PETALING JAYA: It starts with a refusal to fail and ends with a body that refuses to move.
The constant need to perform and a deep-seated fear of failure are increasingly driving high-performing men to total burnout.
Public health expert Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that occurs due to prolonged stress and affects both genders.
“Most symptoms are visible but ignored and only noticed later.
“They can present with chronic fatigue, pessimism, disturbed sleep patterns, insomnia, loss of appetite, emotional distance, irritability, cardiovascular changes, shortness of breath, high cortisol levels, and frequent headaches,” said Prof Dr Sharifa, who is also dean of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s School of Liberal Studies.
She said excessive workload, poor work-life balance, insufficient pay or resources, lack of social support, poor family quality time, high demand from work, a poor reward system at work, ineffective coping skills and financial pressure are contributing factors.
Bernama recently reported that a growing number of high-performing men were silently struggling with stress, burnout and emotional exhaustion despite appearing successful externally, according to wellness and leadership experts.
