INSPIRATIONAL STORY 

My podcast

When it comes to health stories, I have a lot to tell. I’m not a talented storyteller, but the idea that eventually I could inspire many of you gives me the courage to keep talking. That’s how I started this Newsletter (and, by the way, if you like it, please do share it with your friends :), and also my podcast, just a few months ago. So far, I have discussed topics related to women’s health, such as hormones, menopause, and self-confidence, as well as men’s health with topics like testosterone and the idea of the alpha male. Recently I started a series dedicated to stress, and there are many more to come. Here is the link for the latest episodes: “Stress and your heart” (in FR) and “Self-confidence” (in EN). Enjoy, and if you like them, don’t forget to leave five stars and a comment on iTunes!

IS OFFICIAL: BURNOUT RECOGNISED AS A MEDICAL CONDITION

You might be surprised that is happening only now, right? There is no doubt that chronic stress can make us sick and this isn't something new. Burnout is studied for decades, but there was a lack of consensus definition about scientists can all agree on.

But since last week, burnout is now a legitimate medical condition according to the International Classification of Diseases, or the ICD-11, the World Health Organization's handbook that guides medical providers in diagnosing diseases.

In the ICD-11, burnout is defined as "a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed."

According to the handbook, doctors can diagnose someone with burnout if they meet the following symptoms:

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; and

3) reduced professional efficacy.

According to the document says doctors should first rule out adjustment disorder as well as anxiety and mood disorders. Also, the diagnosis is limited to work environments, and shouldn't be applied to other life situations.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
 

I’ve been going deeper into exploring my emotional health. Although I am pretty happy with the efforts I make regarding my overall health, I know that I haven’t been working as much as I should on my emotional health. Although I know what should do about it, I am still pretty bad at actually doing it.

Of course, life doesn’t forget to remind me from time to time about how important it is not to lose track of our feelings and emotions. It is not about being oversensitive (I can easily cry speaking of my dad or watching a movie) or being too tough (especially on myself) or wishing to simply be better at managing my emotions. What I want to improve is in how I can better understand my emotions and my relationships overall.

It is a lifelong process, and while I’d like to think that I’ve already started working on it, here is how I want to pass to the next level:

• increasing my daily meditation time (still in love with Calm, but I will try also using Headspace again)

• practising yoga on a regular basis- my preferred so far are classes from Life Center in London and hot yoga in Paris; but since is not always possible to go on site, I am trying some apps to have more schedule flexibility

• some TED talks on emotions: Brené Brown’s on “The power of vulnerability” or Lisa Feldman with “You aren’t at the mercy of your emotions”

• I plan to go on a retreat and also organising one for you; if you want to join me, please fill in this questionnaire (tips: next retreats will be in Sweden and Romania)

• last but not least, starting again with some therapy sessions to discover more things about myself and my emotions; in the time I spent looking for a therapist (which is always a challenge), I also decided to give a chat-based therapy with Better Health a try.  For £50/week, paid in advance for 4 months, you can chat with your licensed therapist as much as you want (apparently). I will tell you more soon about my experience.