BSW, RSW
Autistic Burnout
Affirming, Empowering, Consent-Based Care
All people are vulnerable to burnout. For Neurodivergent people though, the constant need to balance the needs and comfort of those around us, the need to mask and the exhausting ordeal of working within a world framework not meant for us can lead to burnout that is catastrophic. I work with clients to attempt to find a more balanced approach to life's challenges. Part of this process is to discern when it's safe to drop the mask, how to get more rest, and lessen demands. The goal is to achieve a more balanced life, less likely to contribute to periods of profound burnout.
What is Autistic Burnout?
... Don't we all have burnout sometimes?
Autistic burnout can result in exhaustion, a decrease in coping strategies, loss of functional skills, a reduced ability to mask, and increased responses to sensory issues. Autistic burnout is not the burnout you have at the end of a long week, or when you need a vacation. Autistic burnout is the result of energy demands exceeding capacity over a long period of time. It can last for years and significantly challenge a person's ability to participate in their life.
I work with clients to reconcile the life that was, and to find a path forward that supports the energy they actually have.
Steps to Recovery
There are paths forward to a more sustainable way of living
Burnout recovery looks different depending on your circumstances. However, reducing demands, prioritizing sensory needs, unmasking where you can, self compassion, and gentle engagement in special interests can all help.
I work with clients to balance the energy they have with the demands in their lives to create more sustainable paths forward.
Primary Causes of Burnout
What contributes to burnout?
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Long Periods of Masking
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Ongoing Sensory Overwhelm
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Family, School, Social and Work Pressures
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Executive Dysfunction
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Life Transitions
Some Burnout Symptoms
Burnout symptoms can be dependent on circumstance, length of burnout, stage of life, or number of burnouts.
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Skill Loss can occur in areas including communication, executive function, even functional tasks like showering, dressing and caring for yourself
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Exhaustion that cannot be addressed with rest
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Increased Sensory Challenges, lights, sounds and textures that used to be tolerable can become too much
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Social Exhaustion can create an increased need for solitude, an inability to engage in activities that involve too many other people or a lack of ability to participate in special interests
