It is becoming popular and “in the know” to shout that burnout is not a real thing.
That it is an overused buzz word that does not actually mean anything.
Being a professional who has not only experienced burnout
but seen it up close and very personal with many of my clients.
I can say without reservation that burnout is absolutely, biologically real and dangerous.
This rant they are having about burnout isn’t steeped in reality; it’s happening because it’s easier.
Easier than acknowledging that real and consistent life changes need to happen.
Because it’s the only way to heal it, there are no quick fixes.
And so in lieu of doing the work, they opt for saying it’s not real, not harmful.
It’s easier than confronting the consistent cortisol draining, long nights, the emotional avoidance,
The nervous system overload we’ve normalized as productivity.
Easier than knowing that this pace, this pressure, is making us sick.
It’s like the addict who jokes, “I’m no quitter.”
But it’s not funny when, like most addictions, your body is taking every blow.
And the cost is your cardiovascular health, your hormones, and your brain.
The claim that “burnout isn’t real” is not just inaccurate.
It’s dangerous.
What Burnout Actually Does to the Body
Let’s move beyond buzzwords and look at what’s happening physiologically when someone is in burnout:
Cortisol dysregulation: Chronic stress leads to persistent elevation or eventual depletion of cortisol.
Neither is benign.
Elevated cortisol contributes to:
- High blood pressure (HIBP)
- Central adiposity (especially stubborn abdominal weight)
- Blood sugar imbalance and insulin resistance
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Immune suppression
Adrenal dysfunction: This was the gift burnout left me.
Over time, the adrenal glands can become hypo-responsive, leaving the body unable to mount an appropriate response to stress.
This manifests as:
- High Blood Pressure
- Compromised Neurotransmitters
- Fatigue that doesn’t resolve with rest
- Frequent illnesses or slow recovery
- Brain fog, anxiety, and a flattened emotional affect
Neurotransmitter disruption: Burnout is often accompanied by dangerous drops or an increase in dopamine, serotonin, and GABA. This affects your brain, mental health, and sleep quality.
Inflammation: Chronic negative and unreleased stress activates inflammatory pathways. We see this in elevated CRP, joint pain, gut disturbances, and even autoimmune flares.
Burnout isn’t a vibe. It’s a biological event. And for many, it’s a slow emergency.
Why Is Dismissing Burnout So Popular?
To say burnout isn’t real is to sidestep responsibility. It avoids the self-examination that asks:
- What have I agreed to that’s costing me my health?
- Is it really healthy for my insides to be jumping like a high school band?
- Why does doing less feel unsafe?
These questions require emotional maturity and nervous system safety to answer. And many people, especially in high-performance cultures, have neither. So they deny burnout instead.
And glorify exhaustion as their personality type.
It’s not denial for lack of evidence. It’s denial because the truth demands change.
Burnout Isn’t a “Spiritual Awakening.” It’s a Physical Red Flag
Another narrative gaining traction, particularly in circles where bypassing is dressed up as intuition, is that burnout is some kind of sacred initiation.
A divine invitation to your “next level.”
That framing may sound hopeful. Even brought tears of relief. Don’t confuse an emotional response with truth and reality.
Oftentimes, these philosophies give us chills, and we feel it deep, and at the very same time, they are misleading and harmful.
Because burnout is not an awakening. It’s a breakdown. It may start as your soul whispering, but it will end with your biology screaming.
Yes, discomfort can lead to transformation. But burnout is not a metaphor. It’s not there to uplift or teach. It’s there to warn. And it doesn’t just live in your emotions. It lives in your organs, your vascular system, your hormones, your gut, your skin, and your brain.
That’s not spiritual. That’s medical.
You Do Not Need to Fear These Changes
The solution to burnout isn’t overcomplicated or expensive.
It does not always mean leaving a job or going on sabbatical.
It’s a reorientation.
A relearning.
A re-parenting.
Burnout recovery primarily requires some (not perfect) consistency in these areas:
- Stabilizing the nervous system through intentional down-regulation, breath, boundaries, and presence
- Restoring physiological balance by testing and supporting things like neurotransmitters, cortisol, thyroid, and nutrient depletion.
- Rewiring beliefs around worth, productivity, and urgency
- Reimagining success not just in what you create, but in how you feel while creating it.
So, before you dismiss burnout as an “outdated” way of thinking, do your own research.
Get your neurotransmitters tested.
I worked with Dr. Amanda Tracy, ND, for this part of my recovery, and it was one of the best decisions I could have made.
Listen to your body.
Listen to professionals.
And if you remember nothing else from this article, remember this:
When we ignore what our body is telling us, it screams louder.
