Burn Out – Now an Official Medical Diagnosis According to the World Health Organization

In May 2019 – the month that marks Mental Health Awareness in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K among other countries, “Burn Out” was designated as an official medical diagnosis by the World Health Organization. Burn Out is now classified as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” in the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11.)

Burn Out has been discussed for decades as a compilation of symptoms such as lethargy, unfocused and foggy thinking, exhaustion, headaches, and often withdrawing – to name a few of the symptoms. The term was first coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. Burn Out was generally described as resulting from hard work, perfectionism, feelings of overwhelm and from a place of caring – a lot – about the outcome on which one was focused. Though Burn Out was an important and serious situation, it was never discussed as a “medical” issue.

Not everyone agrees with the WHO’s designation of Burn Out as a medical diagnosis and for more on this perspective, I suggest reading this article from the NYTimes.

Regardless of one’s perspective, the WHO’s recent designation of Burn Out definitely shines a light on the real and significant issues many people face in the workplace. Chronic stress, overwhelm, little time for oneself and one’s family, can all take their toll, leaving one feeling emotionally and mentally depleted.

As important as it is to treat someone with Burn Out, preventing Burn Out in the first instance is key. Hopefully organizations will take a good look at their systems, practices and culture and take pro-active measures to address employee well-being and Burn-Out prevention.

The time-honoured basics still show up in the literature as the best practices for Burn Out prevention and treatment. Some of these practices include:

• taking regular breaks during the work-day – moving as often as possible
• setting boundaries on one’s time – including time on email and other communication platforms
• getting enough and good quality sleep
• eating well
• practicing mediation
• getting regular exercise
• spending time with friends and family

Though integrating these practices can’t necessarily change one’s circumstances, they can go a long way to increasing one’s resilience and overall well-being.