I Make £100 an Hour Camming, But I Hate My Life: When Money Isn't Enough to Fix Burnout
A creator earning £100 an hour just posted something that stopped the camming community cold. That's roughly $130 USD. She's making what most of us would call excellent money. She's absolutely miserable.
"I can no longer find the motivation to get online," she wrote in r/CamGirlProblems. "I feel the lowest I've ever felt about myself, I don't want to be valued solely by my body... Not even the money is enough motivation anymore."
She's thinking about leaving camming for minimum wage office work. The responses from veteran creators revealed something we don't talk about enough. Sometimes making great money doesn't prevent a mental health crisis. Sometimes it causes one.
This is about cam model burnout. Why financial success doesn't protect against it. What your actual options are when you're making good money but losing your sanity. This isn't about discipline. It's about recognizing when the cost has become too high.
The Reality: What Cam Model Burnout Actually Looks Like
Let's be clear about what we're talking about.
This isn't "I had a slow week and feel discouraged." This is deeper. This is serious.
One creator described it: "Every time I get off a call it's an immediate eye roll and 'thank god that's over' vibe. I fake absolutely everything."
What cam model burnout looks like:
- Motivation collapse. You have a good couple of days online. You take one rest day. You . The pattern repeats.
- Money stops working. You know the income is good. You can't make yourself care enough to log on.
- Complete emotional disconnect. Faking every interaction. Every reaction. Every moment of enthusiasm.
- Identity crisis. You feel like you're only valued for your body. No recognition of your full humanity.
- Hitting emotional rock bottom. One creator said it plainly: "I feel the lowest I've ever felt about myself."
Another creator summed up the energy crisis: "My streams are inconsistent and I'm not hitting my goals even though they are low. Like $250/day is a reasonable goal for me but I'm struggling to hit it. I think my energy is a little low because of my lifestyle... There's no amount of caffeine that really works."
This isn't laziness.
This isn't a productivity problem you can hack your way out of.
This is your body and mind telling you something is wrong.
Why Money Stops Being Enough: The Identity Crisis
Here's the part nobody warns you about.
You can make excellent money and still feel completely empty inside.
The original poster earning £100/hour asked: "Why does being valued by another business owner who's making so much off of me and my time seem so much more appealing right now?"
It's a question that cuts deep.
The answers from the community showed something. What we're really craving isn't just respect from an employer. It's feeling like a whole person again.
One creator who came back to camming after quitting explained what made the difference: "The only reasons I can stand it now that I've returned are 1) I have a career irl (non-sw) where I am important in my community, very social and valued by people for nonsexual reasons, and 2) I am genuinely a perv and genuinely get off on the sexual aspect of camming."
Notice what made it work for her.
She had another identity outside sex work. She genuinely enjoyed the sexual part. Without those two things, even great money couldn't keep her going.
Another creator manages bipolar disorder and multiple sclerosis. She shared her framework: "If performing on camera and staying in character is what is required, then the money from it must fundamentally allow me to create a fulfilling life outside of camming... I work hard as a webcam model so that I get to do 'XYZ,' love my life, and live it entirely on my own terms."
She treats camming like her parents treated their jobs. Work hard during work hours. Truly enjoy your life outside of work. The income funds meaning elsewhere. Purpose elsewhere. Joy elsewhere.
But here's the harsh reality one creator laid out: "The cam sites are making money off you, too. They are our pimps. At least with vanilla jobs we have more security, predictability and respectability. No need to hide what we do or feel the deep shame that crushes our mental health."
That shame part adds weight.
The hiding. The stigma. The feeling you can't be your full self. This compounds burnout in ways that don't exist in vanilla work. Even exploitative vanilla jobs don't make you hide your employment from everyone you know.
Your Two Paths Forward: This Isn't About Discipline
You're in this place. Making good money but hating your life. You have two options.
Here's what matters: both are valid. Both are real. Neither makes you weak or a quitter or a failure.
One creator cut through the noise: "I understand how you feel, but be careful not to confuse escape with a solution. The problem might not be the job itself, but the burden of doing something that no longer makes sense to you... If you hate what the camera has become for you, what exactly causes this hatred? The routine? The lack of control? The type of audience? The lack of purpose?"
Before you make any major moves, get clear. What's actually breaking you? The answer tells you which path makes sense.
Path 1: You're burned out on the execution, not the concept
What's killing you?
- Being live on camera every day
- Constant real-time interaction
- The emotional labor of fake engagement
- Specific platforms or audience types
You might do better staying in adult content creation. Change how you work.
Path 2: You're burned out on the industry itself
What's killing you?
- Being valued solely for your body
- The stigma and hiding
- Lack of respect or recognition as a full person
- The sexual performance aspect entirely
- Platform exploitation ("they are our pimps")
You're probably ready to transition out entirely. You need an exit strategy, not a platform change.
Let's talk about both.
Path 1: Healing While You Stay (What Actually Works)
You want to stay in the industry but need to make it work. Here's what creators who've been there say:
Shift to less intensive platforms
One creator suggested: "Try to switch to ! Selling pre-recorded content can be a much better option for those of us who don't truly enjoy performing enough to be happy with going through the motions on a daily basis."
Another added something key. "Is it possible to try other platforms that are less cam dependent? There's something about being on video fully engaged with them daily that can be incredibly taxing over time."
Options:
- OnlyFans or fan sites. means less live interaction.
- Clip sites like ManyVids or Clips4Sale.
- Sexting platforms like . Text-based. You can work around your life.
- Custom content creation. Scheduled. No live performance.
Add a hybrid income model
Several creators swear by this: part-time vanilla job plus part-time camming.
"I do this at a tanning salon purely to get free tans and get out of the house a couple times a week. I ride my e-scooter to and from. One mile. It's glorious!"
Benefits:
- Regular human interaction outside the industry
- A sense of identity beyond your body
- Income security if you can't make yourself cam
- A resume you can actually show people
Cut your schedule way down
One creator's plan: "I'd keep like two days for camming, always show for those hours, and use that money for a goal. The goal could be big or as simple as a fancy dinner out and new shoes."
What this does:
- Keeps income flowing
- Keeps your account open if you decide to come back
- Cuts the pressure. You're not dependent on it.
- Gives you specific motivation. Concrete goals beat abstract money.
Fix the lifestyle stuff draining your energy
That creator struggling to hit $250/day recognized something: "I'm gonna really try my best to cut out alcohol as much as possible and to start each day by going to the gym. I think my energy is a little low because of my lifestyle... I just need to generate more natural energy. There's no amount of caffeine that really works."
Energy drains that make burnout worse:
- Alcohol. It's a depressant. Disrupts sleep. Kills motivation.
- Poor sleep quality
- Sitting all day
- No social connections outside work
- No creative outlets or hobbies
Build identity and purpose outside camming
This was huge for creators who found a way to keep going:
"Do you have any hobbies or projects you regularly invest time into outside of camming? I DJ and dance with flow props, and I don't think I'd be able to stay sane in this industry for long if I didn't have goals to work towards outside of financial ones. I set aside a minimum of 4 hours of my week to DJ, and I'm a part of a juggling meet-up group."
Notice what she does.
Scheduled creative time. Social connections. Goals unrelated to income. These aren't extras. These are the things that keep you human.
Reframe the work as a means to an end
"I see it simply: I work hard as a webcam model so that I get to do 'XYZ,' love my life, and live it entirely on my own terms."
What's your XYZ?
Travel? Education? Building a business? Supporting family? Creative projects?
If you can clearly connect the income to something real, the work gets more tolerable.
Path 2: Planning Your Exit (The Safety Net Approach)
You're truly done. Not with this platform. With the industry itself. Here's what creators who left want you to know.
From someone who left after 3 years: "All I can say is it's quite liberating. Cam was honestly one of the best things that happened to me and I have no regrets whatsoever. But to all the girls who are thinking of going to the other side of cam, I just wanna reassure you everything will be okay, just stack up, create yourself a safety net, and when you're ready take that step."
Key phrase: stack up, create a safety net.
The financial reality
One creator laid out the math: "There NO WAY in this economy for me to just work a minimum wage job and be able to have a place to live, food, and basic needs met without depending on anyone else. Keep in mind I only pay $700 rent plus utilities and have a bachelor's degree."
Her advice if you're leaving: "Try to find something higher than minimum wage. At least $24-30/hr."
Before you quit:
- Calculate your true monthly expenses
- Build 3-6 months of savings. Minimum.
- Research realistic wages in your area for jobs you qualify for
- Have a job lined up or a clear plan for getting one
Don't delete your accounts right away
Multiple creators said this: keep your accounts as backup.
"Mental health. There's nothing wrong with going back to a vanilla job for a while. Camming will always be here if you decide to return. I worked as a stripper for 4 years before finally burning out and quitting. Now, 2 years later, I've returned to the SW industry as a camgirl. But that 2-year break from the industry was absolutely necessary for my mental health."
Another creator said: "If you just cannot bear to continue camming, please try to find something higher than min wage... Or consider having a vanilla part time job while continuing to cam."
Leaving doesn't have to be permanent. Leaving doesn't have to be dramatic. It can be a break. A transition. An evolution.
Use camming income to fund your transition
The creator who left after 3 years had a plan: "I knew I wanted to start my cybersecurity journey but cam always had a way of making me stop. Outside of cam I do have my businesses that are doing well so at least the finances part won't be so much stress."
She used her camming years:
- Built other businesses
- Stacked money
- Researched her next career move
- Created financial stability for the jump
If you're planning to leave, use this time smart. The income isn't just for bills. It's your investment in your future self.
Be real about vanilla work problems
One creator who's done both was blunt: "I'd rather show my boobs while listening to a book than exploit my brain... every job is just exploiting something, your time, your skill, your looks, your body... I could never be a construction worker, I hate manual labor, so body exploitation doesn't work for me."
Going back to vanilla work won't fix everything. You'll trade one set of problems for another. The question is which set you can live with.
Making the Decision: A Framework for When You're Stuck
Still not sure which path is right?
Here are the questions:
1. Can you imagine any version of adult content creation that would feel sustainable?
If yes: You might be burned out on live camming, not the industry. A platform shift could help.
If no: You're ready to leave.
2. Is the money funding something you care about, or just paying bills?
If you care: Connect more to those goals. Make them visible. Track progress.
If just bills: The income isn't providing enough to justify the emotional cost.
3. Do you have identity and social connection outside of sex work?
If yes: You have things protecting you. Staying becomes more doable.
If no: You need to build these. Doesn't matter if you stay or leave.
4. What's your worst-case scenario if you leave?
If it's bad and likely: Build your safety net first. Don't leave from desperation.
If manageable or unlikely: You have more freedom to choose what you actually want.
5. Is staying causing active harm to your mental health?
The community was clear: "Mental always always always."
If you're at "I feel the lowest I've ever felt about myself" levels, . No amount of money is worth destroying yourself.
The Bottom Line: You're Not Wrong for Feeling This Way
We need to make this normal: making good money doesn't protect you from burnout. Sometimes it causes it. You feel like you should be grateful. You should be happy. You should be able to push through.
You're not broken.
You're not weak.
You're not ungrateful.
You're a human being trying to do work that requires constant performance. Emotional labor. Sexual availability. Hiding from everyone you know. All while being valued solely for your physical appearance and sexual skills.
That's exhausting at any income level.
One creator said it: "Prioritize your health and happiness!"
Whether that means changing platforms, , adding hybrid income, cutting your schedule, building life outside camming, or planning your exit entirely. All of it is valid. All of it is okay.
Do you need permission to choose yourself over the money?
You have it.
From everyone who's been there, everyone who's made it to the other side, everyone who gets that "good money" doesn't automatically equal "good for you."
Take care of yourself. Whatever that means for you right now.
