The Burnout Collective

Season 2 has officially entered its guest era.

Meet Ally Prescott (aka Tango)! Jamie met them at the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee and immediately thought they'd be a great addition to the pod. Tango is a graphic designer and gamer and has been gaming competitively since a young age.

At the start, we spend a completely reasonable amount of time discussing a deeply unsettling Furby-adjacent creature sitting on Tango's shelf. From there, it's old usernames and some convention chaos before getting into Tango's gaming journey. 

From borrowing (ok, stealing) her brother's Team Fortress Classic account to sinking thousands of hours into Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch, Tango shares how grinding ranked can quietly turn into burnout. She also talks about navigating competitive gaming as a woman—always having to prove you belong, gatekeeping, and straight up harassment. 

The takeaway? Find your people, mute the trolls, and if competitive gaming is making you miserable, it's probably time to log off and touch some grass.

You can find Ally online as @squashwaffle and SoggyTango.

In this episode:

• Tango's Peepy
• Peepy's theme song
• Sea of Thieves (game)
• Party Animals (game)
• Propnight (game)

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

*to the tune of Conjunction Junction* Executive function…what’s your dysfunction?

That’s right. In this episode, we’re diving into executive dysfunction—time blindness, impulse control, and decision paralysis! Oh, my!

We talk about different coping mechanisms we’ve used in our lives (like doom piles and body-doubling) and how we’ve built some pretty elaborate accommodations for ourselves (making things feel more novel). But not only do those systems not work for everyone, sometimes these systems we’ve patched up with duct tape and toothpicks eventually collapse. 

Then, what?

Well, we can't promise we have that answer. But we can promise you're not alone. So, come be not alone with us. (And find out more about our new business venture!)

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

This one's for the ladies. But fellas? Listen closely.

On this episode of The Burnout Collective, we unpack how perimenopause collides with burnout—especially for neurodivergent women—starting earlier, hitting harder, and making ADHD/autism symptoms like brain fog and sensory overload feel cranked to over 9000. 

Rebecca describes being dismissed by doctors until an endocrinologist ran labs showing near-zero estrogen, then shares the greatest hits of those “Am I dying?” symptoms: night sweats and hot flashes, general rage, forgetting words, hair loss, and libido changes. Rebecca also talks about how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helped so much…it was like night and day.

We rage about all the misinformation we get about women’s health (if we even got any growing up) and insist on better education, self-advocacy, and doctors who actually listen. You shouldn’t suffer in silence for years. You shouldn’t feel like you’re going crazy and not know why. And you should know you are definitely not alone.

In this episode:

• Perimenopausal symptoms in women with and without ADHD: A population-based cohort study - PMC
• Understanding Perimenopause, ADHD, Autism, and AuDHD: A Comprehensive Guide for Therapy - Upward Behavioral Health
• “A perfect storm”: Autistic experiences of menopause and midlife - PMC
• Current treatment options for postmenopausal vaginal atrophy - PMC 
• MenoVest™ | Empower Menopause Support
• The Splash Blanket (aka sex blanket) 
• The Blanket With an Opening | Hunny Labs 

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

We’re still over here trying to keep up with the Joneses. In Part 2 of Money & Debt, we talk about how our cycles of extreme frugality followed by “rebellious overspending” is exactly like dieting. (And we now know the perfect descriptor for both of us!)

We discuss how having so little growing up and being made fun of for it can fuel our overspending—even as adults. We also cover the mental and physical effects of financial stress and how it feeds our lack of self-compassion.

In this episode:

• Meet the Man Who Makes $600 a Month Selling Crickets (Credit.com via Yahoo Finance)
• Example of one of Rebecca’s "roadkill dolls" (not her exact one)

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

Financial stress and rising costs are keeping most of us living close to the edge. But before we kick off Part 1 of our conversation about money and debt, Jamie decides to share her jury duty experience (spoiler alert: she was dismissed).

Then, we discuss just how little we’re taught in school when it comes to financial literacy (did anyone learn anything other than how to fill out a check?)—despite being offered loans (for college) when we’re still practically children. 

Rebecca highlights how “sky money” makes debt feel unreal, and how easy it is to overspend on those special little treats for a special little guy (you). 

So, follow along as we share our own bad credit stories, talk about being shamed by numerous budgeting apps, and realize we’re both rebellious spenders (a term we just learned, too!). 

Part 2 of debt and money coming out April 21.

In this episode:

• Financial Stress Survey: 65% of Americans Say Finances Are Their Biggest Source of Stress (Marketwatch, 2024)
• Debt Fatigue: What It Looks Like And How To Fight Against It (I Will Teach You to Be Rich) - Where we got the term "rebellious spending" from

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

In today’s episode, we discuss the absolute circus that is medication access and a broken healthcare system. 

To set the scene: Jamie’s ADHD meds lapse and CVS hits her with basically the greatest hits of med denial. We’re all-too-familiar with the insane amount of barriers that keep us from getting the mental health help we need—from denials and appeals to drug tests and prior authorizations. Not to mention the very unethical ways pharmacists can deny us healthcare. 

All of these obstacles disproportionately harm uninsured and vulnerable people, too. Which is the real tragedy here.

If you’re a medical professional and would like to be a guest on our show to talk about this, please email us @ [email protected]. 

And if for some reason it’s not clear: We are not medical professionals and nothing we say should ever be considered medical advice.

Take your meds, Burnouts!

In this episode:

• Season 1, Episode 24 w/ Dr. Pri on ADHD
• CostPlusDrugs.com (not an ad!)
• One Medical (also not an ad!)

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

Buckle in, perfectionists. It’s Part 2 of our Perfectionist Manifesto. Before too long, we take a hard left and detour into discussion on the new America’s Next Top Model documentary on Netflix (skip to 7:51 if you wanna avoid ANTM talk). 

Rebecca shares her research on how we separate perfectionism from actual diagnosable OCD. We talk about how OCD and autism are often comorbid because repetitive behaviors can feel calming or reduce anxiety; and how ADHD comes into the mix with procrastination, motivation, urgency, workplace stress, and burnout—especially when you’re untreated and think you’re just bad at life.

We also tie The Perfectionist (tarot card stickers coming soon to our shop!) to early childhood—abusive households can produce hyper-responsibility, overfunctioning, and a fear of effing up. They stress emotional regulation, untangling job performance from self-worth, and surrounding yourself with supportive people who keep you grounded.

Speaking of perfectionists who can’t leave until it’s done right, wait until you get to the end of the episode with the millennial arsonist in skinny jeans and flip-flops trying to—kind of unsuccessfully—set an ICE facility on fire. 

Our closing message? Do your best! Don’t let your job be your life. And maybe, we dunno, go learn to set buildings on fire for scientific purposes, you know. 

In this episode:

• American Psychiatric Association – What Is OCD (2023)
• How perfectionism and OCD overlap
• 2024 meta-analysis found significant co-occurrence between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and OCD
• Key difference is the function: autistic routines are often enjoyable or regulating; OCD compulsions are performed to neutralize distress or prevent feared outcomes – International OCD Foundation – OCD and Autism
• Millennial woman sets fire to building

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

TW: This episode briefly mentions eating disorders for a few minutes.

Hello. Please have a seat. Welcome to Perfectionists Anonymous: Where even when you think you're a "recovering perfectionist," there truly is no hope.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into perfectionism—how it leads to burnout, how it shapes our daily lives, and how it’s a relentless beast. We talk about the too-close-for-comfort relationship between perfectionism, burnout, anxiety, autism, and ADHD. 

Rebecca tells us how OCD plays into this cocktail of chaos, too. Picture her, gripping her hand sanitizer as she navigates the germ-filled jungle of the airport. It’s like watching Indiana Jones—but with Clorox wipes.

So, join us as we unpack the complexities of striving for perfection in all parts of our lives. And join us again next week for a Part 2! Because...go figure. We can't do just one episode on this topic.

In this episode:

• Hidden Brain podcast - "Escaping Perfectionism" 
• The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough by Thomas Curran (guest on the above podcast episode)
• The Beauty of Repetition: Why Some People Love Re-Solving the Same Puzzles (can't find the puzzle study, but this article talks about the idea)

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

If you’re looking for some comfort amidst the chaos...you’ve come to the wrong place. We're very uncomfortable and we bet you are, too. In this episode, we go diving straight into the deep end of the giant dumpster fire that is our reality right now.

I don't know about you, but we can't seem to recover from the constant bombardment of unhinged, terrible news. Day in. Day out. And if you're feeling how we're feeling, we just wanted to say: It's okay to not be ok. 

After reflecting on some historical moments that shook up our lives—from 9/11 to the reversal of Roe v. Wade—we finally settle in to talk about more current events and what we can do to avoid complacency and support our communities. 

Join our Discord and share your own stories, sentiments, and resources!

In this episode:

• The "millennial problem" (video)
• Journalist Laura Jedeed applied for ICE (her findings, video)
• Laura Jedeed's Slate article in response to being called a liar about her story (with receipts) 
• indivisible.org — find your local chapter! 
• The World Right Now(tm) (meme)

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music

Welcome back, Burnouts! 

After a much-needed break to deal with—what was that? burnout? (yeppp)—we're back for Season 2! And man is it good to be back. 

What better topic for our first episode after a break? Rest. But not just any rest, y’all—we explore the seven different types of rest and how critical each is for our health.

Whether it’s lying in the dark, dissociating with games, getting a massage, or actually going outside to touch some grass, any way you rest is the right way. We also talk about setting rock-solid boundaries, and why it's ok (and sometimes necessary) to leave people on read to protect your own energy.

PSA: We're doing the podcast a little bit differently for Season 2. Instead of streaming live with video on Twitch, we're prerecording our episodes and sending them straight to your podcast apps. We're also moving from doing a show every week to every other week in an effort to give us some rest in between. Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support! We're so excited to start our chapter two with all of you. xo

In this episode:

• Seven types of rest to help restore your body’s energy 
• Your brain on nature: How exposure to natural environments heals, calms and cures 
• Rebecca's cheese coins recipe
• Zweckfreundschaft, "friendship of convenience" 
• 13 magical nights —@thatglasgowwitch on Instagram
• Headspace app: Free premium subscription for 30 days 
• Calm app: Free premium subscription for 30 days 
• Creative rest is like a tree quote

Have a suggestion for our next episode? A burnout story to share? Send us a text!

Support the show

The Burnout Collective Podcast is hosted by Jamie Young and Rebecca McCracken. 

New episodes every other Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
 
Join our Discord community: discord.gg/ZwBjbmVfAF
Follow us on our socials: linktr.ee/burnoutcollective

Music track: Snap Your Fingers by Aylex 
Source: https://freetouse.com/music