Understanding ADHD Burnout
Why Am I So Tired All the Time? ADHD Burnout Is Not Laziness
Explore the complexities of ADHD burnout and discover why it’s more than just fatigue. Learn how to recognize the signs and find compassionate support tailored to your needs.
“I Thought I Was Just Lazy…”
For years, I believed that if I just tried harder, I wouldn’t be so exhausted.
That if I got the right planner, the right mindset, the right system, I’d finally feel like everyone else.
But the truth is: I wasn’t lazy.
I was burnt out.
From years of masking.
From trying to keep up with a world that wasn’t built for my brain.
From saying yes when I meant no.
And from constantly battling a voice in my head that whispered, “You should be doing more.”
ADHD Burnout Isn’t About Doing Too Much, It’s About Managing Too Much
Every decision, every thought, every unread message, it all adds up.
For ADHD women, especially, burnout doesn’t look like collapse.
It looks like holding it all together until you absolutely can’t anymore.
You’re the helper, the doer, the fixer.
And no one sees how hard you’re trying, because you’ve become too good at hiding it.
Recognizing ADHD Burnout
How Burnout Shows Up for ADHD Brains
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You wake up tired, even after sleep
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You avoid small tasks like emails or laundry
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You cry over things that “shouldn’t” matter
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You lose interest in things you usually enjoy
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You swing between hyperfocus and paralysis
Sound familiar?
This is ADHD burnout, not weakness.
Not a character flaw.
And definitely not laziness.
The Unique Burden on ADHD Women
Why ADHD Women Are Especially Prone to Burnout
Many of us were never taught how to rest.
We were taught to be helpful.
To be polite.
To be productive.
To perform.
And so we mask, we hustle, we manage.
Until our nervous systems can no longer keep up.
Burnout in ADHD women is often misdiagnosed as depression.
Or waved off as “busy mum syndrome.”
But beneath it is a brain working overtime… and a body begging for rest.
Healing from ADHD Burnout
What Helped Me Heal (and What I Share with Clients)
When I finally got my ADHD diagnosis, everything shifted.
I stopped chasing perfection and started listening to my body.
Here’s what helped me, and what I teach the women I work with now:
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Body-first recovery: Movement, rest, nourishment before productivity
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Dopamine without burnout: Joy over achievement (music, nature, connection)
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Self-talk: Replacing “lazy” with “tired” changed everything
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Visual tools: Charts, timers, voice notes to reduce decision fatigue
Burnout doesn’t just need a nap. It needs a whole new rhythm.
Finding Peace in Rest
You Deserve to Rest Without Guilt
Read that again.
You don’t need to earn your rest.
You don’t have to prove you’re productive enough to deserve softness.
Therapy can help you rebuild your nervous system, not just your to-do list.
It can help you feel seen.
Valued.
Understood.
Especially when you’re too tired to explain why.
Becky Stone
I’m Becky Stone, an ADHD and eating disorder therapist based in Canterbury. I work online with women and teens across the UK. I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia in adulthood, after years of people-pleasing, burnout, and confusion.
Now, I help neurodivergent women rebuild self-worth, set boundaries, and feel safe in their own brains, without shame.
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