7 Signs Your Burnout Isn’t Normal—It’s Former Gifted Kid Flavor™
…and why it feels completely different from the classic "too many tasks, not enough time" kind.
Ever feel like your burnout isn’t just about being overwhelmed, but about losing yourself?
If you grew up being called “gifted,” or if your brain has always hummed at a different frequency, you probably know the feeling of carrying an invisible weight—the high expectations, relentless mental noise, and pressure to perform at levels others rarely understand. Now that you’re an adult, that weight hasn’t vanished. Instead, it often transforms into a uniquely complex burnout that looks very different from typical workplace exhaustion.
Because your giftedness is woven into your identity, emotional wiring, and how you make sense of the world, your burnout carries an added existential flavor. You are neurocomplex—a dynamic blend of brilliance, sensitivity, curiosity, and intense inner conflict. When unsupported or under-resourced, this complexity can resemble ADHD or autism, adding layers that standard burnout models often miss.
Here’s a deeper look at how your burnout manifests—and why it feels so uniquely overwhelming.