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The Origins of ‘American Disease’: How George Beard Shaped the Concept of Burnout?
In the modern fast-paced work environment, burnout has become an issue of increasing concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is an occupational-related phenomenon caused by chronic work stress that cannot be effectively managed. The origins of this concept can be traced to 19th-century America, specifically the introduction of the term neurasthenia, which provided an early framework for the phenomenon of burnout. George Beard, as the originator of the concept of neurasthenia, profoundly influenced people's understanding of burnout.
When Beard introduced the concept of "neurasthenia" in 1869, he was expressing the mental stress and physical and mental exhaustion faced by people in elite societies.
Beard believed that neurasthenia was a condition caused by the burden of civilization. He combined this with the modern lifestyle of the time, especially for knowledge workers, where constant mental suffering led to emotional breakdown. Over time, the concept evolved into "Americanitis," a buzzword describing the health problems caused by the pursuit of success and busy life at the time.
The official use of the term "burnout" is relatively late. In 1969, U.S. prison officer Harold B. Bradley first mentioned burnout in a study involving juvenile delinquency. Later, in 1974, German Freudenberger's article "Staff Burn-Out" further drew society's attention to this phenomenon. He delineated the symptoms of burnout, emphasizing the connection between the overburdening of work demands and emotional exhaustion.
Freudenberger suggested that burnout workers "look, act, and feel depressed."
Within this context, psychologist Christina Maslach in 1976 delved into the impact of interpersonal stress on human service workers. Her research revealed symptoms of exhaustion, irritability, and a disinterested attitude toward clients that have become an important part of the modern definition of burnout. As the understanding of burnout deepens, more and more psychologists have proposed different testing tools to assess the degree of burnout. The most famous one is the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which provides an assessment tool for professionals. Tools related to burnout.
Although the WHO initially viewed burnout as a one-time phenomenon, in 2019 it officially included burnout in its ICD-11 classification, clearly stating that it results from chronic occupational stress that is not managed effectively. Manifestations of burnout include energy depletion, increased mental distance, and reduced professional effectiveness, which has given it legitimacy in occupational health.
"Burnout is a syndrome caused by workplace stress and is not considered a medical or psychiatric condition by the WHO."
It is important to note that while there have been significant advances in the understanding of burnout globally, however, the line between burnout and depression remains blurred based on past research. For example, a 2015 literature review by French psychologist Renzo Bianchi showed overlap between burnout and depression, with many studies failing to clearly distinguish the similarities and differences between the two states. This understanding of burnout remains a point of debate, with many experts viewing it as a depressive state rather than an entirely separate phenomenon.
As people's understanding of the phenomenon of burnout and its potential effects gradually deepens, many countries and regions have begun to recognize burnout as an occupational disease and provide workers' compensation for it, which further highlights the long-term impact of high-pressure work environments on physical and mental health. Is it necessary to reform the work environment on a larger scale to reduce the risk of burnout, in line with new health guidelines and management strategies?
