Burnouts and their relation to mental health (article link)

The concept of "autistic burnout" is something that most clinical autism "experts" and mental health practitioners seem blissfully unaware of, and because of this, many autistic people and their loved ones don't recognise it for what it is either - it is easily mistaken for depression or a regression which makes autistic traits suddenly more apparent and disabling. I read the article linked below a few days ago after it was posted elsewhere, and it really clarified the whole issue of burnouts to me, and has made me re-assess many of the "crashes" that I had in the decades before my diagnosis. I believe it may also explain some of the behaviours commonly described by parents here regarding their autistic children.

Be warned, it is a rather long article, and depending on your situation, different parts of it may be more or less applicable to you. In addition, suicide and self-harm are explored in parts of it, which may be distressing for some readers. However, if you ever wondered why a week at work is so exhausting, why socialising makes you want to sleep for days, why your child is a handful at home but good as gold at school, or why you or your child's autism seems to be more or less apparent every time the wind changes, I think you will find it a rewarding read (the rest of the blog contains some fine writing too.)

(LINK) The Autistic Advocate Blog - An Autistic Burnout

Parents
  • I think I like the idea of burnout and I am sure that's why I have cat naps during the day, it helps my brain to cope, it was a cause for concern for the 'mental health facilitator' but I explained they are like recharging my batteries or power naps.  I have to go to bed earlier at 9.00 am and if I don't nap for half an hour or an hour feel absolutely ill with fatigue and sick with it.  I am sure it has something to do with being on the 'Autistic Spectrum' and an overloaded brain wants to have time to process the mornings events.  My Nan and Mum used to have a nap in the afternoons which I explained to the counsellor, so it's a family tradition that I keep.  I know anxiety and depression make you sleep more but I do try not to lie in and be fairly active to avoid getting worse.  Does anyone else have the same pattern like I have with sleeping?

Reply
  • I think I like the idea of burnout and I am sure that's why I have cat naps during the day, it helps my brain to cope, it was a cause for concern for the 'mental health facilitator' but I explained they are like recharging my batteries or power naps.  I have to go to bed earlier at 9.00 am and if I don't nap for half an hour or an hour feel absolutely ill with fatigue and sick with it.  I am sure it has something to do with being on the 'Autistic Spectrum' and an overloaded brain wants to have time to process the mornings events.  My Nan and Mum used to have a nap in the afternoons which I explained to the counsellor, so it's a family tradition that I keep.  I know anxiety and depression make you sleep more but I do try not to lie in and be fairly active to avoid getting worse.  Does anyone else have the same pattern like I have with sleeping?

Children
  • "Flopping", I always used to call it as a kid.  As soon as I got home from school, I would have to go straight up to my room and just lie down until tea was ready. At the time, long before I knew about autism, I assumed that this was simply down to my terrible late-onset insomnia; I have never been able to get to sleep much before 2am, and often much later. I see it the other way around now, it's my constantly fizzing autistic mind that interferes with my sleep, and I now know that social interaction really does fatigue me in a way that isn't simply sleep-deprivation.

    Luckily for me, my "flops" were always accepted as a child because my Mum has exactly the same problems with insomnia that I do (and some autistic characteristics as well), so she seemed to understand how necessary it was for me to get that rest.

    I try now to incorporate brain down-time into activities as much as I can. For example, when I was last working, I took my lunch in the local park whenever I could so that I wasn't expected to talk shop with colleagues; and on my rare forays to a pub or restaurant, I'll sneak out to the smoking area to get away from the noise as soon as I feel myself getting a bit swamped. Every little bit helps me to get through until I get home for a good "flop".