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Autistic Exhaustion

Luftmentsch

I’ve been getting strong exhaustion after work and at the end of the week. I’m under quite a bit of stress at the moment. Still, I’m slightly worried. I went to my GP a while back and he did various tests to test for things like thyroid issues and there wasn’t anything physically abnormal, although my blood pressure is a little low. So I think it’s probably autistic exhaustion and maybe low blood pressure. Still, I wondered if anyone gets the following when autistically exhausted:

  • Tiredness (obviously)
  • Light-headedness
  • “Headrush” feeling like getting up too fast with low blood pressure, but for a prolonged period and without obvious triggers
  • Headaches
  • Faintness, sometimes curable by eating (low blood sugar?)
  • in reply to Sweetums

    Nice username/photo!

    I'm sorry you're struggling with this too. Yes, I definitely need to give myself recovery time.

  • in reply to Alice

    Not enough! I've been very busy in recent months and exercise has been the first thing to go to make room for more urgent tasks, which is not good. I need to get back to that, even if it's just brisk walking to start with.

  • in reply to Pikl

    I definitely need to make sure I rest more after work. It's easy to tell myself I should do "useful" things at home, especially as I'm planning my wedding (religious ceremony, I've had the civil one). It's also difficult being long-distance with my wife, as I find her real-life company restoring, but I find Skype/Zoom increasingly draining. Hopefully she will be permanently in the UK in a month's time or so!

    I can't really delegate as I'm bottom of the office food chain, so to speak!

  • I get this, it's actually more debilitating than a lot of people think. I've been under a great deal of pressure lately and my symptoms have got worse. Self harm has increased. 

    Try to take it easy when you can (not always easy) and be kind to yourself and important, give yourself time to recover when needed. Autism exhaustion can quickly lead to burnout if you're not careful. 

  • How much physical activity do you do?

    The human stress response (on a purely physical level) is fight or flight. Stress is greatly reduced by physical activity because our bodies feel like it has been dealt with (by being successfully escaped from or beaten).

    When I was going through a mentally and emotionally destroying period of my life, I started swimming. 5 days from every 6, I swam a kilometre. It gave me both the strength to deal with the day and the weariness to sleep at night.

    Just a thought Blush

  • Hey Luftmentsch, 

    Sorry you're not feeling great. 

    I feel some of what you've described. Can you take time after work just to rest, can you delegate some of your work load. I'm trying to think of other advice, because I'm useless at this stuff.

    Hopefully people will reply soon and help you work out that will help you through. 

    Take care of yourself.