Burnout Isn’t Just About Being Tired: Why It Happens—and How to Heal
What Is Burnout (And Why It's Not Just Stress)?
Burnout is more than being overworked or overtired—it’s a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress that your body and mind can no longer manage. It’s what happens when your internal fuel tank is bone dry and you’re still expected to keep driving.
While burnout is often linked to high-pressure jobs, it can also arise from emotional labour, caretaking roles, neurodivergent masking, and even chronic people-pleasing. You don’t have to work in emergency services to feel completely depleted.
You might be experiencing burnout if you're noticing:
Constant exhaustion—even after rest
Increased irritability or emotional numbness
Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Feeling cynical or disengaged from work or relationships
Loss of motivation or enjoyment in things that used to energise you
Physical symptoms like headaches, gut issues, or sleep disturbances
Sound familiar?
Burnout Is a Nervous System Issue, Not a Willpower Problem
One of the most misunderstood things about burnout is that people often blame themselves—thinking they’re lazy, broken, or not trying hard enough. But burnout is a nervous system shutdown, not a character flaw.
Your body is saying: "I’ve been in survival mode too long. I can’t keep pushing."
Burnout is not solved by a holiday or a day off. It requires intentional, nervous-system-based recovery, and often a re-evaluation of your values, boundaries, and the roles you’ve been taking on.
Healing from Burnout: What Actually Helps
Here are a few approaches that help my clients recover from burnout:
Nervous System Regulation:
Gentle, repeated signals of safety (like breathwork, slow movement, or co-regulation with a safe other) can help your body move out of survival mode.Values Clarification:
Burnout often arises from misalignment—doing too much of what you should do and not enough of what you actually care about. Clarifying your values gives you a compass back to energy.Boundary Work:
Learning how to say “no,” take up space, and trust your needs is central to burnout recovery—especially for those with trauma, ADHD, or anxious attachment styles.Rewriting Internal Narratives:
Many people who burn out have internalised stories like “I’m only valuable if I produce,” or “Rest is lazy.” Therapy helps you challenge these beliefs and build new, more sustainable ones.
You’re Not Failing—You’re at Capacity
If you’re reading this and thinking, "That’s me," know that you’re not broken. You’re burned out. And there’s a path forward.
Whether you’re in a demanding job, managing life transitions, living with ADHD, or navigating long-term caregiving—your exhaustion makes sense.
📩 Let’s Talk
I offer therapy for burnout recovery that’s practical, grounded, and tailored to where you're at. If you're tired of running on empty, you're not alone—and you don't have to navigate this alone either.
Click here or send me a message to explore what support might look like for you.
