Autism And Chronic Fatigue? Post Reply New Topic

Post Reply New Topic

I’ve had chronic fatigue for a very long time, and I’m wondering if it’s perhaps tied in with my autism. I’ve had blood tests and things to look for other causes for the tiredness and they’ve all come indicating that there’s not a vitamin deficiency or hormone problem behind it.

I do tend to get anxious a lot and overthink and worry, so I’m wondering if this could contribute to becoming tired quickly. And I find that social situations - like a lot of people on the spectrum I think - tire me out far more quickly than they do a lot of other people I know.

Does anyone else experience chronic fatigue/tiredness?

I was always tired for no reason as well. I would awaken from 8 hours of sleep just to go back to bed in 2 hours (if I wasn't working). I started to just pay attention on when I got tired. I was tired more often when I started going outside and working. I did have very low vitamin D due to working nights and rarely going outside but that wasn't the problem because I'm no longer deficient.

I knew I was sensitive to light and I began to suspect that maybe lights were part of the problem. Long story short, I tried out tinted glasses and it made a world of a difference. I no longer tire as easily and solved some other problems for me too. So in my case, my fatigue was due to sensory issues. My brain was probably tired from being bombarded by light.

I suffered with this for a long time - it was hellish - I was massively exhausted in that I physically could not keep my eyes open but couldn't sleep either. When I did go to the land of nod I felt worse when I awoke than before sleep. I pleaded with the doctors to fix it - I even went for a sleep study (the room was boiling)- but they claimed to find nothing and did not take it seriously. Turns out I was being harassed by an unknown but powerful enemy.

This has been haunting me for the past 3-6 years. Not the sort of chronic fatigue that come just from an inability to sleep, mine is the sort that comes from running oneself down.

I was battling undiagnosed and unrecognised traits of autism. My relationship with my wife would often swing wildly and teeter on the brink of ruin, and the impact of each incident on my mental well-being was massive.

A cozy work environment rurned into sensory hell in 2015 and my role at work was partly disconnected from the exercise of my best talents & abilities.

Kids arrived and made their demands on the energies of my wife and I.

I overworked myself trying to make it all up and wound up battling burnout and depression in 2015 and 2016.

I absolutely felt tired most of the time, and other things besides.

A diagnosis of depression came with some handy tips, but nothing i ever felt got to the heart of the matter.

For many neurotypicals and most certainly for myself as well, the ideas in a book I found are a part of the puzzle. That plus the journey to self-understanding of my aspergian self which I'm undertaking now gives me hope that I'm on track to recovery.

Absolutely check out the book in my sig. Until/unless you become sure it doesn't have the answers, chase them there and I bet you'll find some.

I used to be always tired, and cold, too. I was very skinny then. Then I changed my diet and gained enough weight to be in the normal range and I felt a lot better. Last couple years I gained more weight (unintended) and now I'm almost never feel tired. I walk around like there are springs under my feet. And I'm never cold either. I love turning my bedroom temperature down and slip into a cold bed at night. Not saying getting fat will fix everyone's problems, just that if you're underweight your body might not like it.