“It took multiple seizures for me to finally take the impact of burnout seriously”

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Frame Of Mind


“It took multiple seizures for me to finally take the impact of burnout seriously”

By Libby Knight

Updated 2 years ago

4 min read

In a first-person piece for Processing, a Frame Of Mind series from Stylist, Libby, 34, shares her story of burnout, and how high levels of work stress triggered seizures. 

I started to acknowledge that my work stress had gone too far when I found myself logging on at 5am, working for 13 hours, taking a break for dinner, and then jumping right back on my laptop until I was finally exhausted enough to sleep. But it took multiple seizures before I finally began to take my burnout seriously.

Until then, I dismissed it as just a busy period in my work as a civil servant. Working remotely had its perks, but it also meant the line between work and rest was blurred. Plus, as someone who had grown up on a farm in Warwickshire in a very sheltered, happy upbringing, I had no idea what an impact chronic stress could have.

But in 2017, I was diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering my first tonic-clonic seizure – which causes a stiffening of muscles, a loss of consciousness, jerking limbs and difficulty breathing. I was put on medication, lost my driving license and was warned by doctors that stress was a major trigger for future seizures.  

Working remotely had its perks, but it also meant the line between work and rest was blurred

I learned that stress caused me to slur my speech, jerk and lose my concentration. Once, I scalded myself with a hot drink as a result of my anxiety. Still, I didn’t guard my mental health as strictly as I should have. I continued to work long hours, batting off tight deadlines and a sea of requests while ignoring the signs that my wellbeing was struggling.

At the height of this, in summer 2022, I found myself erupting into tears with no warning or explanation. I spent time with friends but was a ghost, never fully present and entirely unable to relax. At work, tasks that used to be easy felt impossible. I couldn’t focus. I felt like I was on a treadmill that was going far too fast: one I couldn’t get off.

It was a vicious cycle. I had lost my sense of self and all my energy. I couldn’t switch off when I wasn’t working, so when I was on the job I was nowhere near as efficient… which meant I ended up working longer and longer hours.  

All this culminated in an increase in my seizures. Soon enough, I was having myoclonic seizures every day. During one, I fell to the kitchen floor while on a work call. I was home alone and more than 45 minutes elapsed before I realised what had happened and called emergency services. I realised how fortunate I was that something worse didn’t happen and that my only injury was bad bruising to my head where I fell and some confusion.

I don’t remember the seizures themselves. I’ve been told seizures are like childbirth – the brain eradicates the memory. I always remember what I was doing right before one, but nothing about the actual event or the hours after it. I come out of each seizure confused and often bruised.

As my seizures ramped up I realised I needed to get serious about managing my stress levels. I went to my GP, who signed me off work for six weeks, after which I went back to my job with a phased return, as advised by my neurologist.   

libby knight

Credit: Courtesy of Libby Knight

My GP also offered NHS talking therapies, so I began to see a therapist every week, alongside online CBT through the SilverCloud platform, which my employer gave me access to. I still find that very helpful, as it’s something I can refer back to whenever I need it, with online tools I can access whenever I need them – I describe it as a support mechanism in my pocket.

I had my medication (antidepressants as well as for epilepsy) adjusted and committed to putting stronger boundaries in place for myself. I now have strict working hours and avoid logging on outside of these, with my partner’s help (he’ll often be the one to get me to close my laptop and do something that brings me joy, such as reading, cooking or walking around the park). I’ve also started regularly exercising as a means of getting rid of stress.

I’ve learned that while work is part of my life and something I take great pride in, it’s not my entire life. I’ve discovered what my ‘warning lights’ are and these days, when I notice myself getting stressed, I act quickly to rebalance, so I don’t get into that dangerous cycle again.

I’ve found perspective and learned that it really is vital to impose boundaries, especially when you’re working from home. And I’ve learned to prioritise time for joy, relaxation and all the good stuff outside of my career. Work is important, sure, but it can’t come at the cost of my health.  


Frame Of Mind is Stylist’s home for all things mental health and the mind. From expert advice on the small changes you can make to improve your wellbeing to first-person essays and features on topics ranging from autism to antidepressants, we’ll be exploring mental health in all its forms. You can check out the series home page to get started.

Images: Getty; courtesy of Libby Knight

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