When It’s Not Anxiety—It’s Burnout in Disguise
You think it’s anxiety—but what if it’s burnout in disguise? You feel wound tight, over-alert, stuck in a mental loop. You cancel plans, avoid emails, scroll endlessly. Your body’s on edge, but you’re exhausted. You might call it anxiety. Your doctor might too. But under the surface? This might be burnout—and it's trickier to spot than you'd expect. 🧩 The Mistaken Identity: Anxiety vs. Burnout Anxiety and burnout share surface-level symptoms: restlessness, sleep disruption, racing thoughts, tension. But the origin story is different. Anxiety often comes from anticipating a threat. Burnout happens when your nervous system has been in a long-term threat state and never got the chance to stand down. In fact, many people with burnout don’t feel “burned out” — they feel hyper-functional. Overcommitted. Like they’re constantly “behind.” That’s because burnout isn’t always collapse. Sometimes, it's masked as high-strung productivity. 🔍 Identity Patterns That Fuel the Mask...