According to the WHO, burnout has been officially termed as a medical condition in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD) which is widely used as a benchmark for diagnosis and health insurers.
In the latest update of the catalog, WHO defines this disease as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It is also known to specifically refer to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.
This syndrome has been characterized under three dimensions:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
- Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
- Reduced professional efficiency.
The updated list ICD-11 which is going to take place in January 2022, contains many other additions, along with video gaming as addiction and gambling and drugs such as cocaine. The updated list also removes genderism as an addiction, meanwhile it is listed under sexual health conditions.
