ADHD Burnout: Signs, Causes & How to Cope

What Is ADHD Burnout?

ADHD burnout is a state of chronic exhaustion that can develop in people who struggle with active symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Focusing and sitting still for long periods of time, remembering things, and staying on-task are some examples of things that are very difficult for someone with ADHD.^1,2,3 Over time, the difficulties related to these symptoms can cause burnout.³

ADHD burnout often involves a general worsening of a person’s mental health, including their ADHD symptoms. ADHD burnout can also mimic depression, causing people to become more sad, irritable, or apathetic. This can create a cycle where people get behind on work because they are feeling depressed, which creates more stress and worsens their burnout, making it harder to catch up.

Common ADHD burnout symptoms include:^3,4,5

• Feeling overwhelmed, wanting to run away/escape
• Lower productivity & poorer performance at work or school
• Feeling drained or fatigued due to ADHD most of the time
• Difficulty thinking clearly and solving problems, experiencing increased ADHD paralysis
• Lowered confidence in yourself or your ability to get things done
• Lower self-esteem, feeling incompetent or lazy due to ADHD
• Lack of motivation and drive
• Feeling angry or resentful towards people who ask for/need things from you
• More irritability and ADHD-induced mood swings
• Procrastinating more or avoiding more people, obligations, or tasks
• Taking more time than normal to complete basic tasks
• Changes in your appetite, sleep, or substance use
• Emotional detachment, emotional numbness, or apathy
• Physical health problems caused by stress, more aches/pains

The ADHD Burnout Cycle

Like all forms of burnout, ADHD burnout tends to follow a cyclical pattern. The cycle begins with some form of commitment to complete a task that requires a person to be productive. When ADHD symptoms interfere with their ability to follow through, they begin to feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and exhausted, which signals the next stage in the burnout cycle.^3,4,6

The cycle continues when people turn to avoidance coping, procrastination, or self-medication to lower their stress. In this stage, they give up on the tasks they need to do and might isolate themselves from other people to feel less stressed.³ After some time has passed, they start to feel better and begin the cycle again by over-committing themselves.

What Causes ADHD Burnout?

Unmanaged symptoms of ADHD are the primary cause of ADHD burnout, but there are other factors that play a role. External stress related to work deadlines or tasks that require sustained concentration are common triggers.^3,4 Unhealthy coping skills like avoidance, abuse of ADHD medication, or social withdrawal are other contributing factors for ADHD burnout.^3,5

Potential causes of ADHD burnout include:

Heavy Workload & Tight Deadlines

The inability to focus, stay on task, and prioritize are some of the symptoms of ADHD that interfere the most with a person’s ability to be productive.^1,2,3,5 These make basic tasks like writing, memorizing information, and reading harder for people with ADHD. This can become especially problematic for someone with ADHD when their workload is heavy or when they have a lot of upcoming deadlines. During these times, they’re more likely to become overwhelmed and experience symptoms of ADHD burnout.

Unmanaged ADHD Symptoms

Unmanaged, the symptoms of ADHD can make it very difficult to focus, sit still, and complete tasks on time. The symptoms of ADHD can be managed with professional treatments like medication and therapy, and some people with the condition have learned ways to manage their ADHD naturally by making changes to their routines and work habits. Regardless of whether people with ADHD opt for pharmaceuticals or lifestyle changes, consistency is key to managing ADHD symptoms and reducing the risk of burnout.^1,3,4,6

Overcommitting & Other People-Pleasing Tendencies

In some cases, ADHD burnout can be caused by a repeated tendency to over-commit. Taking on too many responsibilities and tasks is a common pitfall of people with ADHD, who tend to have a lot of energy, motivation, and optimism about how much they can do. Unfortunately, they may not be realistic with themselves or others about how much they can do or how quickly they can accomplish their goals. These tendencies can be a set-up for failure and ADHD burnout.³

ADHD Masking

ADHD masking is when a person attempts to mask or hide their symptoms from others by trying to seem neurotypical. They might not be honest with their employer, coworkers, or others about their ADHD symptoms or how they impact their performance. This usually creates more stress and pressure for them, which can heighten their risk for ADHD burnout.

Procrastination & Avoidance

When people feel overwhelmed, it’s natural to want to put off or avoid tasks that feel stressful or difficult. Because ADHD procrastination is a form of impulsivity (which is also a symptom of ADHD), people with ADHD are especially prone to using this avoidance coping mechanism.^1,5,7 Unfortunately, doing so usually worsens their stress by creating a backlog of tasks and, in this way, makes them more likely to experience ADHD burnout.

Perfectionistic Tendencies

Perfectionism and ADHD often go hand-in-hand and is another possible trigger or cause of ADHD burnout. The compulsion to do things ‘just right’ or ‘perfectly’ creates more pressure and stress. Perfectionist tendencies can also make tasks much more time-consuming, causing people to fall behind on their work. For all these reasons, people who have ADHD and also struggle with perfectionism may be more vulnerable to ADHD burnout.

Poor Prioritization & Time Management

People with ADHD often struggle with impulsivity, which can cause them to prioritize the wrong kinds of tasks or put off things they need to do now.^1,7 Executive dysfunction is a key symptom of ADHD, in which prioritization and time management are difficult.² Poor executive functioning can lead people with ADHD to make bad decisions about how they use their time and can cause more stress and burnout over time as the consequences of their choices catch up with them.^3,4

Lack of Social Support

People with ADHD often need more support in the workplace to be successful. ADHD is a disability, and many people with ADHD have accommodations through an IEP at school or through the ADA at work that gives them more time to get things done. Even having a supportive partner, coworker, or boss can help someone with ADHD stay on top of their schedule, upcoming deadlines, and other important details. Without these supports, people with ADHD are more likely to experience high stress and ADHD burnout.^2,3

Lack of Structure & Routine

A lack of structure and routine can also increase the risk of ADHD burnout. People with ADHD often need more structured routines and schedules to stay on track and also might need to rely on calendar reminders and alarms to be on time. Without these structured routines and habits, they may be less productive and more susceptible to the negative impacts of their ADHD symptoms, including burnout.^3,5

Poor Work Habits

Poor work habits or a lack of work-life balance can also be a major contributing factor to ADHD burnout. People with ADHD often rely on good work habits to be productive and to get things done correctly and on time. For example, having devices on when working, starting work late, or forgetting to make a to-do list can throw off someone with ADHD, which may mean they neglect tasks they need to complete.^2,4,5,6 When these poor work habits become too frequent, stress can build up, increasing the risk of ADHD burnout.

How to Recover From ADHD Burnout

Once a person is in the cycle of ADHD burnout, it can be very difficult to exit, so preventing burnout is the best strategy. Still, it is possible to break the cycle, even after it is underway. This can require professional treatments like medication and therapy, as well as developing coping skills to manage ADHD.^1,2,5

Here are ten tips for how to achieve ADHD burnout recovery:

1. Get Your ADHD Under Control

The first and most important step to combatting ADHD burnout is to get your symptoms under control with the help of therapists and psychiatrists who specialize in treating adult ADHD. They can help you learn more about treatment options for ADHD, including ADHD medication, therapy, and even self-help tips you can try. ADHD burnout is much less likely to become a problem when your symptoms are well managed, so finding what works for you should be a top priority.^2,3,4

2. Set Realistic Expectations for Yourself

Many people living with ADHD struggle to set realistic expectations about how much they can get done in a day. Unrealistic expectations can make you become self-critical, frustrated, and burned out, which is why it’s a good idea to reality-check your expectations.^3,4

Look back at your to-do list or the things you planned or hoped to accomplish in the past few days, and then consider how many of these you were able to accomplish. Use this exercise to determine whether your expectations and the to-do list are achievable, and if not, make the needed adjustments.

Free ADHD Focus Plan Worksheet

A focus plan can help someone with ADHD estimate the time it will take to complete a task and plan out small steps to accomplish the larger goal.

Download

3. Focus on Staying Organized

It can be difficult to stay organized when your ADHD symptoms are out of control, but organization is crucial to stopping procrastination and avoidance coping. Being organized will also calm your mind and help you to focus. Some examples of ways to stay organized include making a to-do list, setting reminders and alarms, or using the Pomodoro technique for ADHD to help you stay on schedule. There are also many different apps, such as EndeavorOTC and Motion, to help people with ADHD stay organized. management,  Experiment with different methods until you find what works best for you.^3,5

4. Maintain Consistent Routines & Healthy Habits

A regular schedule and routine can help counteract the chaotic nature of the ADHD mind. Consider setting up a loose daily schedule that includes a wake-up time, a rigid bedtime, and specific times for the different responsibilities and activities you want to accomplish.

By keeping your routine and schedule balanced with a mix of fun and productive activities, you will probably have an easier time adopting your new structured schedule. Also, a balanced routine will hold you accountable for making sure self-care remains a priority, which will help you prevent burnout.^3,4,6

5. Unmask Your ADHD

It takes a lot of time, effort, and energy to mask or hide your ADHD symptoms, which is why unmasking them feels so liberating. The less energy you need to spend hiding your symptoms, the more ‘bandwidth’ will be freed up to invest in other ways. This will help you be more productive while reducing stress, which are both key elements of breaking the ADHD burnout cycle.

6. Work Ahead to Be Kinder to Your Future Self

Procrastination can sometimes feel like a form of self-care or self-compassion, but its benefits tend to be very short-lived. The immediate gratification that comes from putting something off can quickly sour into a form of toxic stress that leads to burnout.

To avoid this trap, try to think ahead a little and consider, ‘How can I set my Friday self up to have a good weekend?’ By considering the wants, feelings, and needs of your future self, you’re less likely to make impulsive choices that you regret later on. This is also a great stress reduction tactic that can help you combat ADHD burnout.

7. Identify Your Priorities & Make Lists

A lot of people with ADHD struggle with prioritization. This prioritization problem tends to snowball into bigger and more stressful problems later on when you realize you’ve wasted a lot of time you needed to spend on something more important.

To avoid this, try to start your day by identifying your top priorities or goals. Next, make a to-do list that breaks these priorities down into a step-by-step process you can check off as you complete them. This strategy can help you be more productive, focused, and less distracted, which all translate into a lower risk for ADHD burnout.³

Setting SMART Goals With ADHD Worksheet

SMART Goals is a structured goal-setting method that can help individuals with ADHD to create clear, actionable objectives.

Download

8. Utilize Your Support System

Everyone needs help and support from friends, family, and coworkers, but this is especially important for people diagnosed with a mental health condition like ADHD. A good support system won’t be able to rescue you from ADHD burnout, but it can help you feel less alone in your struggle.

A good support system can even provide more practical assistance in the form of helpful reminders, guidance on how to complete a task, or even act as a body double to make mundane activities more fun.^1,3

9. Retrain Your Attention With Mindfulness Exercises

The ADHD brain struggles to focus on one thing for any length of time, which is why mindfulness for ADHD and meditation for ADHD are such powerful antidotes. Research has shown that regular mindfulness exercises reduce inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in people with ADHD.⁸ Mindfulness also has a secondary benefit in reducing stress and preventing burnout.⁹

Beginning mindfulness when you are struggling with your ADHD can be difficult, but focus on starting small, with 1-5 minutes per day. If sitting still is especially difficult, try a walking meditation or the 54321 method. Starting a daily mindfulness practice has never been easier with the advent of meditation apps, which have a library of free meditations that only take a few minutes to complete.

10. Find Flow Activities to Enjoy Hyperfocus Mode

Flow activities are activities that put you into a state of enjoyable hyperfocus, where it’s easy for you to devote your undivided attention to one task. Both flow and hyperfocus are mindsets that you can enter into that help your ADHD feel more like a strength than a weakness. Flow activities are different for each person, so it may be necessary to try different things to find what works best for you.

To find flow activities that work for you, try to think of tasks and activities that put you ‘in the zone’ and make focusing with ADHD feel effortless. Flow activities can combat burnout by helping you see and experience your ADHD more positively, training your mind to focus, and naturally reducing stress.¹⁰

How to Find Professional Support

An online therapist directory is a great way to find a licensed therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD treatment. You can filter for mental health professionals in your area who take your insurance.  If you prefer to see a therapist or psychiatrist remotely, you can use an online ADHD treatment service. We found good options in our review of ADHD Online and our Circle Medical review.

Most therapists and psychiatrists provide free consultations, where you can get a better sense of whether this is a person you get along with and want to move forward with treatment. ADHD burnout is much less likely to become a problem when your symptoms are well managed, so finding what works for you should be a top priority.^2,3,4