Prime Human Podcast

Is it depression or burnout?


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Most high-achievers aren't depressed.

They’re just empty.

If you’re a founder or executive who has lost your "edge," you’ve likely been told it’s a mental health issue. You might have even been prescribed antidepressants that did... nothing.

In this episode, Dr. Miguel Damas breaks down the metabolic reality of burnout and why your "biological battery" is the real culprit, not your mindset.

Inside the Episode:

  • The "One Question" Test: How to instantly tell the difference between clinical depression and burnout.
  • The Benzo Trap: Why "sleeping more" with medication is actually destroying your recovery.
  • The Metabolic Battery: Why burnout is a physiological crisis, not a workplace stress problem.
  • The 4-Step Diagnostic Framework: From HRV to Organic Acid testing—how to measure your resilience.

Download the Prime Stress Protocol (30-Page Ebook)

Resources: 📘

  • Benzodiazepines and Sleep Impact, 2023 Systematic Review - link
  • Judged effectiveness of strategies to recover from burnout, 2025 - link

Timestamps:

00:00 - The Senior Executive Misdiagnosis

04:15 - Depression vs. Burnout: The "One Question" Test 08:30 - Why Antidepressants fail for Burnout

12:45 - The 2025 Study: What actually works?

15:00 - The 4 Areas of Resilience: Signs & Symptoms

18:20 - Using Wearables (HRV & RHR) to track depletion 21:40 - The "Critical Six" Blood Markers

26:10 - Precision Medicine: Saliva & Organic Acid Testing

30:00 - Why this is liberating for founders

...more
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Prime Human PodcastBy Miguel Damas