Part 5: When Stress Doesn’t End—The Overlap Between Burnout and Prolonged Stress Disorder

Not all stress goes away with a holiday.
Some of us live with prolonged exposure to stress, especially in caregiving, trauma-affected work, or long-term instability.

When that stress becomes chronic, it can lead to a condition that looks a lot like PTSD, even if there was no single traumatic event.

What Is Prolonged Stress Disorder?

Prolonged stress disorder (also referred to in some contexts as Complex PTSD or sustained stress response syndrome) arises from ongoing, unresolved, high-pressure situations—not just a one-time event.

It often develops when:

• You’ve lived under pressure for months or years (e.g., toxic job, family caregiving)

• Your stress response never fully shuts off

• You’re unable to access relief, rest, or support

Symptoms That Overlap with Burnout

• Emotional numbness or detachment

• Trouble concentrating

• Chronic fatigue and low motivation

• Sleep disruptions

• Feeling like “nothing helps”

• Hopelessness or loss of identity

These can also be signs of trauma, which is why burnout is sometimes misdiagnosed or untreated.

What Helps?

When burnout and prolonged stress overlap, healing usually requires more than a weekend off.
Helpful approaches include:

• Therapy (especially trauma-informed, somatic, or CBT)

• Nervous system regulation practices (breathwork, vagus nerve exercises, EMDR)

• Creating safety and control in small, daily ways: setting boundaries, saying no, changing how we work

If you feel like you’re “tired all the time” and no amount of rest helps—you’re not imagining it.
You might need recovery, not just rest.