'Burnout' declared medical diagnosis by World Health Organization

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Tuesday, May 28, 2019
WHO says work burnout is real
WHO says work burnout is real: as seen on Action News at 4 a.m., May 28, 2019

Is work stressing you out? You might have an actual medical condition.

The World Health Organization now recognizes "burnout" in its guide as a legitimate medical diagnosis.

The International Classification of Diseases Handbook places it in the section "employment" or "unemployment related problems."

According to ICD-11, doctors can diagnose someone with burnout if they have three symptoms: the patient must be exhausted, experiencing mental distance or cynicism about their work and have problems getting the job done successfully.

Doctors can only diagnose burnout when it comes to work. WHO says it does not apply to other life situations.