“Why can’t I handle things like I used to?”

Late Diagnosis and Neurodivergent Burnout

I’ve found myself asking this question a lot lately. And if you’ve felt the same, I want you to know, you’re not alone. And you’re not broken.

Over the years and especially lately, I’ve found myself overwhelmed by things I used to manage without blinking, like planning trips, dealing with kid chaos and sibling fights, multitasking like a pro, even being touched or talked to too much. And on top of that, I’m constantly worrying about everyone else – how they are feeling, what they need, how I can keep everything running.

Now? The smallest things feel huge. Too many people talking at once, too many decisions to make, too many emotions in the room, and my mind doesn’t stop. And suddenly I’m overstimulated, irritable, and wanting to shut down.

I’ve caught myself feeling guilty, wondering what happened to me? But the truth is... Nothing is wrong with me. I’ve just finally run out of space to keep pushing through.

For those of us who were late diagnosed as neurodivergent, we often spent years masking, coping, performing, and surviving. We didn’t know we were doing it. We just thought we were “strong” or “resilient.” But that strength came at a cost. We bypassed our own needs for so long that now, even small things feel big. Because they are big when your nervous system is exhausted.

But now, I feel it. My nervous system feels it. And that doesn’t mean I’m failing. It means I’m finally noticing what I’ve been carrying all along. If you’re feeling overstimulated, exhausted, or disconnected, it’s not because you’re weak. It’s because you’ve been strong for too long without rest.

It’s okay to rest.

It’s okay to need space without feeling guilty.

It’s okay to not be who you were before.

That person was surviving. This person is learning how to breathe.

And I have to keep reminding myself that.

Kaitlyn

P.S. One of my favorite people to follow is NeuroWild, and she recently posted a very timely resource called Working with My Mental Battery. I’m definitely going to do these worksheets…but first, I rest and reset. Check out her post here.