Thank you for sharing, for shedding light on this experience. Added to all of this is the fact that autistic burnout is not an official diagnosis nor recognized by the greater medical community and so we flounder to find the words and the understanding and the compassion. I am so sorry you are struggling with burnout. And I am there with you.
I think the experience of burnout is so universal in autism. We who can write about it tend to do so often. When I dove into my archives to respond, I found 66 items. These are two.
Thank you for sharing this, so that others who don't experience it might understand better. A few years ago, before I has knew I was AuDHD, I injured myself by physically pushing myself too hard in my job. I tried to continue doing everything & meeting all the demands of life (and more!) even though my body was screaming at me to rest, that my sensory perceptions & emotions amplified 10 fold. I then spent so long in this restless, amped-up, highly sensitive & irritable state, where i was failing miserably at everything I was trying to do, that I ended up developing a terrible pain killer addiction. I just completely withdrew. I realise now it was burnout and the purpose of the drugs was just to numb myself & put mental space between the world and my own body. Unfortunately i got stuck in that place & spent 6 years on the couch, sedated. I ended up losing, not only my career & financial security (because of the injury), but eventually my friends, then my partner (of 18 years) and my home too. Everything I knew & loved. I was not in a good place & ended up spending a few months in a psychiatric facility. Thankfully, 8 years on, I have recovered and I am back on my feet. I still mourn my old life & the soulmate I lost, though & sometimes wonder how different things would have been if I'd understood what I was experiencing & had the support i needed to get through it. Please look after yourself Patrick. And be careful with those pain killers.
Thank you for sharing, for shedding light on this experience. Added to all of this is the fact that autistic burnout is not an official diagnosis nor recognized by the greater medical community and so we flounder to find the words and the understanding and the compassion. I am so sorry you are struggling with burnout. And I am there with you.
In my AuDHD way of recognising what you’ve shared—completely—and sharing a deep dive or two back in your direction.
https://autside.substack.com/p/they-call-it-burnoutwe-call-it-a
https://autside.substack.com/p/autistic-burnout-unmasking-capitalisms
I think the experience of burnout is so universal in autism. We who can write about it tend to do so often. When I dove into my archives to respond, I found 66 items. These are two.
In solidarity. ❤️😊
Thank you for sharing this Patrick, it resonates deeply. I feel less alone which is comforting. I’m grateful for your words
Thank for sharing this so candidly. I’ve never heard anyone articulate so accurately what I have been unable to!
I hear you. Still getting to grips with fully understanding my burnout and its scope.
This resonates. Thank you for your honesty 🩷
Thank you for sharing this, so that others who don't experience it might understand better. A few years ago, before I has knew I was AuDHD, I injured myself by physically pushing myself too hard in my job. I tried to continue doing everything & meeting all the demands of life (and more!) even though my body was screaming at me to rest, that my sensory perceptions & emotions amplified 10 fold. I then spent so long in this restless, amped-up, highly sensitive & irritable state, where i was failing miserably at everything I was trying to do, that I ended up developing a terrible pain killer addiction. I just completely withdrew. I realise now it was burnout and the purpose of the drugs was just to numb myself & put mental space between the world and my own body. Unfortunately i got stuck in that place & spent 6 years on the couch, sedated. I ended up losing, not only my career & financial security (because of the injury), but eventually my friends, then my partner (of 18 years) and my home too. Everything I knew & loved. I was not in a good place & ended up spending a few months in a psychiatric facility. Thankfully, 8 years on, I have recovered and I am back on my feet. I still mourn my old life & the soulmate I lost, though & sometimes wonder how different things would have been if I'd understood what I was experiencing & had the support i needed to get through it. Please look after yourself Patrick. And be careful with those pain killers.
Really resonates. Thank you for sharing.
💜