Autistic Burnout

it’s not the same as burnout.

Welcome to Mostly Unlearning, a newsletter that amplifies accessibility, inclusion and disability voices towards more impactful commercial and human outcomes.

In today's edition, I’ll share resources that helped me understand burnout, specifically autistic burnout.

This was originally posted on LinkedIn as a part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week.

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As a disability advocate, I often hear from and advocate for neurodiverse people. It’s never my job to speak for them but to find ways to help and pave a path for their voices to be heard. In some cases, this allows someone to speak for themselves. In other cases, I may speak on their behalf or bundle with other conversations and advocate for systemic change.

In late 2023, I supported a close friend through autistic burnout. While I had an academic understanding of autism and burnout, at that moment, it felt like none of that mattered when confronted with real life. In a matter of weeks, they had deteriorated to the point of panic attacks and time off work. Here are some resources that helped me understand autism, neurodiversity, burnout and how to help them.

But first, while I have you here

I do most of my advocacy work on LinkedIn. If that’s somewhere you also hang out, consider connecting and adding your voice to the conversation about disability inclusion and confidence at work. Click here to connect on LinkedIn.

Helping someone through autistic burnout

Supporting someone takes patience and care. My academic understanding of autism helped a little in that I knew broad topics and where to find resources. But their experience was unique to them, and my role was to listen, comfort and stand alongside them. Here are some resources that helped.

Reframing Autism.

In this case, the person didn't (yet) have an autism diagnosis. Our discussions about what they were experiencing led them to begin that process. It was the article “Establishing Workplace Adjustments: How I Learned to Advocate for My Autistic Needs” by Justine Field on Reframing Autism that got the penny to drop.

Specifically, this table:

A table that helped explain an autistic experience

Justine followed this article up with a second a year later titled “Advocating for Autistic Needs in the Workplace Is Still Harder Than It Should Be: Challenging the Status Quo to Achieve a Neuroinclusive Workplace”. And the disappointing byline, “Last year I wrote a blog post for Reframing Autism about advocating for my needs as an Autistic employee. Reading it now, the optimistic vibe seems at odds with the struggle that culminated in my resignation months later.”

For my friend the table provided relief “I’m not alone” and a realisation that maybe they were autistic.

Community.

With a framework from Reframing Autism, I leaned into my ND colleagues who are in our Disability Reference Group for support. Each of them, in their own way, had experienced an adult diagnosis prompted by burnout. I was given resources, comfort and a range of paths forward. Here is a snapshot of what I took on

1. This is going to get harder before it gets better.

2. You’ll find words for your life experience, and with that comes grief and relief.

3. When you are ready, find an expert to support you in whatever area of your life you need - work or home.

4. Learn about your strengths, articulate them and find work that fits them

Online community.

Here on Substack, and over on LinkedIn, I amplify disability and neurodiverse writers and advocates. Make sure you’re following me on each to broaden your online community.

Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski.

Curious to understand Autistic Burnout, in contrast to neurotypical burnout, I re-read Burnout by Amelia and

Emily Nagoski

. While it didn’t provide specifics for Autistic people, it did help me understand where I might be at risk of burnout - and, therefore, less able to support my friend.

And by understanding the neurotypical language around burnout, I could also hear the specifics of their autistic experience. For example, the importance of rest.

Autistic burnout is different because

Here's what I've learnt about the difference.

Neurotypical burnout often occurs due to prolonged stress, excessive workload, or overwhelming life circumstances.

• Symptoms of neurotypical burnout may include fatigue, irritability, reduced motivation, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of overwhelm.

• Neurotypical burnout is commonly associated with work-related stress, but it can also result from personal, social, or familial pressures.

• Recovery from neurotypical burnout may involve rest, relaxation, seeking social support, setting boundaries, and making lifestyle changes.

Autistic burnout is a specific type of burnout experienced by autistic individuals due to sensory overload, social demands, masking (hiding autistic traits), and other factors related to their neurodivergence.

• Symptoms of autistic burnout may include sensory sensitivities (e.g., heightened sensitivity to noise, light, touch), emotional exhaustion, meltdowns or shutdowns (extreme responses to stress), difficulty with communication, and executive functioning challenges.

• Autistic burnout can be triggered by changes in routine, social expectations, sensory overload, and the cumulative effect of trying to navigate a world that is often not designed with autistic needs in mind.

• Recovery from autistic burnout often involves creating a supportive environment, reducing sensory stimuli, practicing self-care strategies tailored to autistic needs, and embracing one's autistic identity.

In summary, while both neurotypical burnout and autistic burnout involve feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm, the underlying causes and manifestations can differ significantly due to the distinct neurologies and experiences of neurotypical and autistic individuals. As colleagues and friends, we can help Autistic people avoid burnout by listening, clarifying and supporting their requests for adjustments.

What happened to my friend?

With all these resources, tears and support, things went well. They disclosed their diagnostic pathway to their line manager, who provided the necessary time off work. Their workplace then worked with them to adjust their responsibilities, hours of work and days of work to facilitate recovery. The workplace has remained committed to supporting this capable but burnout employee as they recover and adjust through the diagnostic process.

Today, almost two years later, they’ve opened up a variety of conversations and gained a better understanding of themselves. Autism was one, but not all, of what contributed to their burnout. That’s a story for another edition.

Consider unlearning

• What an autistic person might need to avoid burnout

• How long it can take for burnout to debilitate someone

• The difference in neurotypical experience of burnout

Join the unlearning.

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