Autistic burnout

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Hello,

I am in the middle of what I believe to be a bad autistic burnout. I’m so exhausted in every aspect - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I live alone, Carr for my pets (which are the only things keeping me going), and I’m terrified about what to do. I don’t have a job at the moment (but neither can I feel any motivation or care to go even if I did), and my days are spent sleeping, just to wake to eat, feed/care for my pets and sleep again.
I feel like I’ve regressed somehow - I cant pretend or mask anymore. I just feel so overloaded and overwhelmed. Things annoy/overwhelm me more or quicker than before. I care barely function. I’m scared because this has been going on for at least 2 weeks now.
Any advice, or knowledge would be gratefully accepted.

must be a very difficult time ..am sorry to know this is going onwith you . if you are going to be near a phone alot , you might call Social Service for a appt or assessment , describe exactly what you did on here to them .to find out if they can schedule you a appt to come out or you go in .? They might be alittle backed up on their appts . So might require some patience ?

Through experience the only thing to try and do is to relax and offload responsibilities if that is possible. I also find it helps to go places to relax as it changes the scenery. I am not sure if this will work for you, but I find it re-charges me.

But whatever you can do to de-stress do it.

Before I hit the first burnout (I have had about six or seven and each has been worse then the one before), I would not have believed how hard hitting something like this can be. I know it is mental but it really effects everything physical as well. People who have not experienced it may not realize how it effects.

One becomes withdrawn from public when one can no longer mask as one feels naked. One will find oneself a target by shop security guards as one is not acting in the expected way.

Yeah, that's it. Time and rest.
And if you have no support at least get some kind of counselling, if you can, to offload how you feel.

Hi Crysta,

Autistic burnout isn't fun. I spent a month in a psychiatric hospital following one. Decompression seems to be the only real lasting help. Just having a chance to rest in a safe place.

Sometimes people’s staffing hospitals can be just as bad as the rest , same with counselors ..
It’s your mind that needs the rest , sometimes distraction isn’t. Quite enough .
Detune , destress , debrief .

I have developed some easy to set up activities that I can focus on doing.
I think some people might use jigsaw puzzles or crossword puzzles but those just irritate me during burnout.

Instead, I like to (don't laugh) get a magazine of house plans and make notations, on the plans, of the stupid design elements (ok, I'm laughing so, I guess I shouldn't have asked "don't laugh"). I'm a classically trained architect (not licensed now) so these off-the-shelf plans can be quite hilariously entertaining for their really, really bad designs.

Doing this isn't a "cure" but it helps me focus on something that makes me feel better. Feeling better gives me the motivation to shower and shave. That helps me to be inspired to wipe down the bathroom. That helps me get a bit of an appetite. So I go eat. Maybe do the dishes. Which leads to cleaning the kitchen a little.

Okay. You might see where I'm going with this.

If you can find that easy to do thing. Do it for a while for a few days. See if that gets things moving. If not, can you think of another easy to do thing? The whole point is to add something to the sleeping and eating. Then, maybe, add a second thing. Just to break the repetitive comfort of doing nothing.

-Easy exercise, such as walking.
-Get some Sunshine.
-A healthy diet.
-Plenty of sleep.

"Bob's your Uncle."