ADHD Burnout: Cycle, Symptoms, and Causes

Imagine trying to drive a car with an empty fuel tank. Even a simple five-minute drive down a straight road becomes impossible. This captures the reality of what it’s like to live with ADHD burnout.

ADHD burnout happens when you become overwhelmed mentally, emotionally, or physically. When this occurs, you run out of fuel to complete even the simplest everyday things.

It’s crucial to understand that ADHD burnout is not a sign of laziness, irresponsibility, or lack of effort. It’s a genuine issue that many ADHDers face, especially when they have to juggle many commitments and expectations.

While this experience is frustrating, it can be a good reminder that it’s time to recalibrate and re-strategize.

The good news is that you can manage adult ADHD through various approaches. When you find sustainable ways to manage your symptoms, ADHD burnout will no longer be a barrier between you and your goals.

What Is ADHD Burnout?

ADHD burnout is the exhaustion that stems from coping with ADHD symptoms. It can leave you feeling drained, frustrated, and demotivated. Because of this, simple tasks, like cooking, cleaning, or responding to emails, feel impossible to carry out.

ADHD burnout isn’t an official medical condition or a recognized symptom of ADHD. However, this term is often used to describe what many adults experience when trying to manage their daily responsibilities while coping with their ADHD symptoms.

ADHD Burnout Symptoms

ADHD burnout can look different from one person to another.

That said, there are telltale signs you can look out for that might suggest that it’s affecting you or your loved ones.

Here are some mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of ADHD burnout:

• Low motivation
• Constant exhaustion
• Greater irritability
• Low productivity
• Easily overwhelmed
• Frequent mood swings
• High emotional sensitivity
• Feelings of sadness
• Greater difficulty staying focused
• Low self-esteem and confidence
• Feelings of anger, bitterness, or resentment
• Emotional detachment
• Increased procrastination
• Substance misuse
• Feelings of pessimism and negativity
• Withdrawal from friends and family

The following are physical symptoms of ADHD burnout:

• Stomach aches or digestive issues
• Changes in appetite and sleep patterns
• Headaches
• Muscle tension and body aches
• Poorer immunity and more frequent illness

There are also ADHD workplace burnout symptoms, and these include:^[1]

• Poorer performance at work
• Lower job satisfaction
• More absent days from work without justified reasons
• Increased professional mistakes

ADHD burnout symptoms can mimic depression. It can be tricky to differentiate them, especially since it’s pretty common for ADHD and depression to co-occur.

One way to tell the two apart is to reflect on which areas of your life are affected by these symptoms. Burnout is usually situation-specific. However, depression tends to trickle into all facets of life, including your work, social life, and daily activities.^[2]

Of course, your healthcare professional can best assess your condition and recommend a management plan. So, it’s always best to seek professional advice if you’re unsure.

The ADHD Burnout Cycle

The ADHD burnout cycle refers to a recurring pattern of stress, reduced motivation, and procrastination.

Here are the stages of the ADHD burnout cycle:

1. Feeling motivated and excited: When you first begin a new task or activity, you’ll have a high level of commitment and interest.
2. Navigating ADHD symptoms: As you start working on it, your ADHD symptoms may interfere with your progress and goals. For instance, poor focus, high distractibility, and the tendency to make careless mistakes are common ADHD symptoms that disrupt your day-to-day activities.^[3]
3. Getting stressed and overwhelmed: Because of your symptoms, you may start to lose motivation and experience ADHD paralysis. You may also begin to wonder whether you can complete the task.
4. Using unhelpful coping mechanisms: Many ADHDers who burn out rely on unhealthy methods of dealing with stress. You may avoid the task, procrastinate, overwork, or even neglect your health and sleep. As a result, you could become too exhausted to work on your task.
5. Feeling stuck or guilty: At this point, you might start feeling guilty and losing confidence in yourself. Your mind and body may also be forced to rest and recuperate. After a while, you might feel obliged or motivated to kickstart a new project. This cycle then repeats.

Breaking out of the ADHD burnout cycle is tricky. But it boils down to developing a plan, organizing your time, and building structure into your daily life.

What Causes ADHD Burnout?

Research suggests that there’s a link between ADHD and burnout.^[4] This proves that it’s not “just in your head.”

ADHD burnout usually happens due to unmanaged or untreated adult ADHD.

Of course, it’s still possible for individuals undergoing treatment to experience burnout. That’s because other factors can also contribute, including the following.

Emotional Overload and Mental Fatigue

Based on research, adults with ADHD may rely more on non-helpful strategies in managing their emotions.^[5] For example, they may blame themselves and others or catastrophize the situation.

Thus, they might quickly become overloaded by negative feelings, which leads to burnout.

Constant Strain on Executive Function

Executive dysfunction refers to symptoms that occur when a person’s ability to regulate their emotions, thinking, and actions is affected.

ADHD can impact a person’s executive function. This leads to symptoms like being impulsive, having low motivation, and struggling to focus, plan, or prioritize.

As a result, ADHDers may constantly encounter roadblocks when carrying out their tasks and duties.

Lack of Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Without healthy strategies to adapt, the stress of juggling ADHD together with different commitments and responsibilities can cause a person to spiral quickly into burnout.

Some people may turn to unhealthy ways to cope with the frustration. Examples include overworking, procrastination, task avoidance, and substance misuse. Some may even over-plan and overanalyze each situation, which can cause decision paralysis and burnout.

Difficulty Balancing Work and Personal Life

To many ADHDers, work-life balance seems like a myth. The only way to achieve their goals and success is to work twice as hard as their peers.

This is why it can be difficult to draw the line to maintain a balance between work, self-care, rest, and doing activities they enjoy. Without these healthy boundaries, it can be easy to overstrain themselves and burn out.

Limited Support of ADHD Symptoms

Navigating ADHD is challenging to navigate alone. Without a treatment plan, therapy, supportive 

community, or understanding of your condition and ADHD symptoms, you’ll have to rely on willpower alone to get the ball rolling in your day-to-day. Unfortunately, this isn’t sustainable in the long run.

The good news is that ADHD isn’t a journey you have to walk alone. While it can be understandably daunting to seek help, it’s readily available whenever you want to take the next step.

Ways to Recover from Burnout

To effectively recover from burnout, it’s important to reflect on the most likely causes.

Do you find it hard to get the ball rolling because you don’t have proper plans or goals? Perhaps you tend to mask your ADHD symptoms by overworking.

Start by pinpointing the likely root causes. Then, you can start exploring ways to help your mind and body rest and recover without neglecting your responsibilities.

These include:

Establishing a Healthy Routine

A routine can bring much-needed structure and organization to your day. Having some structure in place might help reduce feelings of anxiety or nervousness.

Creating an effective routine doesn’t mean mapping every to-do item into a rigid time slot. That can be hard to follow if you have ADHD.

Instead, create a simple routine with 3-5 essential tasks and time for breaks or rests. You can write it down, print it, and place it somewhere visible—like on your desk, mirror, or fridge.

Building a Strong Support System

Having friends, family, or a community come alongside you during challenging times can make all the difference.

A support system helps you find strength and comfort when you need it most. It enables you to overcome isolation and loneliness, makes you feel seen and understood, and even boosts your self-esteem.

Here are a few ways you can start nurturing a support system:

• Open up about your ADHD to people you trust
• Find community groups with a similar interest
• Join an ADHD support group
• Be ready to extend help, support, or encouragement to your friends and family

Implementing Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction Techniques

Mindfulness is the practice of directing your attention to the present moment without any judgmental thoughts. This technique helps you engage with the current moment without fretting about the future or being caught up with the past. This research-backed practice can aid in relieving stress and anxiety.^[6]

You can start this in your daily life through mindfulness meditation. Find time during the day to sit in a quiet spot alone and pay attention to your breathing. Each time your mind wanders, practice gently bringing it back to focus on your breathing.

Some other stress-reduction methods include yoga, deep breathing techniques, and exercise. It’s also crucial to make time for self-care. You can start by prioritizing your sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and allocating time for hobbies and relaxation.

Seeking Professional Help

A proper management plan is proven to be effective in helping ADHDers regain control over their symptoms.

Of course, seeking help can be difficult. Getting a trusted friend or family member to accompany you to the appointment might be helpful. You can also make notes of your symptoms and experiences so you feel more confident when speaking to your doctor.

It’s never too late to get diagnosed with ADHD, even as an adult. With the right diagnosis, your doctor can recommend therapy or medications to help you cope better with your symptoms and overcome burnout.

Overcoming ADHD Burnout With Self-Compassion

Burnout is a strong indicator that you’ve been pushing yourself too hard. While it’s frustrating when you can’t achieve your goals, it’s also important to realize that this does not and will not define your future.

Resting, recovering, and seeking support might seem counter-productive, but your mind and body need it. By showing yourself this compassion and seeking help, you’ll only bounce back with more energy, focus, and clarity to achieve your goals!

Having the right resources to navigate your symptoms and burnout can also help tilt the odds in your favor. ADDA+ is a community where you can learn about ADHD and strategies to manage its symptoms while connecting with people on a similar journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does ADHD Burnout Feel Like?

ADHD burnout can feel like being trapped in a cycle of anxiety, exhaustion, and stress. You may feel mentally and physically drained, making it hard to gather the energy or motivation to do anything. Even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming.

How Long Does ADHD Burnout Last?

ADHD burnout may last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks or even months. Without proper support or intervention, ADHD burnout can persist and interfere with your motivation and productivity.

How Can I Avoid ADHD Burnout?

One effective way to tackle ADHD burnout is to get treatment or therapy for your ADHD symptoms. Other ways to avoid burnout include practicing self-care, leaning on your support system, and building a daily routine. You can also seek professional help from a specialist or ADHD coach.

References

[1] 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), 294–314. https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2024015

[2] Koutsimani, P., Montgomery, A., & Georganta, K. (2019). The Relationship Between Burnout, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 284. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00284

[3] de la Peña, I. C., Pan, M. C., Thai, C. G., & Alisso, T. (2020). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Subtype/Presentation: Research Progress and Translational Studies. Brain sciences, 10(5), 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10050292

[4] Thiago Iamada Porto, Camélia Santina Murgo, & Pereira, A. (2024). Prevalence and Correlations Between ADHD and Burnout Dimensions in Brazilian University Students. Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto), 34. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-4327e3413

[5] Soler-Gutiérrez, A. M., Pérez-González, J. C., & Mayas, J. (2023). Evidence of emotion dysregulation as a core symptom of adult ADHD: A systematic review. PloS one, 18(1), e0280131. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280131