia is the fear of work, in simple words. It does not arise from scratch, but has significant prerequisites. However, this topic is of some interest, so it is worth paying a little more attention to its consideration.
Origin of the name
There are people who are really afraid of work. What is the name of the phobia, they are well aware. This is ergophobia. Which is often also called ergasiophobia. But this term characterizes a slightly different form of manifestation of the disorder, personifying an aversion to work. However, each of the concepts is derived from two Greek words. "Ergo" means work, and "phobos" means fear.
About prerequisites
Fear of work can develop in a person for many reasons. One of the most serious is prolonged depression. The individual who lostany interest in life, forgets about incentives to work.
Also, obsessive-compulsive disorder may be the cause. A person suffering from neurological dysfunction is not able to engage in fruitful useful activities. He is hindered by preoccupation with obsessive thoughts and attempts to cope with chronic anxiety.
Panic disorders are also a serious cause. There are people for whom even being in a working environment causes anxiety that develops into panic.
PTSD can also cause fear of work. Experience in a previous job could be deplorable for an individual, and even injure him. Memories are a powerful barrier to finding a new job, and also provoke fear. What if the sad experience repeats itself?
Other reasons
These are not all the reasons why there may be a fear of work. Some people, for example, have a phobia of their workplace. One of countless examples: a person can be a foreman and be afraid that something from a construction site will fall on his head at one moment.
Boredom can also serve as a prerequisite. If a person started his career with a boring job, then there is a high probability that a fruitful activity can never become interesting.
The so-called burnout syndrome also often provokes the appearance of ergophobia. The man just gets bored with what he does. His work becomes routine, and every day is similar to the previous one. Loss of enthusiasm and desire to work. In peopleIn creative professions, burnout manifests itself in the absence of new ideas and inspiration.
Ergophobia is also often accompanied by the fear of rejection. It usually affects people who in the past worked successfully for the benefit of an institution for a long time, but then were fired. Consequently, they have a fear of getting a job, accompanied by a fear of a possible reduction. It's the same as with the bad experience. Fired once, so why shouldn't it happen again?
Psychiatrists' opinion
Specialists believe that fear of work is a complex phobia. Most often, it is only one of many symptoms of other mental problems. Often this phobia is characteristic of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Not surprising, because this disease often provokes the emergence of fears of social situations. Namely, this is the process of employment and work.
The use of certain drugs, often prescribed by a doctor to overcome stress and insomnia, can also provoke ergophobia. After all, a side effect of certain medications is fatigue, depression and fatigue. All this is incompatible with productive work.
Ergophobia also often accompanies a high level of individual anxiety. A person who is aware of his low productivity is afraid of not being able to cope with his job responsibilities. And for some, fear is associated with the obligation to contact other people (colleagues, bosses, clients).
Symptomatics
Well, all of the above allows you to roughly understand what the fear of work is. The name of this state is easy to remember. It’s just that you still need to understand that ergophobia is not a synonym for laziness or unwillingness to work. It's a disease. In order not to be confused, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms.
A person suffering from this disease often experiences acute panic attacks. He also suffers from palpitations, excessive sweating, agonizing dizziness, and an inability to concentrate.
Many people who experience fear of a new job and work in general do not know how to deal with it. And often they find solace in drugs, alcohol, gambling, toxic substances. Naturally, this only exacerbates the situation. As a result, the list of problems and phobias is replenished with addiction.
Physical manifestations
Ergophobia is accompanied not only by mental changes. Her physical manifestation can also cause a lot of problems.
This disease is accompanied by slight tremors, chills, aching pains in the abdomen and head, breathing problems, general weakness, stupor. All this suggests that the person really suffers from a phobia, and does not experience the normal anxiety that many of us have at a crucial moment. There is a difference. After performing an action (for example, public speaking) in a person who experienced anxiety andexcitement, all of the above disappears. But in an ergophobe, the “symptoms” persist for a long time.
These attacks are so strong that they can disorganize the activity of the individual, paralyze him. Even habitual actions (like breathing) are no longer automatic, and he has to concentrate to even normalize anything.
Treatment
Fear of losing a job, like other forms of ergophobia, is a significant barrier to the socialization of the individual. Because of this mental problem, a person cannot make plans, achieve goals, and fully exist in society. An experienced specialist can help to cope with a phobia. Under his guidance, a person can get rid of fear.
The attending physician usually resorts to several methods at once. He uses meditation, relaxation, psychoanalysis, behavioral therapy and prescribes medication, selecting antidepressants and sedatives to suit the individual patient.
Also widely applicable is the desensitization method, which is combined with deep muscle relaxation. First, the patient completely relaxes, and then he is sequentially immersed in several specially simulated situations that provoke the manifestation of ergophobia. The habituation principle is activated. A person gradually adapts to work activity at a subconscious level, disturbing manifestations become dull. In the future, in real life, he gets used to the new reality much faster, which reflects thosesame, pre-worked out situations.
Anxiety of young professionals
A mild form of ergophobia may be characteristic of yesterday's students. Many graduates of educational institutions are afraid to start a professional career. It is extremely important to deal with this anxiety quickly. Because such a basis is considered by experts to be almost the promised land for the development of real ergophobia.
A thorough study of the future workplace can help. It is worth familiarizing yourself with all aspects, starting with the ethical code of the institution and ending with the team. Many, after such “prevention”, succeed in reconciling their ideals with the general vision of the employer team.
Consequences
Ergophobia is a serious disease, and ignoring it can lead to a number of complications. Moreover, they will concern mental he alth last.
Over time, a non-working person "acquires" debts, so that later he can pay off his savings, property and even housing for their repayment. Some begin to look for a way to get rich quick, they are accepted to bet, buy lottery tickets, play in the casino. In the end, this leads to another addiction and additional debt.
Also, a person begins to neglect himself. He gets by with anything, dresses in bad clothes, forgets about hygiene. After all, all this requires funds. And in this form, it will be difficult to impress the employer.
Ergophobia destroys marriages and families, worsens relationships withfriends and family, limits the scope of communication. The consequences can be many. Therefore, it is extremely important to start treating this specific disease in time to avoid all of the above.
