In one minute

Many people with ADHD live in a repeating cycle: a burst of intense productivity, then a crash where even small tasks feel impossible. It is exhausting, and it is very often mistaken for laziness — including by the person experiencing it.

"ADHD burnout" is a widely used community term rather than a formal diagnosis. What sits underneath it is well recognised: chronic overcommitment, the cognitive effort of compensating, masking, poor sleep, and years of running at a deficit.

Recovery is not a weekend off. It usually means taking things out of your life, not adding better coping strategies to it.