How is Burnout Diagnosed

There are a multitude of questionnaires for self-assessment when attempting to diagnose burnout, and to complicate things further there is no single definition of burnout. However, there are commonly accepted signs and symptoms of this problem.

The symptoms that are said to be a result of burnout can generally also have several causes but generally result in the following noticeable changes which include:

• extreme exhaustion

• feeling down

• reduced performance at work or school

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion

• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy.

One can access information and resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that addresses health worker burnout. (See Table 1.) Physical illnesses or certain medications can also cause similar symptoms such as exhaustion and tiredness. So, it is important to consider other possible causes first together with a doctor, before assuming burnout is the cause of your distress. Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.²⁴