Burnout is not just a work problem.
It’s not just about stress.
And for disabled people, it’s not always optional, it’s part of survival.
Burnout for us isn’t just emotional exhaustion. It’s medical, physical, mental, financial, social. It can show up in forgotten medications, cancelled appointments, skipped meals, or brushing off early warning signs simply because you don’t have the energy to do one more thing.
What Burnout Looks Like in a Disabled Life
Burnout for disabled folks can be:
- Diabetes burnout: not tracking blood sugar, skipping insulin, ignoring the numbers
- Mobility burnout: skipping outings because your body and energy just won’t cooperate
- Healthcare burnout: being tired of fighting for appointments, justifying your needs, or facing dismissal
- Advocacy burnout: not correcting people, letting ableist comments slide, or going quiet on issues that once lit you up
- Burnout from being “pleasant”: swallowing your anger when service dogs are denied, when people talk over you, or when your access needs are questioned
Sometimes it’s subtle. Other times it feels like a full-system crash.
Even Interactions Become Exhausting
You smile politely at the store when someone says, “What’s the dog for?”
You try not to flinch when someone says, “You don’t look disabled.”
You explain, again, that your glucose monitor is not a phone, and your phone is medically necessary.
You nod when the teacher says, “Put your devices away.”
You stay calm when someone parks in an accessible space “just for five minutes.”
One incident? Manageable.
Hundreds? Overwhelming.
Thousands? That’s burnout.
What About Able-Bodied Burnout?
You don’t have to be disabled to relate.
Ever worked so many days in a row you forgot what day it was?
Ever had so many back-to-back responsibilities you cried at a commercial?
Ever wanted to disappear just to get 10 minutes of peace?
That’s burnout.
Now, imagine you couldn’t call in sick. Ever. Imagine every skipped task, meal prep, medication, physio, communication, had direct, physical consequences.
Burnout is human. But for disabled people, it can be life-altering.
? Burnout in Community Roles
Burnout also shows up in how we show up for others.
- You might stop returning messages
- You cancel meetups because you can’t mask your pain
- You pause content creation, even though your voice matters
- You back away from online spaces, because one more DM might be the final straw
Sometimes, it’s not about not caring. It’s about not having enough left to give.
Recovery Isn’t Fast or Linear
Rest doesn’t always fix burnout. Especially if the causes remain, inaccessible buildings, broken systems, financial instability, medical gaslighting, constant advocacy.
But naming burnout is a start. Recognizing it in yourself, in others and not shaming it, is radical.
To the Caregivers, Partners, Friends, and Colleagues
You might not know what to say when someone burns out.
You might not understand why it’s happening.
That’s okay.
Ask what support looks like, not what you assume it is.
Offer flexibility, not guilt.
Check in, but don’t hover.
And if you are that person on the edge, give yourself permission to step back. Rebuilding requires fuel. You’re allowed to rest.
Disability Pride includes rest.
It includes being honest about limits.
It includes burnout, because we are human.
And being human isn’t something we ever need to apologise for.