Autistic burnout is a state of intense physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It’s experienced by autistic individuals, often as a result of prolonged stress from which there has been no let up.
Trying to navigate a world that doesn’t accommodate the needs of individuals on the autism spectrum can be hugely impactful. For those who do not have Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), one way to envisage why people who do can be deeply affected by just trying to move forward in life is to think of other assaults on the senses like being a civilian in a war zone or dealing with the relentless grind and struggle of experiencing poverty.
Autistic burnout can occur when someone is overwhelmed by sensory input, social demands, or feeling a need to constantly ‘mask’ their autistic traits (that is, hide them). Symptoms can include extreme fatigue, difficulty doing daily tasks, reduced tolerance for sensory input, and a temporary decrease in the ability to communicate or function as they typically would.
I’ve had accounts shared by clients that have informed my own understanding gained from lived experience of autistic burnout. I’ve experienced it at least four times in my life, the first in adolescence, most recently in my 50s. I collapsed; my sensory sensitivities towards light and noise ramped up by what felt like 200%; I was fatigued, confused, lost to myself.
People sometimes report autistic burnout not being accepted by the medical professionals they meet at all, with it not being recognised or accepted terminology, nor appearing in the international diagnostic manual known as the DSM-5. Imagine being told your lived experience is not real, and instead being lumbered with misdiagnoses such as personality, anxiety and depressive disorders. Autistic burnout is real. It doesn’t care if you’re diagnosed or not, or have other diagnosed neurodivergent conditions.
autistic burnout: causes
- Masking or suppressing autistic traits all or most of the time, even when on your own (it gets to a point where it’s unconscious and that’s often before you even know you’re on the spectrum and just trying to get by).
- Sustained sensory overload from environments that are too bright, loud, or busy. To share an example from my own experience: driving unfamiliar routes to unfamiliar places in a city with complex road systems, roadworks, and a large number of unpredictable pedestrians and motorists everywhere you go.
- High social demands or overstimulation in social interactions.
- Lack of appropriate support and accommodations.
- Persistent failure to recognise, understanding or validate your needs (family, friends, co-workers, employers, educators, clinicians).
can counselling help?
Counselling can be helpful, yes, especially when tailored to the needs of the autistic individual. A counsellor can help you recognise and understand the signs of burnout and validate your experiences to reduce any feelings of guilt or frustration. Therapy promotes self-acceptance, helping you to feel more comfortable expressing your authentic self without any pressure to mask.
A counsellor can work with you on stress-management techniques suited to your individual needs, such as learning, developing. and implementing sensory breaks, mindfulness, and relaxation exercises. She, he, or they can assist you in developing skills to set healthy boundaries in social interactions and work environments, to reduce the likelihood of future burnouts.
what can I do after autistic burnout?
Autistic burnout is thought to last at least three months but can go on for a long time. An extended period is more likely if you do not address the causes. A full recovery is possible if you do make changes you identify as necessary, get lots of rest, and commit to the daily practice of self-care.
After burnout occurs, counselling can help guide you through the recovery process by recognising triggers and creating a sustainable routine. Working with a counsellor who has experience with autism and neurodiversity can offer more personalised support, but it’s important not to expect them to know everything. When it comes to neurodivergent and neurodevelopmental conditions, not even recognised experts are going to have fully comprehensive knowledge or understanding. This is not to disparage or negate what they do know. But they aren’t living your life. You are.
We talk of ‘neurodivergence’ and neurodevelopmental’ as if they are singular subjects, but that is suggestive of each being one thing, when neither is singular or boundaried. They are more like boxes full of many different things, each of those things itself being a box containing many things. There are a lot of conditions involving differences in how the brain processes information. They can affect learning, communication, socialisation, and behaviour. There’s ASC, ADHD, Tourettes, Learning Disabilities and Difficulties including dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). And more. It surprises many to learn that being left-handed (I hold up my left hand here) is a neurodivergent condition.
The list of neurodivergent and neurodevelopmental challenges is long. Like labels on containers, they can give no indication of what life is like from one person to the next. They have specific components but a great deal of variance. When more than one is present, they vary in ways that are too often poorly understood – and, at worst, discounted by some clinicians. Autistic burnout is, for some, a controversial topic. Generally, it is only now becoming better (but not fully) recognised and understood.
It is important to see your doctor in the first instance if you think you might be dealing with autistic burnout, because other medical conditions must be ruled out, but this is not a phenomenon that can be treated with medication, but by listening to what your brain and body are telling you by reacting adversely to certain external stimuli. And everyone in your position needs support to make the changes you identify are needed.
xph therapy offers integrative counselling, which means working with multiple therapy types, including CBT, psychotherapeutic and person-centred to develop a therapeutic pathway just for you, whatever outcome you’re hoping to achieve. Get in touch in a variety of ways. See the contact page for more info.