Burnout vs. Breakdown: Recognizing the Difference Before It's Too Late
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Burnout vs. Breakdown: Recognizing the Difference Before It's Too Late
By Tress Remington
Founder of 7 Semicolon Couture
For the longest time, I told myself I was just tired.
Tired from doing too much, feeling too much, pretending too much.
If I could just take a weekend off, rest a little, or “push through,” I’d be fine.
But I wasn’t fine.
I was falling apart in slow motion.
And I didn’t even see it happening.
When “I’m Just Burnt Out” Becomes Something Deeper
We throw around the word burnout like it’s something to laugh about over coffee—“Girl, I’m so burnt out.” But there’s a quiet shift that can happen when exhaustion turns into something heavier. Something that steals your joy, your focus, and sometimes, your will to keep trying.
That shift is called breakdown.
Burnout is when your body says, I need rest.
Breakdown is when your soul says, I can’t keep doing this.
The Truth I Didn’t See Coming
Years ago, long before I lost my brother or my friend to suicide, and years after my grandfather passed away, I found myself in that dark, quiet place where burnout had turned into something far more dangerous.
My breakdown didn’t happen because of their deaths—it happened because of my own inner battles.
The weight of unhealed trauma, the pressure to keep everything together, and the silence I carried—it all came crashing down.
And one night, I made a choice that almost ended everything.
I survived a failed suicide attempt.
And surviving changed everything about how I see pain, pressure, and purpose.
It took years before I could even say those words out loud. But that night wasn’t the end of my story—it was the moment the sentence paused.
That pause—the semicolon—became the heartbeat of my mission.
Burnout vs. Breakdown: What It Really Feels Like
Here’s how I can tell the difference now, looking back:
| Burnout | Breakdown |
|---|---|
| You feel drained but can still show up | You can’t show up for anyone—including yourself |
| You need rest | You need relief |
| You cry from stress | You go numb and feel nothing |
| You think, “I can’t keep this pace” | You think, “I can’t keep living like this” |
| You can still find hope | Hope feels far away |
Why I’m Sharing This
Because I know what it’s like to smile through the storm.
To keep busy so no one sees you crumbling.
To say “I’m fine” when you’re anything but.
I know what it’s like to survive—and then realize surviving means figuring out how to live again.
And I know now that silence can be deadly.
That’s why I started 7 Semicolon Couture—as a reminder that the story doesn’t have to end when the pain feels unbearable.
If You’re Reading This and It Feels Familiar…
You might be standing in the same space I once was—somewhere between burnout and breakdown.
Maybe you’re holding everything together for everyone else.
Maybe you’re afraid that if you stop moving, it will all fall apart.
Please hear me when I say this:
You don’t have to wait until you shatter to start healing.
You don’t have to collapse to deserve care.
You don’t have to carry this alone.
What Helped Me Begin Again
💬 Honesty: I stopped saying “I’m fine” when I wasn’t.
🕊️ Grace: I gave myself permission to pause without guilt.
💛 Purpose: I found meaning in sharing what I once hid.
💬 Support: I reached out—slowly, awkwardly—but I did it anyway.
And every single step reminded me: the pause is not the end of the story.
For You, If You Need to Hear This
If you’re running on empty, please stop before you run out completely.
If you’re holding your breath, exhale.
If you’re hiding your pain behind strength, you don’t have to anymore.
You don’t need to earn your rest.
You don’t need to explain your exhaustion.
You just need to know—you are still here, and that means there’s still hope.
With love, survival, and purpose,
Tress
Founder of 7 Semicolon Couture
Where Style Meets Mission 🖤