An Honest Chat About Autistic Burn Out

TL,DR: Im tiiiiired

[henriettajsoneskelin]

It's a shame that you never seem to get the beneficial circumstances - like a permanent, enjoyable living situation that is in every way a safe space - to rest and recover. It angers me that people who are in most need of comfortable lives are not getting that, while so many people that could deal just fine with less live in complete abundance, in roomy, quite houses with yoga ladies coming in to their private dance room in the basement and everyone has their space and it's all like a barbie dream. The ND's would need that so much more to just stay people 😢 thank you for still uploading because we miss you and care

[coololi]

autistic burnout is impossible. im just stuck in a loop of oh maybe ill have energy tomorrow, lets sleep. what about day after? maybe after that? on and on and on. I've gone through years of this just suddenly losing all energy at least once a month and I still have no clue how i get myself back.
I have no solutions either but wishing you the best

[Elvenroyale]

So THAT’S what was wrong with me all those times! I described it to my therapist like the things I need to do are in bottles on a shelf in the back of my mind and to get to them, I have to figure out how to get there. Just walking to them feels like walking through molasses and even just forming sentences is challenging.
Great video Dana! Thank you❤

[Witchycatlady]

I've been in what I think is autistic burnout and I quit my job 3 months ago and I haven't had a job since. It's been so hard to exist and at the same time look for jobs, interview, etc. I get anxious about leaving the house and the concept of going to work and being around people. I don't know how I'm going to do it. I feel lazy, but I know that's not true. I don't ever comment on here, but know you're not alone!

[steveneardley]

When you told us a bit ago about how noisy and buggy (and ratty) your new place was, I just thought "Of jeez, she's going to have to move and she just got there. That is SO depressing." But the fact that the lease is only six months is actually very good news. It isn't really all that long. Yes, it's a total drag, but here in the US, leases are almost always a year.

[_origami]

In burnout too. Nightmare of functioning.

Ever single thing

Talking, any form of communication
Seriously depleting

[deesparklebazinga]

I'm still coming out of what you describe since the lockdown shitshow sent me into my worst ever burnout. It sucks and I dont really have any advice as my bed and watching YouTube is how I survive but just to kill time more than anything else. Sending positive vibes and a reminder that it takes time but you can and will get out of it gradually xx

[Catlily]

Moving majorly sucks. Even if it is for the better. I crashed badly after my last move. It was worth it in the long run but was terrible at first.

[silvermoonuk]

Even socialising, basic daily routines or communicating burns me out. I can do things for only a short burst but then I get tired or anxious afterwards. I have to pace myself each day and only do very easy things each day. I used to overdo things at one point but then I would feel crap later on. I think most therapists or medical professionals sadly don't understand how autism works. As you know, we can have burnout and executive dysfunction issues but instead, we get wrongly labelled as depressed. Hopefully, you will get there one day. But I admit, it does take a long time to figure things out. I'm 40 but still figuring out how to deal with my autism. Dana, just be yourself. Don't worry about being tired or sad occasionally. It is OK to have shit days sometimes. Xx ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

[nikneumann]

Yeah, I had this when I moved. Burnt out for months. Mentally and physically drained all the time. Taking baby-steps all the time. Just take small steps each day, and stay in touch with friends who can help. Good luck, Dana ❗👍🏼

[paulinejulien]

I relate so much. When in burnout I really struggle to watch anything new because I can’t process new information and have to rewatch stuff I already know… the fatigue is hard. I know what you mean about not even having the energy to get words out or remember things or make decisions. I’ve been in burnout for 4 months myself. My focus and short term memory are shit. I don’t sleep very well. I’m so anxious and depressed all the time and my sensory issues are worse. Same with you in the past my only conclusion was ‘I must be depressed’ because I didn’t know about autistic burnout but the only time I tried antidepressants they made me feel worse and I regret taking them. Hang in there, we’ll make it through ❤

[WitchPaper]

I so relate. I’m off work (work in a school) for a couple of months and have enough to live on so this is the perfect time to relax and get over the intense burnout and physical exhaustion, right? Wrong!! Haha! Instead, let’s obsess constantly about what we *should* be doing and let’s give ourselves the worst hard time about being a lazy piece of sh*t and not having done enough ever and just generally being useless (not assuming this is what you’re going thru at all as it does sound different and you don’t have a good living situation like I do but it’s just the *constant* mental barriers to actually being reasonably content that I’m relating to, maybe!) Anyway, I’m out here, wishing you the best.

[JelloTwins]

I've felt this way on and off for the past few years, and I hope things feel better for us at some point. I just recently learned I'm autistic and I can say that something that's helped me is hearing from people like you and others who go through similar experiences here on youtube or some of my friends. People like Orion Kelly and Irene at The Thought Spot and Claire from Woodshed Theory have helped me a lot when it comes to thinking "this burnout I've been in for what feels like forever really frickin sucks, but there are ways to help myself, and maybe I don't have the energy every day to do it all, but just knowing that it's an option and something to work towards makes me feel just a teensy bit better".

[UnvisibleGirl]

I'm in the same boat, constantly burnt out, I don't have the best living arrangement and I'm pouring all my enegy into caring for two dogs( of one them is elderly and needs to go out regularly ;-; ). I feel you on the knowing what you need but not having the skills or the means to do it 🙃. Well done for managing to edit and post the video too, proud of you 😊

[krE]

I respect you for coming on here and sharing. You've moved house which is really stressful and had lots of problems since you moved in. I am autistic and also have problems. I find negative events and depression zap my energy, motivation and enthusiasm. Sorry your sleep pattern is out of whack and your attention is not on things, I find I struggle to keep my attention on things as well. I hope you can recharge your batteries and share with us how you did it. Thanks for the video.

[AutisticAF]

I feel you on everything you've said, I moved in March and I still don't have a proper routine and my sleeping pattern is constantly switching between normal and nocturnal. Resting definitely does help but only in a calm, safe environment which from the sounds of things, you don't have right now. I do hope things improve for you, and I hope it's soon! Don't worry about appearing "depressive" or "tired", you're being real and it's a massive help to those who think that us NDs have it together all the time, when that's far from the truth. Keep going Dana! You got this! 💪

[gillywild]

I feel you. I think im bouncing along the edge of this right now. I have no energy and just want to sleep all the time. I’ve been here before and I know it will pass. I know that I have to just make myself as comfortable as I can and wait for the storm to pass. It still sucks though. I can only offer my solidarity. Take care :)

[KatjaTheAutiArtist]

Omg, Dana… I’ve been going through burnout for a while now. Every time I try to build a routine it doesn’t stick. I am taking everything I can to sleep but instead I’m awake watching your video explaining so much of what I have been going through. I spend so much time like more than half the day just trying to get myself up and doing something. But it’s all so much and overwhelming. I haven’t made a video in like a month and a half. Maybe I will once I have a/c in my attic studio…

[servadac]

I can relate to this, I first got autistic burnout in 2020 and I’ve been in it for varying degrees ever since. At the time I was also 3 years away from my dx so it got ”treated” as occupational burnout. I try to follow every tip to make it better, but to be quite honest nothing works. If I lived in a house near nature I’m sure I could get better, but I live in a noisy apartment in the middle of a big city. I can also relate to not being the same person pre- and post burnout. Before I was a completely different person, I had so much energy to do things. It sucks.

[marleysoluna]

Really sorry for both of us that I related to this so much! I've had a pretty terrible last few years, but I still have responsibilities and bills. I can't just take it easy for a few months. I've been in and out of burn out for two years now, and idk when it'll end.