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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition affecting approximately 84 million people worldwide. When ADHD remains undiagnosed or when unhealthy coping mechanisms are developed, individuals may suffer from ADHD burnout - a specific kind of burnout that stems from the prolonged stress related to managing ADHD symptoms.

As such, what is ADHD burnout exactly? In this article, we'll explain everything about its symptoms, causes, and solutions - from prioritizing tasks, creating a routine, and practicing neurofeedback to seeking professional help.

Key Takeaways

• ADHD burnout is different from typical burnout because it is caused by the chronic stress associated with managing ADHD symptoms. It can have multiple triggers, including the lack of healthy coping mechanisms and a routine, poor work-life balance, a limited support system, as well as overcommitment, perfectionism, ADHD masking, and avoidant behaviors.

• Common symptoms include persistent low motivation, irritability, mood swings, lack of attention, a strong feeling of being overwhelmed, and physical exhaustion.

• Effective management of ADHD burnout requires a dual approach to addressing ADHD symptoms and implementing strategies like creating routines, setting realistic goals, and practicing self-care.

• Neurofeedback can potentially help individuals with ADHD burnout improve their stress response, enhance their ability to regulate emotions, and train their brain to stay focused and organized.

What Is ADHD Burnout?

So, what is ADHD burnout? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) burnout refers to the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that stems from the chronic stress associated with managing ADHD symptoms and trying to achieve personal, academic, and work goals. For example, always trying to focus on remembering things, staying on task, and sitting still for too long can, over time, lead to ADHD burnout because these activities are physically and emotionally draining for people with ADHD.

As such, ADHD burnout is slightly different than typical burnout, which is usually caused by overwork or prolonged exposure to stress. Nonetheless, the symptoms of ADHD burnout and typical burnout are similar. They can also mimic depression symptoms, which is why people feel irritable, demotivated, hopeless, or apathetic.

ADHD burnout can negatively affect quality of life, so its management requires a comprehensive approach with solutions that need to be applied long-term. Therefore, recovery from ADHD burnout usually implies a dual approach: addressing the unmanaged ADHD symptoms and implementing strategies to alleviate the burnout itself and prevent it.

Common Symptoms of ADHD Burnout

Here are the most common ADHD burnout symptoms:

• Low motivation; even routine tasks are too much

• Mental and physical exhaustion that doesn’t ease with rest

• Irritability

• Frequent mood swings

• High emotional sensitivity

• Emotional detachment

• Sadness and negativity

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Low productivity

• Low self-confidence

• Anger toward responsibilities and obligations

• Procrastination

• Physical symptoms associated with stress like headaches, muscle tension, changes in appetite, and poor sleep

The physical symptoms, coupled with the emotional turmoil, create a vicious cycle that exacerbates the burnout.

ADHD Burnout Symptoms vs Depression Symptoms

ADHD burnout symptoms are similar to depression symptoms, which is why it's extremely important to differentiate them. Here are some distinguishing factors:

• Depression is often generalized, affecting all areas of life. ADHD burnout symptoms can be situation-specific (e.g. work, school, or home responsibilities).

• Depression is primarily linked to feelings of sadness and hopelessness, while ADHD burnout is usually linked to symptoms of chronic stress associated with focus and task demands. Therefore, people with ADHD burnout may feel sad or hopeless but only in regard to specific tasks.

If you're unsure whether you're suffering from ADHD burnout or depression, it's important to seek professional help.

Causes of ADHD Burnout

Below, you'll find several factors that can trigger ADHD burnout. However, bear in mind that ADHD burnout is usually associated with an entire bouquet of triggers, which is why it requires a more comprehensive approach to alleviate its symptoms. For example, overcommitment is closely linked to perfectionism, which, in turn, is linked to poor work-life balance, and so on.

Overcommitment

Overcommitment is a common pitfall for individuals with ADHD. The tendency to take on too much, often driven by a desire to please others or prove oneself, can lead to feeling overwhelmed. This can result in increased stress levels, contributing significantly to ADHD burnout.

As such, learn to say no to others and yes to yourself! Find your limits and stick to them. Try to be self-compassionate when you can't complete a task or achieve a specific goal.

Perfectionism and Unrealistic Expectations

As mentioned above, people often take on too many tasks - this is a response to their fear of rejection, and perfectionism stems from the similar feelings. In fact, perfectionism is one of the most common cognitive distortions for individuals with ADHD. It is highly likely that these individuals have often been the target of excessive criticism throughout their lives, which prompted them to develop coping mechanisms like perfectionism.

Without a doubt, striving to be perfect and setting unrealistic expectations can be an incredibly difficult process for people with ADHD, given the symptoms associated with this disorder.

As such, when individuals fail to meet their own unrealistic standards, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy, harsh self-judgement, and emotional dysregulation. This relentless pursuit of perfection often results in extreme exhaustion and negative feelings.

Lack of Routine and Poor Time Management

The lack of routine and poor time management can further be linked with the other two factors mentioned above, but they can also be standalone triggers for ADHD burnout.

People with ADHD are often bored with routines because they are always on the lookout for novelty and spontaneity, which is also associated with poor time management. Although the lack of a routine may seem pleasing at first, it can only make things worse over time, leading to ADHD burnout.

Limited Coping Mechanisms and Stress Management Skills

Many individuals with ADHD lack effective coping strategies to manage stress, which can lead to burnout.

Unhealthy coping methods, such as avoidance, perfectionism, and procrastination, exacerbate feelings of burnout and emotional exhaustion. Therefore, they need to be replaced with healthy coping mechanisms, such as improving stress response, creating new habits to build attention, focus, and organization, and learning how to manage emotions.

Poor Work-Life Balance

Striking a healthy balance between work and personal life can be particularly challenging for individuals with ADHD. The struggle to maintain boundaries and balance multiple responsibilities often leads to increased stress and burnout. Moreover, neglecting self-care and personal needs can further exacerbate feelings of burnout.

ADHD Masking and Lack of Social Support

ADHD masking is the process of concealing symptoms to blend in socially. This can be very common in individuals with undiagnosed ADHD who may be doing this unknowingly, trying to suppress their natural behaviors. For example, ADHD masking can manifest through:

• Staying calm to make everyone think you're fine when, in reality, you're feeling hyperactive, you can't focus, and your mind jumps from one thought to another.

• Concentrating too much when someone is talking so that you don't miss anything they say.

• Being overly careful about what you say and avoiding interrupting others.

• Overdoing something until you get exhausted only to prove to others you're capable and reliable.

• Hiding that you feel overwhelmed with routine tasks and responsibilities, which leads to shame and guilt.

• Suppressing stimming behaviors (self-soothing behaviors) like leg bouncing so you don't disturb others.

• Trying to adhere to social norms that are not natural for neurodivergent people - for example, people with ADHD may struggle to stay focused when someone is talking, which prompts them to move around a lot; this, in turn, makes them feel like they don't fit; or, for instance, people with ADHD who are masking their symptoms often make up reasons for being late or not being able to finish a task because, otherwise, they feel unworthy.

ADHD masking can lead to significant fatigue and stress as individuals spend considerable energy on hiding their symptoms. The pressure to mask symptoms can result in a loss of personal identity and increased emotional exhaustion.

Therefore, building a social support system is extremely important for individuals with ADHD as it can provide practical help and emotional reassurance.

Emotional Dysregulation

People with ADHD often experience deficits in controlling and regulating their emotions. For example, children with the "irritable" subtype experience higher levels of fear, anger, and sadness, while those with the "surgent" subtype are more impulsive.

As such, ADHD can affect the intensity of emotional responses to stimuli, and, without healthy coping strategies, this can lead to burnout.

Avoidance

Avoidance behaviors, such as procrastination and neglecting responsibilities, can exacerbate ADHD burnout. They can be associated with:

• Lack of motivation

• Avoiding boring tasks and focusing too much on interesting tasks

• Perfectionism and fear of meeting self-imposed high standards

• Distractibility

• Impulsive decision-making

• Poor organization and planning skills

• Poor time management skills

• Task paralysis, the inability to start a project; even the mere thought of starting a task becomes overwhelming.

The ADHD Burnout Cycle Explained

The ADHD burnout cycle refers to a specific pattern that exacerbates ADHD symptoms. It includes the following stages:

1. Feeling excited and committed to the task. You feel excited about a project and willing to start working on it.

2. ADHD symptoms resurface. Once you start working on that project, ADHD symptoms resurface. You start feeling distracted, can't manage your time and tasks, and can't focus.

3. Becoming stressed and overwhelmed. As these symptoms resurface, you start feeling overwhelmed, cannot complete tasks in time, and may even start questioning your ability to finish the project.

4. Implementing unhealthy coping behaviors like procrastination, self-medication, self-neglection, or isolation to deal with stress.

5. Feeling guilty and quitting. If you feel stuck and stop believing in yourself and your ability to complete the project, it's likely that you'll abandon it.

It is possible to break this ADHD burnout cycle to avoid reaching the last step, but it can only be done with a well-outlined plan that needs to be implemented long-term. It does sound difficult but it's certainly not impossible!

Managing ADHD Burnout

Managing ADHD burnout involves a combination of strategies to address both ADHD symptoms and the burnout itself. Below, you'll find some solutions that can help you manage symptoms more effectively.

1. Train Your Brain with Neurofeedback

Did you know you can train your brain just like you train your body? You can train your focus abilities, improve your emotion regulation skills, and even learn how to manage stressful situations better - all of these are core abilities for people with ADHD to both manage and prevent burnout symptoms. And that's where neurofeedback comes in.

Neurofeedback is a brain training technique that teaches you how to achieve desired states through real-time feedback. It can be done at a clinic, where you'll have electrodes placed on your scalp while watching a movie or playing a game. Those electrodes register brain wave activity (which indicates, for example, how focused or stressed you are) and translate it into real-time feedback you'll either see on a screen or hear it. By observing how you react to different stimuli, you can train your brain to change these reactions for the better.

Mendi Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback can also be done at home using various consumer-grade devices (keep in mind that they're not medical devices and should not substitute medical advice and treatment!). The Mendi headband, for example, uses functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) which measures blood flow and oxygenation in your prefrontal cortex - basically the part of your brain responsible for critical functions like focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation. This information helps the device assess your level of concentration, transmitting the data to our app, which provides real-time feedback to optimize your training.

By engaging with the Mendi app's interactive game while wearing the headband, you can train key skills such as focus, concentration, emotional regulation, and stress management. These benefits can be particularly valuable for individuals with ADHD. However, we recommend consulting your doctor to ensure that Mendi aligns with your specific needs and symptoms.

2. Establish Realistic Goals

This step is extremely important for ADHD burnout recovery! Take some time to acknowledge your limits - as much as we'd want to, we're not superhumans, and it is completely fine to set boundaries.

Therefore, breaking long-term goals into short-term, easily achievable goals can make a big difference in the way you manage your time, organize your tasks, and feel about yourself. Completing easier tasks and achieving small goals increases your sense of self-worth and reduces feelings of frustration, irritability, and resentment towards responsibilities.

For example, at the beginning of each day, create a to-do list for that particular day that includes 3 to 5 important tasks. Once you finish them, you're free! Try to avoid working on additional tasks and use the free time for self-care activities - read a book, take a bath, go for a walk, or do anything else that helps you relax. This can also be a reward for completing all the tasks for the day.

While completing 3-5 tasks a day probably sounds incredibly not enough for the ADHD brain, it helps manage and prevent ADHD burnout symptoms. Over time, you may notice that by focusing on fewer tasks a day, you can be more productive on a weekly/monthly basis even though, in the present moment, you may feel like you're not doing enough.

3. Create a Routine

Even the word routine makes the ADHD brain feel somewhat resentful, right? Instead, it seeks novelty, creativity, and impulsivity! This does indeed sound more interesting, but living without a routine will, over time, lead to ADHD burnout.

While individuals with ADHD may struggle with a routine at first, they'll probably notice soon enough that they can get more things done this way. Therefore, a consistent routine can significantly reduce stress and enhance daily functioning. It can also help people manage transitions better, reduce sensory overload, and feel like they're in control.

Plus, it's important to take regular breaks (we'll discuss more about this below!), align the routine with personal energy levels, and use the free time doing something enjoyable.

4. Adopt Healthy Habits

Consider adopting healthy habits like:

• Getting enough sleep

• Eating healthily

• Exercising regularly

• Practicing mindfulness

• Practicing relaxation techniques

• Setting healthy boundaries in relationships

• Outsourcing tasks

These can help you manage ADHD symptoms better and prevent burnout.

5. Practice Self-Care

Prioritizing self-care is essential for anyone, even more so for individuals with ADHD. They tend to neglect their well-being while taking on too many responsibilities and setting unrealistic goals. Therefore, including some self-care activities in your routine can make a huge difference in how you feel. Here are some strategies to consider:

• Engage in restorative sensory activities such as taking a walk.

• Take breaks when you feel overwhelmed.

• Try to avoid masking your symptoms. Spend time with people who make you feel safe to be your true self and offer emotional reassurance. Building a strong support system can be extremely helpful for managing ADHD burnout because it allows you to be open about your personality.

• Allocate time for physical self-care activities like skin/beard care, taking long, relaxing showers/baths, booking a relaxing massage session, or scheduling regular manicure/haircut appointments.

• Move your body! Dance, do some yoga, practice aerobic exercises, ride a bicycle, or engage in any other physical activity that brings you joy!

• Practice mindfulness, meditation, or breathing exercises.

6. Take Regular Breaks

While people with ADHD struggle to focus sometimes, other times they hyperfocus - for hours and even days! And they forget to take breaks because... why would they? The excitement is enough to fuel that focus!

However, as productive as it may seem at first, it is in fact, counterproductive because it slowly builds up the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that makes individuals more likely to experience ADHD burnout.

You may struggle at first to relax during your breaks because your mind will keep returning to the task you've been working on, but you'll soon notice how beneficial it can be.

7. Use Time Management and Organization Tools

Use every tool you can get your hands on! Some may not work for you - don't be disappointed. There's definitely an app or a website you'll find useful. They'll help you stick to your routine, take those regular breaks we've discussed above, and accomplish your daily/weekly/monthly goals.

There are also various apps designed precisely for individuals with ADHD that can help them adhere to structured daily routines and organize their tasks more efficiently.

8. Seek Professional Help

If you feel you can't manage your ADHD burnout by yourself, it is essential to seek professional help.

Mental health professionals can provide valuable tools and coping strategies tailored to your specific needs such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or medication management.

Final Thoughts...

Living with ADHD can be quite challenging but with the right tools and plenty of self-love, individuals can lead fulfilling lives! By understanding the symptoms and causes of ADHD burnout, you can take proactive steps to manage and prevent it. From setting realistic goals and creating a routine to practicing self-care and seeking professional help - each strategy plays a crucial role in recovery and prevention.

If you want to try neurofeedback to improve your emotion regulation skills, increase focus, or cope with stress better, you can get your own Mendi today! It uses advanced, evidence-backed neurofeedback technology to train your prefrontal cortex - the CEO of your executive function.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ADHD burnout feel like?

ADHD burnout feels like being trapped in a constant state of exhaustion, stress, and anxiety. It manifests as persistent low motivation, mental and physical fatigue, irritability, mood swings, low energy, and a strong sense of overwhelm. It can even cause physical symptoms like headaches, digestive issues, and altered sleep patterns.

How to recover quickly from ADHD burnout?

To recover quickly from ADHD burnout, focus on self-care - rest and sleep well, exercise, eat healthily, seek support from your family and friends, and set realistic boundaries and expectations. You can also seek professional help in the form of therapy or neurofeedback, which can teach you how to manage stress and address the root causes of your ADHD burnout.

What is an ADHD crash?

An ADHD crash is also called "ADHD mental paralysis" and occurs when a person experiences sensory overload or feels overwhelmed with emotions or information.

What causes ADHD burnout?

ADHD burnout is primarily caused by overcommitment and perfectionism, alongside factors like poor time management and emotional dysregulation. Addressing these issues can help mitigate burnout and improve overall well-being.

How can neurofeedback help with ADHD burnout?

Neurofeedback can help with ADHD burnout by assisting an individual improve their stress response and resilience, enhance their emotion regulation abilities, and train their ability to focus.

What are some long-term strategies to prevent ADHD burnout?

To prevent ADHD burnout, it's crucial to maintain a structured routine, engage in regular physical activity, get enough sleep, eat healthily, and utilize time management tools.