"But there is a pretty easy explanation for why people are burned out." You name one reason. And it's a true reason but there are many others. Your explanation

"But there is a pretty easy explanation for why people are burned out." You name one reason. And it's a true reason but there are many others. Your explanation doesn't cover them all. There are only two reason people get burned out: long periods of mental or physical stress. A dancer can burnout when asking too much of the body. A fit person can burnout when the lie of an affair is going on for too long. And of course your explanation is also a very valid one. A burnout is 100% physical (the body is exhausted), but the cause can be mental or physical (or both). Unfortunately I have experience with being burned-out. So I can give my best advice to others who are struggling with a burnout: the key to recovery is acceptance. A burnout is potentially life threatening so you really need to step on the brakes and accept that you can't go on like you do. Also accept that it might take at least a year to fully recover. And accept that you will experience very strange thoughts and feelings because everything in your body is messed up. If you don't accept that you are burned-out you will really struggle to get better. Get help!