Modern man is the subject of multiple stimulations.

These stimulations may become, with the course of events and the individual’s personality, factors of stress.  Whether it be question of the working environment, family or personal, these factors may become too numerous and too serious and go beyond the adaptive capacities of the subject.  This then leads to mental fatigue or overwork.

Professional overwork has been dubbed as the « Burn Out Syndrom » (B.O.S.), particularly with healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses…) and more globally in the professions where there is a strong personal affective implication (teaching, work of a social character, etc.). The B.O.S. appears insidiously over some months; years even, in a context of permanent tension and with subjects predisposed by certain of the characteristics personality. It most often affects perfectionists and anxious subjects, wanting to respond to others expectations and becoming excessively involved in their work as a result of an over developed professional conscientiousness.  Abnegation, altruism and a strong sur-moi, together with potential major anxiety provoking situations which are endured alone, for a subject who neglects his own suffering, often constitute predisposing factors.

The B.O.S. is accordingly most often diagnosed at the stage of late repercussions :  fatigue which can not be cured by rest, lack of motivation at the work place, lack of self-esteem with the feeling of incompetence and lack of productivity, change in character, sleeping disorders, psychosomatic disorders.  At worst, the situation may lead to a veritable syndrome of depression.

Although BOS treatment ought essentially to be of a preventive nature, in the case of a very acute stage of development, hospitalisation may be required.

At the Clinique du Château de Garches, we put the accent on the need in such circumstances, to get away from the daily environment and stressful stimulations.  The setting of our establishment is ideally suited with the tranquillity and serenity necessary for putting some distance and rest.  Moreover the psychiatric treatment is adjusted to the individual and according to the symptoms presented (depression, sleeping disorders…).

Hospitalisation has 4 objectives:

• Keeping the patient well away from stimulations;
• Correcting the symptoms such as insomnia, anguish, depressive moods;
• Understanding the circumstances which have given rise to B.O.S.;
• Elaboration of the measures which should avoid another overwork syndrome.

This psychological work is undertaken in the course of daily interviews (7 psychiatrists for 44 patients) and information meetings.