ADHD burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion that occurs when the demands of daily life overwhelm an individual’s capacity to cope, often due to the challenges of living with ADHD.
It’s not just about being tired; it’s a signal that something isn’t working and that adjustments need to be made.
Masking, overcommitting, and sensory overload are some of the reasons why ADHD burnout can occur.
These can come from internal factors, such as perfectionism and overexertion, and external factors, such as work and social demands.
The experience of burnout is unique to each individual, influenced by their management strategies, with some people experiencing it as a “vicious cycle” of hitting burnout, recovering from it, and trying to keep up with everyday life again.
Below are some of the common causes of ADHD burnout:
Overcommitment
Overcommitting to tasks and responsibilities is a significant contributor to ADHD burnout.
This can happen when individuals with ADHD try to “catch up” or prove themselves. People with ADHD may also have difficulty saying “no” to requests. As a result, they may take on too much, leading to exhaustion.
One person described how they “just volunteer for everything” at work, and then end up “doing loads of random sh** for loads of random people,” which eventually leads to feeling unable to breathe.
Another person explained, “I feel like I can just cram it all in and do all of the things and I’ve got time and then I end up just hitting a wall and then I don’t have time to do anything but stop.”
People with ADHD may say yes to everything, wanting to be reliable, perhaps due to experiencing imposter syndrome due to having to compensate for their ADHD traits.
Masking
Masking, or trying to appear neurotypical, is another cause of ADHD burnout. This involves suppressing natural behaviors and expending extra energy to fit in.
One person described masking as “pretending that, you know, you’re completely fine, everything’s fine, I am the same as you, my brain works the same as you.”
They also noted that masking is exhausting and makes burnout inevitable. The “relentless effort to appear neurotypical” is a source of fatigue.
Another individual stated that they “put on the perfection mask” so that no one knows that their brain is operating differently.
Hiding ADHD signs by being a perfectionist can be exhausting and result in eventual burnout.
Sensory Overload
Sensory overload can contribute to burnout in people with ADHD. ADHD brains can be more sensitive to sensory input and become easily overwhelmed.
They might be more sensitive to noises, crowded places, or being bombarded with lots of tasks and information at once.
One person described how going into a crowd of people “drains me” and “overwhelms me.”
One person said, “It’s like I don’t feel like myself because this layer of steel wool around my brain prevents it from working.”
Eventually, the build-up of sensory information can become too much and a person with ADHD responds by becoming burnt out and unable to cope.
Demands of Sustained Attention and Organisation
The demands of sustained attention and organization can be a trigger for ADHD burnout. ADHD brains often struggle with focus, planning, and time management. These challenges can make everyday tasks more exhausting.
One person stated that with an ADHD brain, they “don’t know how to prioritize” or “how to start with a certain task.”
Another individual noted that they have a “weird blind spot” where they make mistakes even when they try to be meticulous.
Another person mentioned how they “would almost go over the top trying to organize things with like crazy like folders and color charts.”
One source said it takes “three to five more times more energy to complete the same task as someone who doesn’t have it.”
The extra effort it takes to sustain attention and organize life can ultimately result in burnout.
Perfectionism
Perfectionism, which is a “relentless drive to achieve the impossible,” is another common cause of ADHD burnout. It can lead to increased stress levels and negative self-talk.
One person spoke of “constantly chasing after this ideal of perfection that’s always just out of reach” and how this striving causes stress.
Another person stated that they feel like they need to do things the “right way” and that they “have to have everything set up perfectly” before starting a task.
Lack of Self-Care
Lack of self-care can contribute to ADHD burnout. When people are overextended, they may neglect essential self-care activities, such as getting enough sleep, exercising, or relaxing.
One person described how “self-care can easily slip through the cracks” when they are “juggling a million things at once.”
Another source notes that “when you neglect self-care, you’re basically rolling out the red carpet for burnout to waltz right in.”
Neglecting self-care can also present as people pleasing to the detriment of your own needs.
Mismatch Between Demands and Capacity
The mismatch between the demands of the world and the way an ADHD brain works can also contribute to burnout.
ADHD coach, Paula Engebretson explains that “burnout shows up when we are emotionally, mentally, physically drained because we’ve been working in ways constantly that just don’t align with how our minds and our energy naturally flow.”
Another person noted that “navigating a neurotypical world when you’ve got ADHD, it just demands more energy.”
Executive Function Deficits
Executive function (EF) deficits play a significant role in ADHD burnout. These difficulties, such as difficulties with time management and self-organization, increase the risk of job burnout.
One source states that “ineffective time management and organizational skills can escalate work-related stress, leading to weariness, frustration, emotional exhaustion, and physical fatigue.”
It also explains that “self-management to time and self-organization/problem-solving were the most important mediators among EFs deficit for the relationship between ADHD and general job burnout.”
Can undiagnosed ADHD cause burnout?
Individuals with undiagnosed ADHD may experience burnout because they are unaware that their struggles stem from a neurodevelopmental difference, rather than personal failings.
This lack of understanding can lead to a cycle of overexertion and self-criticism, contributing to burnout.
One individual described, “I felt like I couldn’t focus like other people… I would fall into pits where I couldn’t get off the couch for days and I didn’t know why.”
This lack of understanding can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness
References
Turjeman-Levi, Y., Itzchakov, G., & Engel-Yeger, B. (2024). Executive function deficits mediate the relationship between employees’ ADHD and job burnout. AIMS Public Health, 11(1), 294. https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2024015
