ADHD burnout

Burnout can happen to anyone. Dealing with ongoing stress and demands at work or in your personal life can make you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or both. Researchers might use the term “burnout syndrome,” especially if it’s related to work.¹

ADHD burnout is different. It’s caused by constantly having to manage and mask your ADHD symptoms to keep them from holding you back. This behavior can be so baked in to your life that you may not even realize you’re doing it — and that it’s causing burnout.

ADHD burnout isn’t a medical diagnosis. But it can lead or contribute to physical and mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. It also makes you more likely to have burnout from the external demands you have to deal with, especially if your ADHD isn’t being treated.²

Feeling burned out by your ADHD isn’t a sign of weakness, and it doesn’t mean you’re not capable. You’re also not stuck feeling this way. There are ways to reduce the stresses and challenges that lead to ADHD burnout.

Symptoms of burnout

There’s a long list of burnout symptoms. And they’re pretty much the same whether you have regular burnout, ADHD burnout, or both. But there’s an extra layer to burnout when you have ADHD because of the executive function problems and other challenges that are part of ADHD.

“When you have ADHD and are burning out, it’s your weakest executive function skills that fall apart first,” says psychologist and ADHD expert Sharon Saline, PhD. “It might be time management or organization. On top of that, when you have ADHD, you are already living with a sense of being ‘less than.’ So you’ll have this added sense of vulnerability.”

Symptoms can come on so gradually that you may not notice until you hit a wall and can’t bring yourself to function. “That’s why it’s important to know the red flags. Then you have the power to pivot and make some changes,” says Saline. 

Burnout symptoms can overlap with and increase ADHD symptoms. They include:

• Exhaustion: You feel tapped out, like there’s no gas in your tank to deal with anything. 

• Unexplained physical symptoms: These include digestive problems, loss of appetite, and aches and pains.

• Sleep issues: Problems with sleep, including sleep disorders, are common with ADHD to begin with. Burnout can also cause them or make them worse.

• Lack of interest and motivation: Work, exercise, and even socializing can seem pointless or uninteresting. 

• Loss of confidence and self-esteem: You feel worthless and doubt you can do even the things you’re best at. 

• Irritability and frequent mood swings: You go from feeling OK to miserable for no specific reason. Everything seems to annoy or anger you. 

• Forgetfulness: You miss appointments, space out on assignments, or constantly lose things. (Your go-to strategies may not work or you might not even try them.)

Burnout can lead to negative behaviors and take a toll on your sense of well-being. It can also make ADHD challenges worse. For example, problems with focus and starting tasks can increase. You may feel more overwhelmed than usual by what you need to get done. 

If you’re burned out, you might: 

Procrastinate more. Everything you’ve put off is starting to pile up. You can’t even begin to think about where to start catching up. 

Feel bitter, angry, or resentful. You might think a lot about the unfairness of your life and what a raw deal you’ve gotten.

Have trouble relating to friends and family. You might think that people close to you no longer understand you. Or that they no longer care. 

Feel anxious and overwhelmed. You may become anxious about losing your job or missing appointments, for example.

Misuse drugs or alcohol. Drinking or using drugs may seem like the only thing that makes your day feel bearable or doable. 

Feel depressed or hopeless. Depression and burnout can have similar symptoms, and it can be hard to know which you have.³ If you feel hopeless, talk to a general health care or mental health professional.

What causes ADHD burnout?

When you live with ADHD, you face all the stresses that can cause burnout in everyone. But you have the difficulties that come with ADHD on top of it.

First, you cope daily with challenges that others don’t. The extra energy and time it takes to keep organized, create work plans, and just stay on task can feel like a second job. 

Second, the ADHD brain may be more vulnerable. “Differences in brain chemicals and the way the ADHD brain is wired can make it harder to feel pleasure or stay motivated. When you can’t finish things, can’t keep a clean house, can’t feel good about accomplishments, it can eventually wear you down and make you lose trust in yourself,” says Saline. 

Third, hiding your challenges is draining. People often have to “mask” or edit their behavior so they can fit in socially and at work. 

With ADHD, you “have to work much harder at looking like everyone else,” says Understood Expert Ari Tuckman, PsyD, author of More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults With ADHD. Many people with ADHD go above and beyond what’s expected of them just to prove they’re capable. 

Other ways burnout can appear

ADHD burnout touches just about every part of your life. “As you become more exhausted, it takes that much more energy to meet the demands of your day. Your tank just gets emptier,” says Tuckman. 

Here are some ways that ADHD burnout can affect you and those around you if you don’t address it:

On the job: The quality of your work may start slipping.⁴ You may find it hard or impossible to meet deadlines or complete assignments. Your supervisors and co-workers might start asking if something is up. You could get an official warning from your boss about your performance. 

Relationships: You may feel too exhausted to put on your “mask” and interact with others. You might start avoiding social events and keep to yourself more than usual at work. You might fly off the handle and take your anger and frustration out on the people closest to you. 

Mental health: If you don’t do anything about burnout, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and other issues. (Depression and anxiety often co-occur with ADHD.)

8 tips for managing ADHD burnout

The following things can also help you start “refilling your tank” so you can get back to living your life. Of course, if you’re burned out, adding more items to your to-do list can seem daunting. But these actions are good to keep in mind or to work on with a counselor: 

1. Acknowledge that there’s a problem. 

When you’re burned out, the way you are living and doing things isn’t serving you or anybody else. “If you don’t admit this to yourself and commit to doing something about it, then nothing is going to change,” says Tuckman. 

2. Make self-care a top priority. 

Recognize that you deserve the chance to recover and heal. Cut unnecessary commitments from your schedule. Eat as healthy as you can and get as much sleep as you can. If exercise feels good to you, try to fit it in somewhere. 

3. Nourish your sense of self-worth. 

When you’re burned out, your feeling of self-worth can tumble. Try doing some simple tasks or activities that you’re good at. Success that comes naturally and easily can give you the dopamine boost you need.

4. Find small ways to bring joy into your daily life.

No need for big commitments. Grab opportunities whenever you can. Sing loudly in the car or in the shower. Get out and take a walk in the sunshine. “Lots of research indicates that if you can count three good things that happened to you at the end of the day, it can change your mindset,” says Saline. 

5. Be fierce about protecting your time and energy.

“Take a look at the demands in your life. Make a list of what’s most important. Then identify what needs to be put off or not done at all,” says Tuckman. If your friends are getting together at a time that’s difficult for you, take a pass. If helping out with the annual clothing drive is too much for you this year, say so.

6. Leave extra time for tasks.

When you’re physically exhausted and unable to focus, it can take even longer to get things done. Scrambling, and possibly failing, to meet expectations will only make you feel worse. Try to build in extra time, but don’t beat yourself up if that doesn’t happen. Trouble planning and managing time are part of ADHD.

7. Reach out to your care provider.

The person who treats your ADHD may be able to help with ADHD burnout. If you’re on ADHD medication, your prescriber can determine if your medication is working as well as it should be or if changes are needed. 

8. Consider therapy.

Even short-term treatment can help you learn to manage your stress, anxiety, and feelings of insecurity. A therapist who specializes in ADHD may also help you create and use strategies to help with ADHD challenges.

Preventing burnout

Good symptom management is key if you want to avoid ADHD burnout. If you aren’t currently being treated, consider finding a professional who can help you with a care plan. That person might be a:

• General health care professional

• Clinical psychologist

• Psychiatrist

• Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner

• Advanced practice registered nurse

Beyond that, “the strategies that help you prevent burnout are basically the same as those that help you recover from it,” says Tuckman. 

“Take care of yourself and recognize when you are chronically putting out more than you are taking in,” he adds. “It’s sound advice that applies to everybody, but it’s extra important for someone with ADHD.”

Summary

Burnout happens when you become overwhelmed by the stresses and demands in your life. You hit a point where you’re so worn out that you have nothing left in your tank and feel like you can’t function. 

ADHD burnout is different. It’s caused by the internal stress of managing and masking your ADHD symptoms. And it can put you at higher risk of burnout in general. 

Symptoms of burnout and ADHD burnout include:

• Exhaustion

• Unexplained aches and pains 

• Lack of motivation 

• Loss of confidence

• Mood swings

• Increased forgetfulness

• More difficulty than usual staying focused

• Procrastinating more than usual 

• Feeling bitter, angry, or resentful

• Feeling hopeless

• Difficulty dealing with friends and family

• Misusing drugs or other substances

If you have burnout, or if you think you’re headed that way, reach out to the person who treats your ADHD or another health care professional to find out what might help.

If you’re on ADHD medication, your prescriber can see if it’s working as well as it should be or if changes are needed. You might also want to consider therapy to learn ways to manage stress, anxiety, and feelings of insecurity.