New solutions needed for increased stress in the workplace

The number of people quitting their jobs has scaled, as we are seeing a growth rate of ‘burnouts’. As the stress of work has increased over the years, individuals have sought out numerous solutions to these problems. A few practical choices have been considered for quite some time, like meditation or swimming. And, a few solutions that might be a little off the deep end…we’re looking at you ‘essential oils.’

We believe that microdosing magic mushrooms containing psilocybin might be the answer to how you can fix your burnout.

What is a burnout and why is it happening?

Commonly referred to as ‘occupational burnout,’ burnouts are a state of mental, emotional or physical exhaustion caused by excessive or stress.

According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), burnout is more focused on the workplace,

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

Following on from this, they also characterize burnouts like:

  1. feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
  2. increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
  3. reduced professional efficacy

Furthermore, the WHO believes that burnouts should refer to the ‘phenomena’ occuring in occupational settings. Burnouts are not stress and experiences an individual has in the other aspects of their lives.

Burnouts may have influence over the state of your health, but it’s has yet to be considered a medical condition. Despite this, burnouts should be considered a mental priority.

How to tell if you have a burnout and what causes it?

Simply put, burnouts leave an individual feeling drained and if left unchecked, can cause an overflow of stress into the other areas of your life. It can eventually take a bite out of your home and social well-being as well as affecting your health. Due to the negative possibilities of burnout, it’s key to identify it as early as possible and to do this, you will need to be able to spot the signs.

This can be tricky as the difference between burnout and stress is a matter of degree, which is why it’s important to catch it early. Here is a list of the possible symptoms.

In the workplace, the common causes of burnout are:

  • Lack of control over your work
  • Lack of recognition or reward
  • Highly demanding job/chaotic work environments
  • Mundane, unchallenging or monotonous work

It’s necessary to note that like stress itself, burnout is a process that doesn’t just appear when you wake up one day.

Is it burnout or stress?

As we mentioned above, the difference between burnout and stress is a matter of how much stress you are experiencing, as well as how you are feeling it. Bog-standard stress is typically a state of ‘excess,’ as in having too much to do, too many demands, too much on your plate to handle. But, a key component of this stress is the individual’s belief that they will or should feel better if the situation was brought under control.

On the other hand, burnout is more a feeling of ‘lacking.’ Typically, individuals experiencing burnout feel mentally, emotionally or physically drained, unable to draw up motivation or empathy.

A common occurrence from people suffering from burnout is the lack of hope in seeing positive outcomes to their situations. Because of this, burnouts are closer to a form of depression than anxiety. Usually, it is relatively easy for an individual to tell if they are feeling stressed but because of the symptoms of burnout, it often goes unnoticed. 

Is microdosing psilocybin the key to burnout?

Over the last several years, there’s a boom of research on psychedelic’s potential as a medication for an assortment of mental and physical ailments, like depression and addiction. Specifically, a great deal of research has taken place exploring the effects of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in numerous species of fungi across the planet that is responsible for thousands of years of human trips, trials and tribulations.

In the world of modern medicine, drugs take a long time to be researched and accepted. It’s still early days for ta full acceptance of psilocybin. Despite this, the majority of research to come in, far has had positives to speak of. The potential of psilocybin has been recognized by many governments and even the WHO. Importantly, psilocybin has shown no signs of potential for addiction, in both mental and physical contexts.

What is psilocybin and microdosing?

Psilocybin is a chemical compound that interacts with serotonin in the brain to change how your brain communicates . By altering these lines of communication, it causes the trips that magic mushrooms and magic truffles are well known for. On a deeper level, psilocybin is a very self-reflective drug and can be a form of meditation. It can be used to gain an understanding of one’s feelings and actions. In controlled doses, it’s used to treat depression and anxiety of cancer patients. Thus, it poses a healthy and natural alternative to things like SSRI’s. 

Microdosing is very different to a regular dose of a substance, when engaging in this process you aren’t specifically looking to trip. By taking a drastically smaller dose of a substance over a pre-set routine of time, you are trying to garner sub-perceptual helpful effects so that you can continue your day to day life. The point is to feel some of the positive effects of the substance without experiencing anything fully psychedelic.

How microdosing works against burnout

We just went through what burnout is and what its symptoms/causes are. So, how will psilocybin microdoses combat it?

The reported effects of microdosing psilocybin are:

  • An increase in creativity, alertness, and focus
  • More energy and a cheerful happy feeling
  • A greater awareness of one’s surroundings
  • Being more open to social settings and forming connections

It’s clear to see how psilocybin is almost the perfect tool to combat your workplace stress. Burnout drains your energy, while psilocybin can reinvigorate you. Burnout can make you feel unappreciated or unwanted, while psilocybin can help you appreciate yourself.

We believe microdosing is the answer to burnout

This piece started off by detailing the growing mental crisis we face and the need for practical solutions. Psilocybin microdosing is a strong contender for the answer many of us were looking for. If you fear you might be experiencing burnout or are on the road to burnout, don’t hesitate to seek help in the form of microdosing. It is a practice that has shown itself to be largely safe, without negatives. The best part about microdosing is that it’s a simple act that takes little time and effort. For many people, the same cannot be said about meditation and exercise.

Check out our full range of magic truffles and magic mushroom grow kits today!