Burnout (psychology).

There is no generally accepted definition for the term burnout. The term is not in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the standard guide for classifying mental disorders in the United States. Herbert Freudenberger, an American psychoanalyst who is generally credited with coining the term, used the analogy of a burned-out building to refer to a syndrome he observed in his clients, most of whom were high-achievers who had lost their optimism, passion for life, and sense of purpose. Freudenberger’s work and other early studies linked burnout to the caring professions, such as nurses, school teachers, legal-aid workers, social workers, and clergy, but studies have expanded those susceptible to the syndrome to include groups as varied as bankers, managers, homemakers, students, and other populations exposed to chronic stress.