autistic burnout
- Author
- May 31, 2024
- 2 min read
Autistic burnout is extreme long-term exhaustion and overwhelm triggered over time. Where the stress of coping with life’s demands exceed the autistic persons ability to cope. We may loose the ability to carry out everyday tasks, loose skills we usually have and experience increased sensory difficulties. This can be mistaken for depression in many undiagnosed people.
What I didn’t realise until I was diagnosed and found out about Autistic Burnout, was that I had found a way to cope. I realised that most weekends, my inability to want to do anything, and my lethargy, twinned with not wanting to open the curtains, playing the same TV shows over and over, was my brain trying to regulate itself. It also explains the snappiness and heightened bluntness at my partner as I desperately try to recharge my batteries and keep the exhaustion at bay. My job in the film industry has me working very long hours, usually 10-12 hour working days, often with 2-3 hours travel on top of that. This can extend to 6 days a week too. I have been working like this for 15 years. Whilst trying to figure out what’s been going on with me, I think I’ve figured out that I’ve not really been able to truly recover, I was in and out of Autistic Burnout regularly. My divorce from my ex-wife allowed me to rest and Covid lockdown allowed me to rest.
So, the characteristics of Autistic Burnout are as follows:
Chronic physical and mental exhaustion
The ability to do things you can normally do diminishes
Increased sensory sensitivities and intensity of emotions
Increased support required to manage daily life
Reduced ability to mask
Low mood
Not wanting to be around others
Low self-esteem
Suicidal thoughts
It can be triggered by periods of transition or change, social fatigue, increased demands and expectations being put upon us, not being able to recharge fully, lack of support, sensory overload.
Recovering can take time and recognising what it is important. I am under no illusion now that I am experiencing Autistic Burnout since being diagnosed.
In order to prevent autistic, the following may help.
More rest and sleep
Figuring our what uses up most of your energy
Eating well and drinking plenty of water
Doing things you enjoy
Connecting with like-minded (Autistic) people
Make adjustments that are reasonable to your life
Set boundaries and say no more often
Schedule solid re-charge time to allow yourself to get through it
It’s only recently that Autistic Burnout has been properley identified and defined. In 2020, it was defined by Dr Dora Raymaker.
Autistic burnout is a thing and is debilitating to the individual experiencing it. It affects the individuals ability to live, their ability to work, maintain relationships and enjoy life. But as we have discovered it’s not forever and it can be overcome. With the right support and reduced demands, it can pass.
REST. Look after yourself.
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