Autistic Burnout
By Kate Calway
What is Autistic burnout?
Autistic individuals often face unique challenges in navigating a world that may not always be attuned to their needs. One aspect of this experience that has gained increasing attention is Autistic burnout. While Autistic adults frequently share their encounters with 'Autistic burnout' and attribute significant negative consequences to it, the concept is notably scarce in both academic and clinical literature1.
One of the first studies on Autistic burnout describes the phenomenon as a state of physical and emotional exhaustion that many Autistic individuals experience due to prolonged exposure to stressors, sensory overload, or societal expectations that may not align with their neurodivergent needs. The concept gained recognition as part of the broader discourse on Autism and mental health, emphasising the importance of understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by Autistic individuals.
Signs of Autistic burnout
Autistic burnout also has a significant impact on various aspects of daily functioning, including managing routines, engaging in social interactions, and coping with sensory stimuli. It is important to note that Autistic burnout is a subjective experience, meaning it can vary from person to person and support must be individually tailored.2
It is also important to distinguish between depression and Autistic burnout as often suggestions for managing depressive symptoms are not helpful for Autists in burnout. An example is a strategy called "behaviour activation" or increasing our activity level even if we aren't motivated to begin with as a means to improve mood. Although this may be helpful for someone experiencing depression, true rest is important for burnout.
Why do people experience Autistic burnout?
Sensory overload
Expectations outweighing abilities
Disruptions to routines
This may be particularly important to keep in mind if going on a holiday with young ones
The Boom-or-Bust Cycle4
Over-expending energy on good days then needing to recover the following day. Each time this happens for neurodivergent folk, it can push them into a deeper form of burnout.
And a number of other individualised reasons.
Strategies for coping with Autistic burnout (only when ready)
"When we talk about reducing demands, including taking a break from school, we need to break down the stigma that we’re ‘reinforcing the behaviour of school avoidance’ and instead, see this as a necessary mental health option, to allow our children to recharge enough to be able TO go to school." - Sandhya Menon, Neurodivergent Psychologist3
Pacing Systems to help with Autistic Burnout
You may have heard of a few of these.
Energy Accounting
This concept was developed by Autistic advocate, Maja Toudal, to explain to her parents what it was like to be Autistic and have limited energy resources. Each person is different and is the expert on what activities "deposit" or "withdraw" their energy, like a bank account. For young people, we may explore what "recharges" or "depletes" their energy, like a battery.
Spoons Theory
This analogy was developed when Christine Miserandino tried to communicate to a friend her experience of having limited energy due to her autoimmune disease. The theory is applicable to many with chronic illness or disability, as it poses we wake up with a limited number of spoons in a day and we must be careful how we use our limited units of energy (using "spoons" as a tangible example).
Other resources
The Neurodivergent Woman Podcast episode on Autistic Burnout (March, 2023)
Discusses "brown-out" as the pre-stage to burnout
Depression vs Autistic burnout
Neurodivergent Insights by Dr Neff
References
Kidd, T. (2022). Helping Autistic Teens to Manage their Anxiety. Jessica Kingsley Publishers https://shorturl.at/iHQ59
1Raymaker et al. (2020).‘‘Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left with No Clean-Up Crew’’: Defining Autistic Burnout.
2Higgins et al. (2021). Defining autistic burnout through experts by lived experience: Grounded Delphi method investigating #AutisticBurnout.
3Yellow Ladybugs & Department of Victoria (2023). Supporting the mental health of Autistic girls and gender diverse young people. Retrieved from https://www.yellowladybugs.com.au/Document?documentId=2
4https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/how-to-use-pacing-systems
