Part 6: Burnout and ADHD – It’s Not Just About Focus

If you live with ADHD, chances are you know burnout deeply—maybe even chronically.

You try so hard to stay on top of things: the appointments, the details, the emotions.
You feel like you’re spinning plates, and one drop can bring the whole structure down.
And no matter how much effort you give, it often feels like you’re just barely keeping up.

This isn’t a failure of willpower.
It’s what I call executive function exhaustion—and it’s one of the most common contributors to burnout for ADHDers.

Why ADHD Brains Burn Out Differently

People with ADHD often experience:

• Rejection sensitivity (feeling emotionally overwhelmed by real or perceived criticism)

• Time blindness (making it harder to pace work and rest)

• Decision fatigue (due to constant internal multitasking)

• Masking (working hard to appear “neurotypical” at work or school)

All of this creates enormous invisible labor. You’re constantly using more energy than others to meet the same demands.

Signs of Burnout in ADHD

Here’s what I see in therapy clients with ADHD burnout:

• They stop using their coping tools—not out of laziness, but because they’re depleted

• They become more impulsive or emotionally reactive

• They feel like a “failure,” even when doing their best

• They start avoiding everything—emails, tasks, even enjoyable things

Want a gentle ADHD burnout check-in? I recommend this Burnout for ADHDers explainer from ADDitude Magazine.

What Helps?

• Permission to do less: not everything needs your best energy

• Externalize support: visual planners, body doubling, alarms, rest reminders

• Practice radical kindness: meet yourself where you are, not where you “should” be

• Name the cycle: awareness can reduce shame

If you have ADHD and feel constantly on edge, it’s not because you’re broken.
It’s because your brain works differently—and deserves systems that work with it.