Thread by @BStulberg

Burnout just officially became an internationally recognized health concern, complete with an ICD-11 code, which is one of the predominant ways medical providers diagnose, chart, and bill for care.

This is one of the few things I know something about. Here are some thoughts...

The criteria used to diagnose burnout are super vague and subjective, and have just as much to do with what is going on outside of work for someone as inside of work. This is problematic and there's no easy solution. goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story…

Even if you could isolate for work-related distress (which you can't), burnout is multifaceted and complex. Lots of people don't understand this, and think about burnout very superficially. They end up trying to solve the wrong problem. This is harmful.

Burnout has many structural causes that have little to do with someone's day-to-day experience of work. These can't be fixed by a physician or therapist. Examples: high debt burden; no stable healthcare; no job security; sexism and ageism; false promises of the "gig" economy.

Burnout isn't always about working too many hours, either. It often has nothing to do with HOW we work but rather WHY we work and what we get out of work. This is especially true in two regards:

1) Burnout's relation to ego, relevance, and craving
2) Our core psychological needs

1) In the current ethos we measure everything possible so we can share and compare. This is true in our professional and personal lives. Getting hooked on external validation and relevance -> distress. (More on this topic in this @outsidemagazine essay.) outsideonline.com/2395138/millen…

2) Decades of research shows that humans need autonomy, mastery, and belonging. When one or more of these three things is missing, people turn to external validation (see above) in attempt to fill the emptiness. This is fleeting and also leads to burnout.buff.ly/2TFLpcV

"Treating" burnout is something that has to happen structurally and culturally. Telling people to meditate (which can be great for you) or have a mindful cup of tea isn't going to fix this problem. It's got to be a community effort.

If you're an individual concerned about burnout try to find jobs (or job-craft) so that you get autonomy, competence, and belonging. Focus on the process and mastery over external results. Don't always chase promotions that move you away from the work you love. Set boundaries.

If you're an organization concerned about burnout make it easy for individuals to do the above. If you're a government concerned about burnout make it easy (or law) for organizations to do the above.

Treating this individually or in a doctor's office probably isn't best answer.