Burnout Definition

Burnout is a pervasive psychosocial syndrome that manifests as a chronic response to interpersonal stressors encountered in the occupational setting.

There has been a lack of a consensual definition of burnout, and there is substantial overlap in symptomatology with other psychiatric disorders, such as chronic fatigue and depression. Therefore, the diagnosis is only included in the chapter: “Factors influencing health status or contact with health services” (QD86 burnout) in the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11: World Health Organization 2019) and is not classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association 2013).