Unfortunately, in my experience, I have found that most employers I have had will not give Autism accommodations if you are "high functioning. "

When I had a long term burnout at 22, my mom told me to stop acting "severely" autistic. Just another reason not to use functioning labels.

You also have to take into account the fact that we are constantly and incessantly being bomarded and neurologically assaulted by sensory overload and many us find it impossible to ever get real rest. So we never have neurological rest and recovery. And we are socially abused and bullied all the time which doesn't help.

I have been in burnout and major depression for 5 years now. I'm finally starting to recover, wish me luck!

I am so glad you don’t play background music

I used to have a secret time-out event every week, lunch at 2.45 pm at Chillis every Thursday. I never told anyone where I was going, not even my wife. I always ordered soft tacos with guacamole and fries and a large iced tea, the waitresses knew that, so they would place the order as soon as I arrived at the door, so I always gave them a good tip. It was ME time. The only such time I got, as I was in demand at work or home all the rest of the week. Did I deserve this luxury? Who knows. Well, it kept me sane. It was like a pressure relief valve. A predictable routine, and therefore a release from stress, as that predictability meant no surprises to have to contend with, and surprises for autistic people can be darn tedious to cope with. I got enough of those the rest of the week, doing IT support.

HOLY SHIT I am NOT used to the amount of RESPECT GIVEN to me!!! This guy is the best!!!!

If you are turning to this for help with a side of ADHD skip to 8:57 or 11:10 if you’re in a burnout. Great information

my experience with Autistic burnout is an amplified depression and apathy. I am there now. My dog passed away 2 months ago and that broke my heart even more.

During my last major burnout, I had zero tolerance for being touched by others.

I started feeling better when I stopped feeling ashamed for spending time with my special interest. Yes, going outside, regular showers and doing sports is good too, but they all require a lot of energy. engaging brain in something it wants to be challenged in was much easier. to research, create, write...that was a good way to not only get easy-produceable happiness-feels in my brain, but also to prove myself that I am not stupid. from there is was much easier to work in other areas.

I think I've been having burnouts for decades but unaware what is was... Every 6/8 months I'll have a shutdown where I'll pull the blinds down and stay in bed for 3 whole days.. After which I'll get up, shower change my bedding and carry on facing my world! You said the word I've been searching for.. "RESET" that's what I was unconsciously doing all these years!

Whats hard is when you know your autistic but don’t realize it until your an adult and now it feels like just seeking a diagnosis is impossible let alone getting help! And it’s so hard for my literal brain to accept my autism without an official diagnosis. Even though my trauma counselor has noted my neurological differences and said she can see my autism she is just not licensed to make any diagnosis which I know that. It makes having autism so much harder when the medical world makes it so hard for adults that fell through the cracks as kids because they over looked girls with autism and even if they found both autism and ADHD they would only diagnose ADHD, that is what happened to me. Now we are going through the diagnosis process with my daughter and it is still a struggle just to get the diagnosis. Like I’m sorry I’m not having fun over here, having autism is a daily struggle why do they make the diagnosis so difficult to obtain especially when they say earlier intervention is key?😭

Most of these steps are impossible for many of us. We don’t have the support network.

I have found that quitting your job and finding another one can get you out of a slump, may be extream but if you are in a good position financially it can be a game changing move

Oh for love… this good doctor put CITATIONS in the transcript. This is creative genius and compassionate to folks diligently trying to solve desperate circumstances with demonstrable evidence

I burnt out during a relationship with a narcissist. I eventually had a meltdown, and the fallout was grueling. I plant trees, chop wood and swim. it helps

This is one of the best videos I've found on autistic burn out. You covered a lot of things other people leave out. On the water thing, I'd like to add, that ideal water temp depends on the person. I've had arthritis since I was little, so the cold water suggestions made me cringe. Warm or hot water works better for me, because cold water hurts, but I love being near oceans, rivers, or any natural body of water. It balances the soul. I live near a river now.

Yeah when I got stressed at work I would fantasize about jumping off the roof. I never came close in afterwards I did feel like I was being dramatic, but it is nice to hear that it wasn't just me. Thankfully I don't get to that point anymore, but although I am normally a happy optimistic person, when something goes wrong I can immediately get to a helpless hopeless state, so fast it's unbelievable

My safe space is my workshop and a full bath, lying up to neck deep, for at least an hour. I have to be so so hot to have cold showers. I like warm/hot baths, especially during cold snaps. I always used to think it was perhaps related to the safety of the womb. I think I’m right, considering I lost my mom 34 years ago at age 19. At 53 now, I miss my mom more than ever.

That explains a lot of why I had a constant amount of severe migraines during my early childhood.

Burn out souds a lot like what I keep being told is manifestations of depression. I really appreciate you and your videos.

It's encouraging to see a doctor who is autistic himself so passionately advocating for the support of his patients and other autistic individuals. This contributes to raising awareness about the needs and strengths of people within the autistic spectrum and improving their quality of life. In my opinion, the advice provided here is highly relevant and can offer valuable assistance to many autistic individuals and their families. Emphasizing self-acceptance and self-care is a central theme that can help many autistic people better navigate the challenges of daily life. It's important to recognize that excessive sensory overload can affect anyone, and the self-preservation advice mentioned here is meaningful for all individuals. Acknowledging autism as a constitutive difference rather than a deficit is perhaps the most crucial message that can help reduce prejudices and misunderstandings and make life easier for autistic individuals.❤

Hey, I just want to mention that severe burn out for neurotypicals can also lead to them being bedridden and is not cured with a Spa day. I think it’s due to the term burn out being used a lot in the wrong context. For a neurotypical to get burnt out means they’re going through months and years of high stress due to personal and work circumstances + personality. There is different phases and if someone has completely worn themselves out they will have to recover for months and years even and have problems with executive functioning. I just want to make sure that people know that burn out is a very serious condition, also if you’re a neurotypical person.

As someone who was raised mormon and had to attend early morning seminary for all 4 years of high school, lol thank you for the shout out. That shit sucked and definitely contributed to the burnout I experienced.

After years of struggle, combined with experiences that left me with PTSD, I burned out after trying to go to college in my early thirties. I have lived for the last twenty years unable to understand why I was so stuck and unable to cope. Then my brother's kids all got an autism diagnosis, which led to me getting assessed. I'm autistic, but only learned that at the age of 56, last year. I might also have ADHD as well. Because I didn't understand autistic burnout I spent so much time being angry with myself. Why, when there are certain things I can do so well, could I not have a productive life like my friends. I spent all these years hiding how unwell I was from everyone, my family especially. This list of strategies has been so helpful. Some things I've been discovering myself. My cat just died, after 17 years. I didn't realise how much I relied on him to regulate me until he was gone. Suddenly I have a much greater need to stim, with some things like vocal stimming increasing so much more than before. I'm happy to have found your channel.

D) All of the Above 😂 The real problem is the way our society functions. I need days to retreat without being afraid of loosing my job. A steady schedule and better pay (without inflation cancelling the gains) would dramatically balance out the time I have to work versus time I have to recoup and to live my purpose. Great video 👍 Thank you for sharing ✌️

I had all 12 symptoms and my GP wanted me on anti-depressants but I knew that wasn't what it was. Extra symptom - my brain felt like when you chomp on aluminum when you have metal fillings in your teeth, but it felt like that all the time when trying to use my brain at work. this was a deeper symptom to the brain fog. Magnesium was critical to help with this symptom. Major Autistic Burnout helped me realize I was autistic, but it was seven years ago and was not successful in obtaining help from professionals. thankfully my deep dive obsessions kicked into researching everything related to this.

what if i can't get rest? what if my responsibilities can't be put aside because i need to fulfill them to survive no matter how burnt out i am?

Ok, this temp sensitive gal isn't doing COLD showers, but I'll turn it down a degree or two! Otherwise these are things that I've definitely found helpful when I can MAKE myself do them. 65 years of not knowing about my autism...it's so weird to finally understand these things from this point of view. I remember some burn-outs...and it was the support of even one or two friends who would help by getting me out or just checking in to make sure I was alive, taking me to lunch and it was ok if I didn't talk. Just knowing someone cared in those moments was a huge gift. Anything to break that cycle of poor me. Writing has also helped me a lot...getting it out of me and onto paper. Good video.

Ive been suffering from autistic burnout for years. It all started when i moved from a slower rural area to busy congested New Jersey to ho back to school as a nontraditional student. For 5 years i pushed myself through everything, being constantly stressed and overstimulated, constant changes and untold levels if uncertainty. Before my move, I didn't really think of myself too much as autistic, as it never really affected me much at all. But now, even though i moved back to that slower area, I feel like im forever changed and feel like i can never get back to previous functioning levels. Even though i did surprisingly well in school, I cant even manage to work now because of my continued difficulties and my anxiety. My 5 year burnout changed the course of my life and am uncertain if I'll ever be able to get some semblance of what used to be normal again.

I have said this about the school system since I had children. It took forever to find a specialist for my granddaughter who will be 20 yo in a few days. She is high functioning and she believes I am also?! I believe there was so much damage done to her. From grade school on, there was no one to diagnose her. She was just considered a problem and needed to be dealt with by teachers who didn’t know what else to do. She has a large family who adore her but don’t always understand . God bless anyone who goes into this field. You are so desperately needed.❤

Problem is when society doesn't accept my autistic traits and being subjected to complaints at work

Thank you for this. I feel like I’ve lived my whole life in burnout except I’m only just now starting to realize it. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome when I was 11 years old. Now I wonder if it was really just continual burnout due to masking and suppressing stims. These videos are very helpful. I want to understand myself so I can take care of myself the way I need to instead of being like a drill sergeant using brute force to push myself through normal everyday life. It’s frustrating to me because I happen to love my life and have goals I’d like to achieve but often times feel imprisoned in my own body because I need so much downtime and some time. Anyway thanks again for these videos. They’re very helpful and also help me to feel not so alone.

Regular cold showers, a couple strength workouts a week, walks in nature and yoga are my strats I've found to keep myself out of burnout. Cool to see you mention all of those, I hope it helps many people so they don't have to find out all of these things for themselves like I had to. Now the other thing might be controversial, but a little bit of cannabis in the evening helps me calm down and psilocybin microdosing helps me keep anxiety down and navigate social situations better.

Something i feel like is worth mentioning. I've been in burnout for years now. And I dont know when I started doing this, but it's super self destructive and I feel like its something to keep an eye on. You know how you have to force yourself to get through whatever youre doing, the flip the switch moment where is doesn't really matter how awful things are anymore, you're numb but also not really? I started forcing myself into that headspace, even when it wasn't necessarily and then doing things that activity make me overestimated and then rapidly underestimating. I was straight up torturing myself. Even to the point of smoking wayyy too much weed, way more then what my limits are, just to keep ramping it up. From asking other autistic people, I took this to the extreme. But i thought it was still worth mentioning. Enjoying overstimulation and meltdowns, kinda a big red flag lol

Music is a huge tool for me that helps me connect with my feelings. When I can’t connect with my feelings, I find it hard to process what my needs are.

I got my diagnosis last year from Dr. Neely. I'm still struggling to maintain employment even part time. I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to participate in society and keep shelter this way.

It honestly kinda feels like I've been in a chronic burnout since I dropped out of university a decade ago....

Having such a hard time with burnout. I caretake for my grandfather and his house is absolutely disgusting. By the time I clean up his daily mess in the kitchen I’m in full sensory overload but I can’t leave. The repeat of it every day makes it so hard for me to find any semblance of escape. The lack of help from his daughter does not help. She will gaslight me constantly and tell me that I’ve never brought up issues with him and the home and I have to remind her that I’ve said it multiple times through the years. It’s like she wants me to completely break. I keep telling myself I’m going to get through this, but I don’t feel very encouraged right now. My executive dysfunction just gets worse and worse because I just can’t handle it and also don’t have the energy to look into the help I’ve asked my aunt to get for him and I just feel at a loss.

I hate this. It's either masking to the point of breakdown or being infatilized and losing your autonomy. I won't pretend I'm not resentful to the world about being treated like this.

One thing that I think people aren't talking about enough is that corporations and our current economic structure isn't made to accommodate neurodivergent people at all and is too rigid in many ways such as work and such. And this negatively affects neurotypical people as well. As others said in the comments, we are meant to be connected to nature much more than our modern lives allow. Like, to afford rent I have to drive for Uber much more than my body and mind can handle, but if I don't I can't afford rent. What we need is a restructured economy that is centered around providing for everyone and not funneling wealth and resources to the control of just a few people. Greedy corporations and billionaires are literally squeezing the life out of us. And these things disproportionately affect minorities, exacerbating these health issues. No amount of self management can combat this, and its going to take communities coming together and sharing a producing resources locally again to provide for people.

This was extremely helpful to me, I was diagnosed with autism at a young age but wasn’t told I had it till a few years ago, and I had never known that what I had thought were panic attacks, were actually a burnout. I have found your videos have helped me understand my autism and has helped me find ways to live with it better. ❤

I'm 33. I was diagnosed with SPD 6 days ago. It's taken me 4 smoke breaks to get through the first half of this. I can't tell if it's relief or remorse, but every other sentence is hitting my memories of college with a hammer.

Thank you for this. I'm in burnout atm and it sucks. My monotropism means I need a lot of time to detach & get into a flow state. I'm an Autistic writer with ADHD & I haven't stopped "working" for years. It's exactly 20 years since I had a holiday. I am only alive due to a meditation practice, prayer, dogs, and the sea. I've been othered, bullied, ignored, assaulted, stalked and had multiple random attacks both physically, s

I remember one day right before start of a new year of college, I was feeling hopeless, trapped, and isolated. I know now it was going to be the start of a burnout, but at the time I had no idea. Still, intuitively, I already knew what would help me, so I jumped in my car and went to the local park, then went to multiple bookstores and libraries to fuel my special interests. It was a much needed break and I'm lucky to have such a special day to remember if things start spiraling. And I'm glad to have stumbled across this video, because now I have words for my feedings, and even more tools at my disposal to prevent burnout!

Oh thank the lords this video confirms that the feeling of wanting death was normal when burnt out, I thought I had mood swings and the such but no, my brain was just pushing so hard that it couldn’t do it anymore and wanted to be relieved of it.

I’m in Canada and 63, only discovered my autism from my son . Wow, yes. Thank you.

It is genious. Thank you. I am on the recovery from the serious burnout. I got involved in running the restaurant which became TOO MUCH for me and I found myself escaping and feeling really bad at work and around people. Few times I just run away during the shift because I couldn't stand loud voices and long hours anymore. But what scared me the most is that the world which I usually find very beautiful became flat, gray, scary and hopeless. I didn't want my life to continue this way. I was my own boss so I had to fire myself which I did last january. Very slowly it is getting better and more days I see some hope and my creativity is slowly coming back. What is mentioned in this movie are all tactics to recover I am using and THEY WORK but you need some time. What I would like to add is something I discovered after months: be extremly good and patient with yorself. Don't push and most important: DON'T FEEL GUILTY that you are not well. Rest. A day, a week, half a year. Rest actively, go out in nature, move, breathe, create. Let yourself recover and remember: this is crucial for you to survive. Thank you for all these movies. ❤

When I was first diagnosed I remember going to KZfaq and looking at a bunch of videos describing autism. Back then I was pretty young, and there wasn’t quite a lot of attention being paid to treating autism with respect and care (instead there was a lot of British people and Autism Speaks praying for some mythical cure). I wish I had videos like this instead when I was a kid, but I’m glad to see someone is making them now for future autistic people

I’ve read/listened/watched a ton of other resources in an attempt to get a better handle on burnout and losing skills and this was by far the best and most tangible explanation and “what to do”.Thank you, Dr.! Keep up this amazing and important work!

I keep not getting diagnosed with asd, but I have all the symptoms and have had them all my life. This video describes where I am now.

I’m currently heading for burnout. I’m very aware of it and have unconsciously been doing things to slow it down. But I can still feel it coming. My major problem is in trying to be like others too much and trying to make them happy. It’s come at a huge cost. I was late diagnosed last year at 53 and got the diagnosis mainly for others who don’t listen to me or believe me when I tell them the things I struggle with. They still don’t believe me and they probably never wonder why I want nothing more to do with them either. To them, I’m just having a childish tantrum. Trying to educate them about autism is a waste of time. Even watching a video like this is too much effort for them. I’m the minority, so I’m expected to put the extra work in to reach their level. And why am I now crashing?! “Pah! She’ll get over it!”

"Pet it. Hug it. Love it. Call it George." 😊😁😅😂🤣😜🥰 Oh my, thank you! The content you provide is playing a large role in this discovery phase of my life. I can't thank you enough. AND I LOVE your humor! It provides me with a mini escape from my concentration on information intake, and it reminds me to relax. 🌼✨️💛

Burnout at age 48 eventually led me to figure out I was autistic because my autism was really prominent. It’s been five years now and I’m a little better but still in it. Radical self-acceptance, rest, meditation and leaving an abusive marriage were my strategies.

I've been pretty much in full burn out mode for a very long time. It is exausting and due to life circumstances, can't really get away from a lot of it. And just when I think I'm starting to get right, something happens and I'm back to square one :-( But somethings that have helped limit over the years adding extra things to my ever growing pile of issues. Is things like having a sign on my door that says. 'meditation in progress, whether the door may be open or closed I am NOT here!' and when people ignored it, I let them made it very clear that I was not happy and then chase them off. Also if people come bug me on my day off or week ends and holidays. Different story if family from far away. An issue if they are next door and they could have made the request or see you during the week. Having my down time interrupted in any way, can mess the entire day up and any rest I was hoping to get goes out the window. Especially with the '5 minute visitor'. Saying they only need to speak to you for 5 minutes and 3 hours later they are still there! I've also had people keep asking you to do something and kept telling them no. And they were just not listening listening. They were stressing me out badly with the constant badgering about it. So I would just say yes and then, not not do it or not rock up with what they were wanting or to do something. I've had to do this once or twice. And when they are upset about it asking why I didn't. Tell them strait, I had told them no and they wouldn't listen, so I said yes just to Shut them up as they just wouldn't leave me be. After that, tend to listen more now when I say no. As for work conditions, when every one is out the office I put the radio off. People don't realise how much noise pollution affects you. For me, I even play all my computer games without sound. Allowing me to have fun, without been ground down by sound. If I had to deal with all that noise, I wouldn't in some cases last 5 minutes on somethings. I have a huge issue with high pitched and repetitive sounds and electronic sounds in general. And Stand your ground if people keep insisting you use voice instead of typing. As some games like Secondlife you have the option of both. And those that do have issue with typing there are text to speach apps they can use to talk to you and just copy and paste. People just don't get it. I've purposely not fixed a flaw in a program so people couldn't keep asking to put sound on as it isn't working. Kind of stops them pestering as much. 'games' like Secondlife has been a nice way for me to interact with others and have the flexibility of just disappearing, when I need to. Not be stuck in a room for a couple of hours and you can't leave like in the real world. It cuts out on a lot of the things that get to me with the sensory stuff, And I can be more myself too. also many of the visual clues that people in real life rely on are not there for everyone, so one is also on a more equal footing when interacting. And in my case the typing slows the conversation down allowing me to think things through before answering.

Thank you very much 🙏. I am new to the labels but have lived a very difficult life up to now. Your tips are bang on. I do many of them. I am housebound, on disability since age 38. I wish I had known how to navigate life with my neuro-sensitivities. I’m 51 now. This video is a gift and deeply helpful. Because I can relate to your personal experience, I will explore this new perspective with self-acceptance.

I've had burnout + chronic condition at the same time. I can tell you I didn't recover and it's been 4 years

PLEASE SHARE WHAT WE SHOULD DO WHEN SLAMMED WITH A DEPRESSION ATTACK & EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT UN-LIFEY, YOU SUDDENLY BECOME VERY UN-LIFEY. it's scary 😢 Thanks for your content.

I know this video is a year old, but I have just discovered it for the first time and - while I think what you've said is accurate and aligns well with many of my own experiences - I have a difficult and very personal question about this subject and I don't know what to do. I'm over 40 now and only in the last ~year or so discovered that I have traits / background stories that would likely have me diagnosed as autistic if I ever went that route. Unfortunately what led me to this discovery was the burnout. I have been able to operate / function in society at a relatively high level, with gradually increasing issues and deficiencies, until the last couple of years. I always had social difficulties but have been extremely 'gifted' (arts, technology) in key areas that allowed me to overcome hurdles that many cannot. I got married (to a woman who turns out to also be autistic) nearly 20 years ago, have been through over 15 years of continuous research and expenditure hell because of my wife's long-standing gastro issues - which nearly killed her years ago - but we overcame a great deal, survived the medical system, had three children, and sacrificed an incredible amount to move to the middle of nowhere during an economic crash and help plant a church and community. My wife homeschools our children, I have worked (until recently) anywhere from three to five simultaneous part-time gigs to make ends meet, and before either of us realized that we would be classified as 'autistic' and that (as a result of these traits) we would hit certain inevitable stress and social walls, we got deeply embedded in these processes, in building an institution, and taking on a ton of responsibilities and challenges. In the last couple of years or so we both began to hit these walls - myself especially after close to 20 years with basically no breaks from work, no vacations, and lots of sleep deprivation - and started wondering what was happening to us. To shorten a very long story, we have now gotten rid of as many responsibilities / roles as we could (I have also stepped down from every leadership position I had) but we still have a house to maintain, a family of five to feed, children to homeschool, etc. on a single income in an increasingly inflationary environment where, if my wife doesn't get high-quality foods pretty regularly, her health will rapidly decline. I have a relatively high-paying gig right now as a full-time software developer - the first gig I've ever gotten at this pay bracket, just a few years ago - but the burnout I began to go through over a year ago after a multitude of simultaneous demands from work, family, and the church recently resulted in a 'snap' which has left me, on some days, almost unable to code anymore. Literally unable to make my mind focus for more than a few minutes at a time. My hope is that someone with more life experience, if not the author of this video, will happen to read this story and have some kind of ideas about how I might proceed and at least partly recover without potentially losing my prior skill sets permanently. I can't afford to stop working and the jobs in my sector just became much harder to obtain in the last few months. My boss is very understanding but we are a small outfit and they can't afford to give me any kind of extended (paid) leave. (They have already fired a few people they didn't want to fire just to stay financially viable during this downturn, they were all good programmers, and after months some still haven't been re-hired anywhere else.) Due to additional stressors and needs at work after letting those people go, I haven't taken more than one day off in over six months. I realize this comment may just meet with 'dead air' but I'm leaving it out here anyhow because I don't have many people to talk to in-person who understand, even in the community we've helped to build for over a decade here. Most don't get it, are skeptical of what we're saying (if I try to talk about autism), and many are upset that we aren't contributing to things the way we used to and are finding other things to blame, but not offering any solutions. I recognize that there may not be any. Thanks for reading.

Awesome thank you! I have been in reocurring burnout for the last 5 years at least, to the point that when I try to speak at times now just nonsense comes out. While co-regulating with my neurodivergent kids, we often use cold (splash cold water on the face, ice pack on the neck etc), because it activates the vagus nerve. So I will add starting the day with a cold shower to my routine as well the other tips you mentioned! Thank you

Thank you for this video. I am just starting to learn and accept this. Been hitting a wall every 3 or four years all of my life and it last longer and hits me harder each time.

Also, as a late-diagnosed person (at 39!) the tip about trip-planning kind of cracked me up, because I have ALWAYS done that...and always found it odd that most people don't! Because why the heck would you want to risk just wandering around and getting hungry and grumpy if you could have an itinerary with all potential activities and restaurants? And I've always found it hard to explain to people that this doesn't mean my plans are rigid - I change them all the time, but it is that list of options that ALLOWS me to change them on the fly! Escape planning is also something I had to figure out before being diagnosed, because particularly for late-night social things...if I don't have the option to leave as soon as I get that "OK, I'm DONE" feeling, I will probably have an embarrassing crying meltdown (especially if I've had more than one drink, which seems to heighten the "immediacy" of everything, so I try not to do THAT either). This actually happened at the bachelorette party of one of my best friends. Fortunately, several of the other ladies were also wanting to go home but didn't want to be the "wet blanket" who said so, so it didn't have any lasting negative outcomes. After that point, I found myself trying to arrange to have my own transport arranged so I wasn't stuck if whoever drove me didn't want to leave yet!

My burnout is what led me to seek an official diagnosis. I’ll be looking for a therapist that works with autism. Until I can get that KZfaq it is! This is so very helpful!!! Thank you so much!

I am so happy to see this content! I'm 40 and I'm just now realizing I'm super autistic. I've been poor and an addict my whole life so I could never afford to get help figuring out what is wrong with me. I'm also a closet trans person because I've been masking all my life from trauma. I feel like I've been confused and exhausted and like I am just a cruel mistake for as long as I can remember. I still don't know what to do with the ruins of my existence, but finally finding tools like this gives me a hope I never had before. So thank you.

Learning how to compartmentalize all stimuli helps. Assigning values to every noise, color, or shape around you keeps them out of your primary focus. I can stand long periods around others only if I prepare my processing system beforehand; when I cannot keep back the onslaught of data I'm always encountering at my job or out running errands I have to withdraw and collect myself. It isnt even anxiety; it is a complete sense of exhaustion. People drain when youre ND. Finding a rhythm to match and focus on helps a lot as well, especially when doing physical activity. Complex patterns, like trance or goa, make physical activity a state of mind rather than a physical chore and allows one to tune out all dissonant frequencies.

I wish I could've watched this last year. I burnt-out so bad I nearly died from stress and a UTI that wouldn't go away. Same thing with gastro problems and being overstimulated all the time. I'm better now, thankfully, and have dropped everything. Even moved out of the situation I was in and am finally getting help. This really explained everything I went through. I'm really trying to not let people make me feel guilty for not working or just resting. I didn't know how run down I was until I just stopped everything. Hoping to start working pretty soon but I'm definitely not pushing myself to the brink like I did before.

I am not ASD as far as I am aware, but I do have pretty severe ADHD. I'm stuck at a soul-sucking job right now and over the last year I've started to feel symptoms that creep into territory usually covered by autistic burnout. When you don't have words or explanations to put with these symptoms as I originally didn't, it can be terrifying. I have depression and have always navigated those feelings, but was is different. I found myself physically unable to show up to work on time, cunable to feel rested even after 12 hours of sleep, not only disinterested in things that I enjoy but unable to do them, straining relationships with my family due to avoidance to try and manage my stress, chronic pain, daily fantasies while driving to work of just not getting off at that exit (i even did it once), falling asleep while driving, going days without appetite, and (the scariest one for me) often unable to speak in complete sentences or hold basic conversations. I really was beginning to think I was dying or something. But don't worry. Quitting my job soon and working to recover 💪

My diagnosis was at 60 yrs old, last year. Since then, I have meltdowns every weekend. I am at the homestead all day, have responsibilities. There’s only my husband, other family members don’t care. I do have a Service Dog that helps me with Panic Disorder, I was diagnosed with 5 yrs ago. I have a psychologist that tends to expect me to exhibit specific patterns, not part of how I function.

Burnout is the only reason I finally discovered i am autistic at 29 years old. Thank you for sharing this. Very informative and validating.

You seem to be saying that typical neurological burnout can be cured with a bit of self-care, but it's so much more complex than that!

Anhedonia is also something I experience as a result of burnout.

The big light bulb just turned on when you advised us what to do when leaving a gathering. Wow! Once again, the undiagnosed me just thought I was weird.

I dont know how often you read your comment's but thank you for the work you do into autism. Even with mild autism i love to kearn about myself and others like me.

I had a major burn out period I my life when i was 9~12 years where I constanly felt horrible and suicidal at some points, long history short I dont remenber most of of that time, but knowing more about what ails me makes me very happy

I just found this You Tube forum and I am so grateful for the helpful tips and advice. I was taking care of my 90 year old neighbor who also was dealing and suffering from dementia and alzheimers. I cared for her for over a year, the last five months everyday. In July I completely pulled out of such responsibilities as she was suspicious, paranoid, argumentative and at times verbally abusive. She was finally placed in a wonderful alzheimer care facility and since then I have struggled with autistic burnout. Right now my main issue is chronic insomnia but I fortunately live near a large park that has miles of forest wilderness trails. I am going to start, I used to hike several times a week, today in hopes that this will "clesnse" me from the toxicity I encountered and perhaps allow me to start getting restorative sleep. Very insightful video and I thank you for your medical advice. ❤

A small step water therapy I do at work is wash my hands with a sink that punps a lot of water out but doesnt torrent it out forcefully so it running over and pooling around the hands and fingers as i rest my hands on the sink bottom is incredibly relaxing

This video is honestly super helpful and eye-opening. There are certain things that im not sure I can do such as a change of scenery and such because I am a teenager and I live with my parents. Another thing is that I truly believe I am autistic or maybe have adhd because I have almost all of the symptoms and triats of being autistic, but I'm not diagnosed. I've talked with my parents about getting a diagnostic but it still hasn't happened yet. I feel like my needs are being pushed away and ignored. I think my mom was working on trying to set something up with someone but I don't think its going to happen. I recently went to the doctor for my annual checkup and my mom informed my doctor that I believed I was autistic(she never talked with me or told me she was going to do this before hand btw) and when the doctor asked why I thought this I blanked. The doctor then proceeded to say they "didn't think I was autistic" because I had facial expressions such as smiling and that I could have a conversation. This honestly really upset me because to me, those things that I was doing(smiling and and a conversation) felt like it could be masking. And I would consider myself to be very good at masking(even though I know I'm not technically diagnosed). After this my mom never proceeded with getting me diagnosed so I'm still quite upset. I clicked on this video because I know that I have been extremely burnt out and I didn't know how to recover. I think before I'm even able to recover I need to at least know that I am autistic and be diagnosed. I've talked to my parents multiple times but I'm still not sure I'm ever going to be diagnosed while still being a minor and living with my parents. And I really don't want to wait untill I'm an adult to be diagnosed because I'm having this issue with burnout RIGHT NOW and I just don't know how much longer I can just sit here wait and suffer.

I got diagnosed with autism last year at 65. I am burned out. Since last November. Since January, when my husband started cancer treatment. Im still exhausted. It been 11 months. I can't seems to get better. I started seeing a therapist. It has helped emotionally, but not with the exhaustion.

This was really quite incredible to watch. Burnout is something I wasn't really aware happened different for ND folk, and it explains a lot on some of the more negative parts in my life in the past 4 years or so. Thank you for the advice - I really think this will help :)

Thank you so much for making this video! It was exactly what I needed to hear right now. Much love to anyone reading who is also struggling, now that you are not alone. And that with proper care this autistic meltdown will fade away ❤

I'm not diagnosed autistic (yet), but this would explain a lot to. I was really stressed the last two months. High work load, many colleagues needed something from me, family meeting, etc. And I was always "picky" with food. Like if my food doesn't have the right consistency, I feel disgusted eating it. And that got worse in these two months. More and more food that I just wasn't able to eat anymore. It got so bad, that I almost stopped eating at all. Only eating like once a day and than always the same few things. I withdrew from my friends, my family and since last week even from my coworkers (luckily my boss was ok with me saying "I need to focus on XYZ, I won't respond or read anything"). And it helps, I do a lot of puzzles, which always helped to calm me down, and slowly more food is "ok" again.

This is the best video I've found so far on autistic burnout. I've been going through an autistic burnout for almost a year now and I feel I'm climbing out of the valley. Its almost unbelievable how your brain and physical function decrease in a burnout. I remember not being able to read a small article on-line because of the severe brain fog. (like my memory buffer wasn't there) What has been key to my recovery is understanding myself better. I've always let my head make the decisions without checking in with my body. Now I'm establishing trust between them. If my body is not up for an activity, i cancel, even though my head wants to do everything and experience everything. I've learned to recognize stress and regulate it through stimming consciously, yoga and meditation. I've also learned how to recognize strong emotions like frustration anger and fear and how to express them so they don't fester inside. I've learned to vouch more for my own needs. I used to always put myself second. Even though a coach and psychologist helped me quite a bit, I'm very enthusiastic about my psychosomatic therapist. There you learn how to work with your body to influence your mind. Its a refreshing perspective I'd recommend. One thing I tried recently which seemed to help quite a bit, is Japanese acupuncture. The therapist noticed how certain ki meridians were low energy and balanced them out. I felt more energetic and clear headed after, like making a small improvement jump. Another thing that wasn't mentioned in the video, is singing. (or humming) When we are in burnout, our nervous system is deregulated. Singing actually stimulates the part of the nervous system which calms you down. So i'd definitely suggest trying it out! Time for karaoke 🎤🎶

My favorite thing about discovering this channel is feeling less alone seeing everyone else also type essays out in the comments as a response, it makes me feel seen and understood by people i know id have hella respect for And that makes all this feel even better on ny heart ❤️

This is pure gold my freind.

I have been through this burnout process way too often and it has been really really bat at times. Eating a lot more animal products has been one of the best deep recovery moves i have made yet

I stop burnout, masking, mimicking, etc. by stop living for someone else, and regulating myself for other people who don’t give a damn about me as an African American woman with Autism and ADHD-Inattentive. I love not paying attention to Nacissppl. I quiet my mind and meditate when I get ABO.

Really appreciate the recovery steps. I’m very supportive but I also need the autistic person to give me directions or cues to look for so I can help. You don’t need to overexplain what you’re going through every second. But it would be helpful for both of us if I can avoid anything that will worsen the situation or if I can actively do something for you to have time & space to rest. ❤

Thank you thank you thank you! Please keep making these!

Adrenal insufficiency the emotional lift was so intense and without an ASD diagnosis my adrenal glands are on strike. Now that I know that I have autism, I'm starting to feel better after 3 years of being cooped up at home without being able to go outside because of the dizziness, the noise, the sun, the impossible conversations with the others, the asthenia (yes, I fell asleep on the floor of my endocrinologist's waiting room). I'm happy to have been able to put my finger on what I am, thanks to people like you.

The hardest part for me is asking for accommodation/understanding after “masking” for so long. Because I’ve operated that way and people are accustomed to it, they don’t believe how much effort goes into what they see as basic activities, or I actually need more time away from them and have sensory sensitivity. I tried so hard to become someone who doesn’t get noticed for “all the wrong reasons” or looked at funny, someone who garners respect in social groups and work, and it’s scary to lose that confidence. So many people simply don’t believe me when I speak honestly, and so I say and do what I know is safe to say and do. Then again, that thinking is what led to a horrendous burnout that has been going on for years, now. Figuring out how to find more sustainable boundaries is a big challenge.

This was the best video I’ve watched on the subject. Very informative and nice to hear you speaking about your experiences and tips too! Great video! Thank you so much and this makes me feel better since I’m experiencing autistic burnout right now. My husband and I have been doing some of those suggestions you had without even realizing it and he does understand my need to have my down time from the kids since they can be a source of triggers for me. Keep up the great work you are doing!! 🌺🤙🏽

You mentioned gastro issues being common in autists. I found that a carnivore diet fixed this, as well as other issues, such as anxiety, depression, and brain fog. Shit cleared right up with removing all sugar from my diet. I feel better than i have in years. Related note: Dr Chris Palmer, psychiatrist out of Harvard i believe, has done some excellent work regarding keto diets and several mental disorders. University of Texas has done some studies with autistic cohorts on similar diets and found promising results.

I just saw this video. So helpful. I was told by my psychologist that I have autism but she can't give the official diagnosis. There are centers here that do that but they are not adding people to the waiting list anymore atm. So I am doing a lot of research now to learn more and start to understand myself. Videos like this are very helpful. Thank you.

Thank you! ❤❤❤ I'm autistic and I've been in a state of burnout for several years now. It was only recently that I heard about the condition. When it began I got severe fatigue, brain fog and really bad pain in my gut. I thought it was a physical illness so I wasted years seeing to specialists 😢 I have regular appointments with a psychologist now

This shit has lost me so many friends because whilst I strive and strive to adapt to "normal" people, they NEVER reciprocate.

Thank you Dr. Service. I really needed this today.

I had a bout of burnout last spring which - since I'd fortunately heard of autistic burnout and has suspicions it might apply - led me to a diagnosis. With the psychologist who diagnosed me, I worked out a plan to try and stave it off. And things have been better, but...damn, if I didn't check off 90% of those warning signs that the burnout is creeping back! So I appreciate getting some additional tips! To add another: I recently ran across a suggestion to pair the deep breathing with visualizing your nervous system going from heated-up red to deep blue. It really does help, if I remember to do it! Also, the nature thing is real! I'm a forest ecologist, so going out in the woods with 1-2 team members and measuring trees is a regular part of my summer schedule...but it wasn't until this past year where I noticed just how rejuvenating that part of my work is for me - especially in contrast to the administrative duties that were a major cause of my burnout!

Such a beautiful location too 💕

Another amazing video, thank you! Great strategies at the end! I always splash cold water on my face and that help a lot.