Published on 12, July, 2020
Hey everyone, I was diagnosed with ASD at 29 only a couple of weeks ago, part of a two year long process.
Recently I've been juggling dating, work (still working from home) and having moved out of my parents and into a house with two friends. For the past few days I've been struggling with motivation. Even drawing or doing anything that's not just sitting there feels overwhelming. I used to go for a long walk and find a quiet beer garden to sit and draw with a drink for an hour or so but even that feels like an empty task.
I've felt burnt out before and I've had time off work but I generally thought it was just a term used in the tech industry.
What are some of the signs of "autistic burnout" especially in adults. Would love to get some clarification so I can start to piece together a kind of personal recovery / recharge plan.
I've experienced burnout, but I don't know if it was solely autistic burnout and/or something else. I was not aware of being on the spectrum at the time, but since learning about that, it seems likely that my sensory and social challenges contributed hugely.
When I was burned out I couldn't switch off at all, but then I was living in an insanely busy area, with crazy work pressures, and high sensory (if that's a term?!) commute. I had nothing left at the end of the day. Yet I couldn't sleep. Then if I slept, I couldn't wake. But any medical tests showed I was healthy.
If it were me experiencing what you describe (and remembering that we could be very different, so this may or may not be useful for you) then I would wonder if there are too many plates spinning at once. I would search each area of my world to see if I could let some plates fall, so I could focus only on the most important for a little while - the ones that are my foundation. I couldn't guess which ones these would be for you.
As for hobbies - I'm doing pretty well right now and still struggle to engage with hobbies I know I love and can get lost in. It's really interesting to see other see the same. For me, there needs to be some kind of useful purpose. One of my hobbies is art and I can be totally engaged and even excelling in art when the purpose is as simple as a gift for someone in particular. Those have been my best pieces. If I could only engage in art just for me, I know I'd feel more relaxation and enjoyment. I just need to find that motivator once more... Art began as my way of exploring my world, expressing my passions and even expressing feelings I couldn't show in the real world. When I started feeling less motivation for art I really worried about it. But perhaps this is a normal part of being - that the motivation will ebb and flow.... maybe new hobbies will replace old ones, maybe they're just not needed at the moment.
Other than that, be kind to yourself. You may not understand what you're feeling, but commend yourself for noticing it, exploring it and seeking support.