Back To The Dog House When You Start Questioning Yourself: Why Burnout Attacks Identity, Not Just Energy One of the hardest parts of severe overwhelm is not the tiredness. It is the self-doubt. Suddenly, thoughts appear like: “Maybe I’m not cut out for this” “I used to cope better than this” “Other people manage — why can’t I?” “What if this means I need to stop?” This is not insight. It is what burnout does to identity. Burnout Shrinks Perspective When you are exhausted, you