Signs You’re Experiencing Burnout (Neurodivergent Edition)

How can you tell if you (or someone you care for) is experiencing burnout and not just “having a bad week”? Many signs of burnout are universal, but here are some common signs with a neurodivergent twist:

• Chronic Exhaustion – not just sleepiness, but bone-deep fatigue. You might feel like your “battery” never recharges, no matter how much you rest. Autistic and ADHD burnout are marked by pervasive exhaustion that doesn’t improve even after a weekend off[14].

• Reduced Tolerance to Stimuli – things that you used to tolerate relatively well (noisy offices, social chatter, bright lights) now feel unbearable. You might find yourself wearing noise-cancelling headphones more, avoiding busy environments, or feeling instantly overwhelmed by sensory input.

• Cognitive Fog and Memory Issues – burnout hits executive function hard. You may forget appointments, lose track of tasks, or struggle to formulate thoughts. For someone with dyslexia or ADHD, it can feel like your usual strategies barely get you through the day. This executive dysfunction gets worse with burnout[15], making everyday tasks (planning meals, answering emails) feel monumental.

• Emotionally Drained and Distant – feeling emotionally numb or cynical. For example, an autistic employee who is typically diligent may start feeling “why bother?” at work and withdraw from teamwork. An ADHDer known for humour might become uncharacteristically irritable or apathetic. You could also experience more frequent anxiety or depressive feelings as your resilience is shot.

• Loss of Skills or Regression – a hallmark of autistic burnout. You might suddenly struggle with speech fluency, self-care routines, or social skills that were manageable before. This can be frightening (“What’s wrong with me?”) but it is often temporary. It’s your brain signalling it’s overwhelmed. In ADHD burnout, you might see a loss of your usual creativity or problem-solving ability – tasks you used to ace now leave you blank.

• Inability to “Mask” – if you normally hide your neurodivergent traits, burnout can make masking nearly impossible[16]. You might start stimming more openly, have more visible anxiety, or simply cannot force yourself to socialise or behave in a neurotypically “appropriate” way. Interestingly, many adults report that severe burnout was when they finally realised they were neurodivergent, because their coping masks fell off and their true needs became obvious.

• Physical Symptoms – chronic stress often manifests in the body. You may have frequent headaches, gastrointestinal issues, or random aches and pains[3]. Burnout can also disrupt sleep – either you can’t sleep (insomnia) because you’re so stressed, or you sleep far more than usual and still wake up tired.

  
  

If several of these signs resonate with you persistently (not just on an occasional rough day) and you feel emotionally overloaded[17][18], you could very well be experiencing burnout. It’s time to take it seriously. Remember: you’re not alone and you’re not “broken.” Burnout is a common response when demands exceed your capacity and support. The good news is that it can be addressed with the right steps.