Managing Shutdowns

I like this thread. It is a very useful one. I get shutdowns/but outs and have done since I was a teenager way way before I came to understand why. They have increased rather than decreased in adulthood. I didn't know what they were or why. But from reading and learning about various conditions chronic fatigue, pain and overload I have been able to put them more into perspective. This is where pacing comes in and being able to say no and giving yourself timeout and stopping before completely exhausted comes in to play. But I find it hard to recognise it's happening in time. Sometimes I know it's almost inevitable because most of my family lives away. They don't just come for an hour or so and go home , they come for days or a weeks at a time. So it is intensive and I can't do anything about it but try to have some time out (which they don't understand). Sometimes if I really want to do something and it includes physical and sensory overload I just do it anyway then have to rest. If I have too many small burnouts in a row then it lasts longer each time and then in danger of deeper depression. The best idea is to have strategies if you can but I'm not much good at putting them in practice. Deepthought has some very good ideas I love the sound of the bath and mandarin oil but unfortunately I just have to make do with a shower. 

I like this thread. It is a very useful one. I get shutdowns/but outs and have done since I was a teenager way way before I came to understand why. They have increased rather than decreased in adulthood. I didn't know what they were or why. But from reading and learning about various conditions chronic fatigue, pain and overload I have been able to put them more into perspective. This is where pacing comes in and being able to say no and giving yourself timeout and stopping before completely exhausted comes in to play. But I find it hard to recognise it's happening in time. Sometimes I know it's almost inevitable because most of my family lives away. They don't just come for an hour or so and go home , they come for days or a weeks at a time. So it is intensive and I can't do anything about it but try to have some time out (which they don't understand). Sometimes if I really want to do something and it includes physical and sensory overload I just do it anyway then have to rest. If I have too many small burnouts in a row then it lasts longer each time and then in danger of deeper depression. The best idea is to have strategies if you can but I'm not much good at putting them in practice. Deepthought has some very good ideas I love the sound of the bath and mandarin oil but unfortunately I just have to make do with a shower. 

...I'm trying the  pink Himalayan rock-salt!!!

My shutdowns also seem to be more frequent....but more passive...My SO hates it (he finds the silence or monosyllabic responses ignorant).

I feel that my life has just worn me out and down...so I feel much more vulnerable and exposed.