ADHD Burnout: What Causes It & How to Fix It
Let’s talk about ADHD burnout—because it’s real, it’s messy, and, let’s be honest, it’s all too familiar for a lot of us. ADHD burnout isn’t just “being tired”—it’s more like your brain is giving up, like the little hamster running on the wheel just shut it down and walked off the job. But unlike regular exhaustion, ADHD burnout is deeper and more complex. It happens when we’ve been pushing too hard, too long, often in ways that completely ignore how our ADHD brains actually work.
So, how does it happen?
1. Masking ADHD Symptoms
This one’s a killer. When we try to appear neurotypical by forcing ourselves to function in ways that make sense to everyone else, we’re setting ourselves up for a crash. Trying to hide our struggles and suppress our quirks can be exhausting—eventually, the act of masking takes its toll.
2. Overcommitting & Saying "Yes" to Everything
Sound familiar? You say "yes" to this, then "sure" to that, and by the time you realize what you’ve gotten yourself into, your calendar looks like a scene from Mission Impossible. The reality is that ADHD brains thrive on structure, but too much of anything (especially too much of the wrong thing) leads to overwhelm.
3. Hyperfocus
You know that moment when you dive deep into a project and forget to eat, sleep, or hydrate for hours? Yeah, that’s hyperfocus. It can be a gift, but if we’re not careful, it’ll burn us out. After all, your brain can’t run on adrenaline and coffee forever.
4. Poor Sleep & Nutrition
I mean, who has time to sleep when you’re busy juggling your life like a circus act? Skipping meals and living off of caffeine might get you through a day or two, but eventually your brain rebels. Sleep and proper nutrition aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re must-haves for our ADHD brains.
5. Emotional Exhaustion
ADHD can come with rejection sensitivity and perfectionism, and both of those can take a toll on your emotional health. When we keep running on empty, it’s easy to fall into a spiral of negative thoughts that keep us stuck in that burnout loop.
6. Lack of Accommodations
Trying to make ADHD fit into a neurotypical world is exhausting. Whether it's constantly fighting against the clock, trying to sit still, or struggling to meet expectations that don’t align with your brain’s wiring, pushing through without accommodations is like trying to swim upstream. It’s only a matter of time before your energy runs out.
Okay, so now what? How do we recover from this burnout and prevent it in the future?
Honor Your Energy Levels
Listen to your body. Plan rest days before you crash, not after. When your brain starts giving you signals that it’s tired—take a break. That "push through" mentality? It's a setup for disaster.
Work With Your Brain, Not Against It
ADHD brains don’t work the same way as neurotypical ones, and that’s okay. Use timers, get creative with body-doubling, and find ways to make tasks fun or novel. The more we can set ourselves up for success, the easier it is to avoid that burnout spiral.
Say No Without Guilt
Boundaries. They’re important. We often feel like we need to say “yes” to everything to be liked or to prove ourselves, but the reality is saying “no” is one of the healthiest things we can do for ourselves. You have the right to protect your energy.
Prioritize Sleep & Nutrition
This one’s simple but crucial. The ADHD brain requires fuel—good food and good sleep. Skipping meals or pulling all-nighters might get you through the moment, but it’s a surefire path to burnout in the long run. Sleep like your brain depends on it (because it does).
Embrace the “Good Enough” Mindset
Perfectionism? Yeah, we need to ditch that. Done is better than perfect, and if you’re a perfectionist, it’s time to cut yourself some slack. Perfectionism fuels burnout—it’s exhausting. Focus on progress, not perfection.
So here’s the big question: When ADHD burnout creeps in, what’s your go-to strategy for dealing with it?
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