mental-health/burnout

I told my doctor I'd been running on fumes for a year

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I'm 26 and lose my parents' insurance in five weeks, and I think that deadline is why it finally came out. At my physical, instead of 'fine,' I said I'd been running on fumes for a year. Grad school plus two jobs, and I stopped feeling anything but tired.

Last updated: July 2026

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What this can feel like

I finally said it out loud at my annual physical, sort of. I'm 26, I turn off my parents' insurance in five weeks, and I think that deadline is the only reason it came out. The nurse asked the standard 'how've you been,' and instead of 'fine' I said, 'honestly, I've been running on fumes for like a year.' Grad school plus two part-time gigs, and somewhere in there I stopped feeling anything but tired and irritated. Things I used to love, I just don't anymore; they feel like more items on a list. I snap at my girlfriend over nothing. I lie awake wired and then can't get up. I'd been calling it 'just stress,' the way you do, but a year is not a phase, and once my coverage is gone I couldn't afford to start fresh with someone new. My doctor didn't make it weird. She asked a few more questions, said what I was describing wasn't just burnout to power through, and offered to set me up before my insurance lapses. I said okay. I don't know why that made my eyes sting.

What's a first step I can take?

Reflect that the eyes stinging might be relief at being taken seriously Encourage getting the referral moving before coverage lapses

Common questions

They overlap a lot. Burnout usually eases with real rest; when the flatness, loss of interest, and exhaustion stick around for months regardless of time off, it may be depression. You don't have to sort that out alone, a doctor can help.

Plain language works: 'I've been running on empty for a long time and I don't enjoy things anymore, I want to talk about it.' Primary care doctors handle this routinely and can start treatment or refer you.

It's often better to start before coverage lapses so a referral or prescription is already in motion. If you do lose coverage, community health centers, sliding-scale therapists, and Marketplace or Medicaid plans can pick it up, so losing a parent's plan doesn't leave you with nothing.

Related

Say it back

How would you explain this to someone you love?

Two or three sentences, just as you’d say it. Gale reflects back what you focused on — a mirror, not a quiz.

If things feel heavy, a person is available anytime — call or text 988.

Talk to a clinician

Gale can help you find a clinician in your state and request a visit.

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When exhaustion is more than burnout

  • —Unable to function at work or school for more than a couple of weeks
  • —Sleeping far too much or too little for weeks
  • —Feeling hopeless or that you're a burden
  • —Any thoughts of not wanting to be here

Call or text 988 - the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and 24/7. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.

This is general information for support and education, not medical advice or a diagnosis. If you're worried about your health, please talk with a licensed professional.

References

  1. 1. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry. PMID 15939837Many mental health conditions, including mood disorders, first emerge by the mid-20s.

1 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice. AI-assisted editorial content — citations link their sources. Editorial policy

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