Ergophobia

Ergophobia (also referred to as ergasiophobia or ponophobia) is described as an extreme and debilitating fear associated with work (manual labor, non-manual labor, etc.), a fear of finding or losing employment, or fear of specific tasks in the workplace. The term ergophobia comes from the Greek "ergon" (work) and "phobos" (fear).

Ergophobia is not specifically defined in the DSM-5. Criteria can be accounted for under the category of "Other" specific phobia 300.29 (F40.298).

Features of ergophobia are often consistent with social phobia or performance anxiety, specifically irrational anxiety about the work and the workplace environment. This can include the fear of failing at assigned tasks, public speaking at the workplace, performance anxiety, fear of socialising with co-workers, and fear of emotional, psychological and/or physical injuries at work.^[1]

A phobia is a psychological condition in which an individual has a persisting fear of a situation or object that disproportionate to the threat they actually pose.^[2] This condition stems from one's need to constantly be alert and avoid the source of the phobia that results in of psychological distress. Phobias can be specific to a certain stimulus or general to social situations. The most effective treatment for phobias is exposure therapy.^[3]

Phobias are often associated with a range of other mental health disorders: depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorders, substance abuse and personality disorders. There is a potential connection between executive dysfunction and work-related anxiety.^[4]

Ergophobia has both physical and psychological symptoms associated with fear and avoidance of the work environment. A study focused on burnout among teachers concluded that those experiencing ergophobia performed significantly worse on a physical health index compared to their colleagues.^[1][5] Physical symptoms of ergophobia^[6] can include rapid heart rate, dry mouth, excessive sweating, general uneasiness, and panic attacks.^[1] Ergophobia is also described as causing impairment at work including inability to meet work requirements, difficulty keeping a job, avoidance of taking on additional work responsibility, ruminating on negative work situation or challenges at work, and disengagement from the workplace.

Ergophobia is a controversial concept, and in the past has been dismissed as laziness. William Upson defined it as "the art of laziness"^[7] and "morbid fear or hatred of work".^[8] Ergophobia was mentioned by a hospital in New Jersey in the 1860s.^[5]

Ergophobia is considered by some to be a corollary of occupational burnout, which is thought to be the result of long-term unresolvable job stress. The term "burnout" did not come to be used with regularity until the 1970s in the United States. Freudenberger, for example, used it to describe the phenomenon of physical and emotional exhaustion, with associated negative attitudes arising from intense interactions when working with people.^[9] Burnout appears to be more common in occupations include health care and mental health care professionals, social welfare workers, lawyers, and business organization employees.^[1]

Although there is no formal diagnosis procedure for ergophobia or burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory – a series of introspective occupational burnout questions, is used together with the Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS) to assess levels of burnout. These tests measure emotional burnout, depersonalization, and personal achievements, and are suitable for both individual and group assessment.^[1]

Un síndrome similar a la ergofobia se observa en el trastorno de ansiedad generalizada (TAG), donde se experimentan niveles de ansiedad y preocupaciones incontrolablemente elevados sobre diversos temas y eventos. ^{[ 10 ]} Al igual que con las fobias, las personas con TAG experimentan una ansiedad desproporcionada a la amenaza real que representa una situación. Los adultos con TAG pueden sentirse estresados ​​por preocupaciones laborales relacionadas con tareas cotidianas, evaluaciones y presentaciones. ^{[ 10 ]}

El trastorno de ansiedad social , también conocido como fobia social, se caracteriza por sentimientos de ansiedad inducidos por interacciones o situaciones sociales en las que el individuo puede ser observado o rechazado por otros. ^{[ 11 ]} Esta ansiedad se agrava fácilmente en situaciones laborales como presentaciones e interacciones sociales profesionales y amistosas en el lugar de trabajo. ^{[ 10 ]}

Además, el "Trastorno de ansiedad especificado" también causa malestar y niveles significativos de ansiedad, pero no de una manera que abarque completamente los síntomas diagnósticos de los trastornos de ansiedad. ^{[ 10 ]} Este trastorno influye considerablemente en el desempeño en situaciones sociales, laborales u otras situaciones importantes, por lo que puede parecer similar a la ergofobia o al agotamiento laboral. ^{[ 10 ]}

El número de casos de ergofobia aumenta con el número de personas que trabajan en un entorno que la provoca, independientemente de los cambios en las tasas reportadas de ergofobia en sí. ^{[ 12 ]} Las circunstancias cambiantes de las relaciones empleador-empleado también se han visto alteradas significativamente por esta evolución hacia una economía basada en servicios. ^{[ 13 ]} Los sistemas de evaluación del desempeño son ahora una herramienta popular dentro de las organizaciones para mejorar el compromiso y la productividad de los empleados. ^{[ 1 ]} Dichos sistemas pueden exacerbar el agotamiento emocional entre los empleados y, posteriormente, sentimientos de agotamiento o ergofobia. ^{[ 1 ]}

La proliferación de discursos sobre la concienciación en salud mental en la cultura popular occidental puede llevar a diagnósticos erróneos o excesivos de enfermedades mentales. ^{[ 12 ]} Dado que el miedo al trabajo es un término tan general, muchos pueden creer erróneamente que sufren de ergofobia cuando, en realidad, simplemente están lidiando con estrés laboral o padecen otros problemas de salud mental como el trastorno de ansiedad generalizada o el trastorno de ansiedad social . ^{[ 13 ]}

• Crítica del trabajo
• Rechazo de trabajo
• Trabajo