Over a decade ago, I burned out completely.
At the time, I was working in project management for fast-paced creative agencies, juggling tight deadlines, demanding clients, and high-stress environments.

Eventually, the stress — not just from work, but from life circumstances — became too much. The anxiety and tension turned into vertigo and panic attacks. I felt like I would be a failure if I stopped, so I kept pushing through, ignoring all the signals from my body; the tense shoulders, the headaches, the dizziness.

Then my system crashed. I felt like my brain shut down. I would stare at my screen, unable to process what was in front of me. My brain fog was so severe I’d lose my train of thought mid-sentence. I went from being on top of everything to constantly forgetting things.

It was a frightening and isolating time. I didn’t know what was happening or where to turn for help. I kept telling myself I just needed one more good night’s sleep, that I could push through. But instead of getting better, I got worse, until I had no choice but to stop working completely.