at some point I should really write a blog post about my experience with burnout and the factors that led to it (undiagnosed ADHD being a big one, but not the only one), and how I began the recovery process, because I'm certain it would be helpful to a few people. it's very emotionally draining to write about though, and when I think about the things I want to say I end up in analysis paralysis because the story inevitably involves other people who I want to be respectful of.
there's a lot of ambivalence in many stories like this, mine included. it's difficult to process and reconcile the respect and friendship you inevitably build up with people you work with/for for a long time versus their involvement in business practices and decisions that had serious deleterious effects on your life, even if you objectively know that was never their intent. doing the story justice in prose is exhausting to think about.
@wuest agreed on it never going away. it's been 6-7 years since the worst of it and I'm doing a lot better now, but the effects still linger to some extent.
one upside to the whole thing was that it made me drastically reevaluate how I choose to spend my time and what my priorities are, and I'm definitely taking a healthier approach to life as a result.
@gsuberland Until one has had burn out, previously called nervous breakdowns, I don't think they understand the depths of what it means. An exploration of the experience and how to dig out of it over time could be very helpful. A common means of respecting people is to revert to a fictionalized story based on the real events. It's more than just a name swap, which may not be sufficient to mask identities. Another alternative is to ask if they mind being included in it and then revert to the fictionalized version if necessary.
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