How to tell if you are in Autistic Burnout

Can you be so exhausted that you don't even have the energy for your interests? I feel completely off everyday mentalt emotionally physically. I'm 32 and waiting for to get diagnosed autism. I have adhd diagnosed already. I have been staying home for over a month now doing nothing but rest and short walks but I'm still exhausted and having struggle doing my own dinner as well. I have been depressed before but this is not that.

I was diagnosed autistic as an adult, after having children, both on the spectrum, and one with high support needs. Seeing them as my #1 priority/responsibility, in a black and white way I’ve been unaware of how to do self-care when children are, by definition, always needing the care of their parents. (I don’t have a social group for various reasons, at this point, and don’t have one to rely on for help.) Its been years of burn out now, and I don’t know if I’ll ever recover the skills I’ve lost. Now I’m just too tired to even try. They are almost 18, and I hope that will open up some support options for them, because I’ve become pretty useless, other than basic cleaning/feeding/administrative stuff. I’m becoming less capable at the same time as their needs increase. Life is really hard. The Dx came w/depression, anxiety, and PTSD dxs also. Take care of your brains, and make sure you have enough support before creating people who will rely on you, because you’ll never be able to do “parenting” properly without it, and they will suffer along with you.

Thank you SO much for this. At #3, I knew that I've been in burnout for years, maybe all my life. But trying to tell an ableistic family that insists I make excuses is impossible.

I am very sensitive to people's voices and your voice is so calming. After watching your video, I believe I am going through a burnout episode. Identifying how I'm feeling is very difficult for me, so this video helped me a ton. Thankyou!

Appreciate the informative video. Sleep and rest are so critical. My most telling sign of my level of burnout is irritability. I feel it is crucial to check in with yourself on a regular basis to gauge where you're at so you don't get too deep into burnout without realizing it.

This video really helped me realise I'm suffering from burnout thanks 🙂 I have autism and adhd

I love the idea of a community that can understand and relate to me. 💕

Absolutely 100% everyone needs to see this who is involved with autistic people

I've been feeling super alone for a long time. Thank you for this content.

You're the first person I have heard addressing the issue of (lack of) deep sleep! At 47 years old I've only recently realised I'm probably autistic and very possibly adhd too as my concentration is shocking. I wore a fitbit for around 12 months years ago and I would generally only get 30-45 mins of deep sleep early on in the night and that was it. I have spent the last 10 years or so believing I have CFS but is it in fact autistic burnout? Though I'm sure there may be an overlap? My gp felt it was anxiety based due to ongoing stress, this would explain so much 😩

I love your intention and the heart of what you are trying to do.

This video is soooooooo important, it covers so many things that I, some of us and other people dont think about, i really do notice more now or at least am better at noticing when i’m being burnt out, my tolerance of loudness (especially people) is lower, my patience is so much small, and diplomatic kindness dries up quickly, i drop things and bump into things more often, make silly mistakes, more brain fog, and i dont know if its actually mutism but my face feels like its paralyzed and i just dont WANT to talk, i physically can talk but will either tie words up, mumble or just say “yeah” or non-commital words to not seem like im ignoring anyone

Some people Develop as stutter as well

can brain fog sometimes be felt "physically?" I've been feeling/experiencing it to a level where I detect it affecting my brain's slowing down, and sometimes can even pinpoint where in my brain it's located. has this ever been described by anyone? I find there are so many differing descriptions of brain fog, its tough to know if what I'm feeling in myself is the same exact thing as what other people are pointing to. For me it happens after I wake up, and some minutes have passed - THEN it settles in. Sometimes energy drinks help. But not always. Actually I may have found some relief in Vitamins A,D,K combined in liquid form. Just hope it lasts!

Thank you very much for posting this. I am going through a bad burnout cycle, and it’s helped me to hear it.

Great video. Thank you for making it!

Lovely! I haven't heard a lot of other people talk about the difference between rest and sleep period I tell my friends that we need rest, and most of us rest while we sleep.

It makes sense that you would have had burn out at the age of 6. You were probably in kindergarten. Entering school can be extremely stressful, because you have to make a lot of adjustments.

I notice in autism circles, the term “selective mutism” is used for mutism during burnout or overstimulation, which I believe is a mistake. SM is defined differently, categorized as an anxiety disorder where the mutism appears predictably in certain settings and is definitionally caused by fear. Unlike autism, children frequently grow out of selective mutism. I think you’re right to use a different term.

Wow i just realized I have all of these warning signs of autistic burnout. Ok I need to rethink things and chill because I don't wanna shutdown again 😥😥😭