BURNOUT AND OCCUPATIONAL EXHAUSTION:
CLARIFYING THE CONCEPTS
Detailed summary of the training by Gérard Ostermann, physician and
psychotherapist, and Maxime Bellego, psychologist, available on the website psy-
training (H4 Éditions, in partnership with Éducation & Famille – University of Mons)
A Misused Concept in Everyday Discourse
Gérard Ostermann and Maxime Bellego explain that the term “burnout” is now used
excessively and imprecisely, saturating bookstores and the media, and being applied
to a wide range of situations—including parental burnout. They emphasize that this
generalization risks distorting the original concept and weakening its clinical
relevance.
Distinguishing Burnout from Occupational Exhaustion
Ostermann highlights a key distinction between burnout and occupational exhaustion.
According to him, burnout primarily affects individuals who are deeply committed—
often in caregiving roles—who end up “burning from within” due to the constant
pressure of their responsibilities. In contrast, occupational exhaustion is more closely
linked to structural and organizational aspects of work. Although there is some
overlap between the two, they require different treatment approaches.
A Complicated Path to Official Recognition
Ostermann recalls that in 2019, the World Health Organization included occupational
exhaustion caused by chronic stress in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-
11). He also mentions the practical difficulties faced by general practitioners when
writing medical leave notes: should they write “burnout,” “occupational exhaustion,”
or “depression”?