A medical doctor and consultant general physician with over 10 years of experience, both are quite similar on the surface, which can lead to confusion, according to Dr Nina. Is it ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) or is it burnout ? However, it is important to understand both for better diagnosis and management.
In an Instagram post shared on September 14, the general physician explained in detail the distinction between the two and why they often seem quite similar. At the top, you used to hold 10 things in your head at once. Now you can’t hold on to a thought for more than 30 seconds. Dr Nina is a medical doctor with over 10 years of experience.
She explained the symptoms: “You’ve always needed urgency to get started, you’ve always lost things, you’ve always been amazing at what you love, but a little bit hopeless at anything that bores you. Dr Nina emphasised that the twist is that though ADHD executive dysfunction and burnout executive dysfunction are different from each other, people with ADHD burn out two to three times faster than everyone else, because: “existing in a neurotypical world costs more cognitive energy every single day. Meanwhile, burnout is an occupational phenomenon (not a medical disease) characterised by chronic exhaustion and persistent negative attitudes or cynicism toward job demands. Dr Nina focused on ADHD executive dysfunction and burnout executive dysfunction in her video. She explained that if you have ADHD executive dysfunction, it is always there, even if you’ve masked it brilliantly. She added that with ADHD dysfunction, stress makes it louder, but it didn’t cause it. Meanwhile, burnout executive dysfunction is acquired, Dr Nina highlighted. You were sharp, fast, and sure of yourself. Multitasking? Easy. You’re struggling with what feels like basic things. Showering, deciding what to wear, and doing the groceries. Dr Nina further added that with burnout and executive dysfunction, you may have been able to perform high-level tasks without difficulty and continue to excel in your career. However, the thought of how brilliant you used to be now brings you grief. Lastly, she cautioned that her statements aren’t a diagnosis; they’re just a way to start noticing your own patterns and reach out to a professional. She is a consultant general physician and educator with the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, a medical contractor with the New Zealand Defence Force, and deeply passionate about burnout prevention and recovery. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition. This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
“[They have] the same symptoms on the surface: brain fog, task paralysis, and emotional static, but completely different timelines underneath,” she said in the video. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition marked by ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Explaining what it feels like, she said, “There’s a cliff. “It feels like a decline because it is one,” she added.
