Burnout (Neurodivergent Experience)

If you’re reading this feeling completely depleted, like you’ve hit a wall you can’t see over — you might be experiencing neurodivergent burnout. And first, let me say: this isn’t your fault, and you’re not broken.

Neurodivergent burnout is different from just having a rough week or feeling stressed. It’s like your internal battery has been drained past empty, and no amount of coffee or “pushing through” is going to fix it. This deep exhaustion builds up over months or years of:

• Masking who you really are — Constantly performing “normal” is exhausting
• Living in overwhelming environments — Sensory overload, social demands, unpredictable schedules
• Trying to fit expectations that don’t fit you — Square peg, round hole, day after day
• Suppressing your natural responses — Holding in stims, emotions, or the need for breaks

When burnout hits, it can feel like everything suddenly becomes impossible. Tasks you used to handle easily now feel insurmountable. You might lose words mid-sentence, feel emotionally numb, or find that even simple decisions overwhelm you. Your body might feel heavy, your brain foggy.

Here’s what you need to know: This isn’t laziness or weakness. You haven’t failed at life. You’ve been carrying an invisible load that would exhaust anyone. Your nervous system is basically saying “We need to stop and recharge — now.”

Recovery isn’t about “bouncing back” or returning to how things were. It’s about learning to recognise your limits, build in the support you actually need, and maybe — just maybe — stop trying to be someone you’re not.

You deserve rest. You deserve accommodation. You deserve a life that doesn’t require you to exhaust yourself just to exist in it.