• Replies 6 replies
  • Subscribers 83 subscribers
  • Views 740 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Daughter in constant burn out

Sunset

I’m in need of some guidance on how I can best help my daughter. My daughter Paige is an autistic adult in her twenties and she’s been in this constant burn out for the last four years, since losing a close relative. She used to be so bubbly and happy, playing with her toys and enjoying going in to town every Friday with me. But now she doesn’t have the energy. She spends all her time in her room, either sat reading or lying in bed because she’s too tired and dizzy.

I sought help from the GP but they were no help. One said it was anxiety and referred her to a therapist, another said it was autistic burn out and to rest and do little things and gradually build up and she would recover. The last GP we saw was horrible to her and accused her of having munchausen syndrome. This did not go down well at all with me! Only one GP tried helping with her autism in mind, the others completely ignored it.

My daughter is always tired, yawning and she’s lost the zest for life. She stays in bed, either reading or listening to music, or just lying down because she’s too tired to do anything else. I know it isn’t a put on, like one GP said, you can see how tired she is just by looking at her.

So really it’s just me and her but I’m not autistic, I offer all the support under the sun and try my best to understand and help. looking for help online hasn’t been fruitful. I’m hoping some here with actual lived experience can offer some insight on how I can help her out of this.

Parents

  • I am so sorry to read about your daughter’s burnout. That must be so hard for her and for you. You sound like such a lovely mum, supporting her as much as you can. I wish my mum was as supportive.

    I have dealt with autistic burnout intermittently since my early teenage years (I am 18 now). In recent years I've always been on the edge or half into one, so I didn't think things were going to get better anymore. But since my diagnosis two years ago I've been working hard on learning how to understand autism, I decided I had to as there’s nearly zero professional support out there as many of us have found.
    Also focusing on keeping my balance in life and reducing stress. And lo and behold, to my own big surprise the past few weeks I've seen an improvement in my energy levels for the first time in years. Rest and stress are the key – get as much rest as you can, and try to reduce as much stress as possible. Scientifically, what's different about autistic burnout versus 'regular' burnout, is that the autistic one is caused by burnout from daily life, not particularly work (but can also be a factor). Autistic burnout is often mistaken for depression or unfortunately can be seen as people faking it which always infuriates me. We need more understanding of autism and the way it affects us in our daily lives as very few understand it. This comes across loud and clear when dealing with medical professionals, who alas are not trained in autism.

    But I’m glad you found this forum. It’s a fountain of knowledge and support because of the nice people who use it and are good enough to help out. has shared some really helpful and insightful pages with you, reading through them has been fruitful for me too, so thanks a million Bunny! Slight smile

Reply

  • I am so sorry to read about your daughter’s burnout. That must be so hard for her and for you. You sound like such a lovely mum, supporting her as much as you can. I wish my mum was as supportive.

    I have dealt with autistic burnout intermittently since my early teenage years (I am 18 now). In recent years I've always been on the edge or half into one, so I didn't think things were going to get better anymore. But since my diagnosis two years ago I've been working hard on learning how to understand autism, I decided I had to as there’s nearly zero professional support out there as many of us have found.
    Also focusing on keeping my balance in life and reducing stress. And lo and behold, to my own big surprise the past few weeks I've seen an improvement in my energy levels for the first time in years. Rest and stress are the key – get as much rest as you can, and try to reduce as much stress as possible. Scientifically, what's different about autistic burnout versus 'regular' burnout, is that the autistic one is caused by burnout from daily life, not particularly work (but can also be a factor). Autistic burnout is often mistaken for depression or unfortunately can be seen as people faking it which always infuriates me. We need more understanding of autism and the way it affects us in our daily lives as very few understand it. This comes across loud and clear when dealing with medical professionals, who alas are not trained in autism.

    But I’m glad you found this forum. It’s a fountain of knowledge and support because of the nice people who use it and are good enough to help out. has shared some really helpful and insightful pages with you, reading through them has been fruitful for me too, so thanks a million Bunny! Slight smile

Children