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Volunteering tiring me out

%

Hi. I have autism, ADHD, and a bunch of other horrible diagnosis's (not worh mentioning) and my mental health team said it would be a good idea to start volunteering. So lately I've been helping out at a small farm that's local to me. Literally I'm just helping the farmer's daughter with a few small tasks, nothing major and nothing difficult it's just packing boxes mostly.

I chose this as my volunteering as I love cows! I think they're such calm and lovely animals, I love sitting and watching them, I could do that for hours and have done exactly that. It's so peaceful to watch them graze and play in the fields. I've also seen this windmill on the farm and it's been a bit interesting learning about that.

But I get tired easily and laely I've got this fatigue and I think I might have burnout because I have very little energy and if I do something, no matter how small the fatigue intensifies. After my volunteer work I'm exhausted like I've had the flu and when I get home all I do is rest. I tried explaining to my mental health team but they think I should persist and it will get better. I tried explaining about my autism but they don't really understand it, or believe it.

I'm not sure what to do now. Whether I should continue my volunteering or not? I had burnout in my final year of school due to stress of exams and it took about 4 years until I fully recovered the first time. But I do enjoy my volunteering, who doesn't like the idea of working with cute cows? Blush

I'm thinking about asking the farmer's if I can still volunteer, but do maybe an hour or two less, or drop a day. Currently I'm at the farm twice a week, which I enjoy as I've said. But the fatigue is making it so difficult to keep up.

I'd really appreciate any advice and help you can offer.

Thanks in advance.

  • in reply to %

    I am sorry to hear about your sister.  I am glad you felt OK to share that understanding with us here.

    It is really great that you are starting to try out new ways to support yourself.  Please don't be disheartened if the first thing you try isn't perfect - as sometimes you might need to further adjust things to particularly suit your personal lifestyle.

    I understand what you said about hunger and thirst.  Sometimes it can seem as though I got overly hungry (no longer hungry / just don't know). 

    That can be because I gave got distracted by something stressful, or busy doing something I enjoy as a pastime, or I have compromised too far (for me) to match in with the routine of other people.

    That is why, these days, I try to be disciplined about "eating by the clock" rather than by what I suspect my stomach was unable to inform my brain.

    These days, I carry "vital supplies" of: a small long life snack and a small long life tetra pack of apple juice, plus 500 ml water.  I keep a set of these supplies in my rucksack and another backup set in my car.

    My best purchase: has been a small stainless steel thermos flask - so I can have my choice of coffee when out and about - when I feel like it (somewhere quieter) - rather than rely upon other people to get their act together.

    Add a leak proof (clip lock) pack lunch box and a spork too - then everything is under control.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman
    TheCatWoman said:
    maybe its you GP you need to see rather than the mental health team?

    I'm wondering whether I'd be better off having dealings with the GP rather than the mental health team. Mental health haven't been very helpful so far, they don't really understand my autism and it's had a negative effect on me in the past. I've been toying with the idea of forgetting them completely and going down different avenues that will offer me better help.

    I've heard of fybromyalgia, I didn't know fatigue was a part of it though. I just looked it up and I have a few of the symptoms of this so that's definitely something I want to approach my GP abut.

  • Is it possible that you have something like fybromyalgia? There are lots of lots of conditions that arent' easy to diagnose but are linked to chronic fatigue, maybe its you GP you need to see rather than the mental health team? 

  • in reply to %

    I’d echo what Stuart said. I wouldn’t see it as letting them down. Any help you can give is extra to what they normally would have. Go ahead and bring it up to them, don’t worry!

    I’m glad you’re not considering giving it up altogether, as it sounds like it does some good for you.

  • in reply to DormouseAtRest_25

    I'm thinking I'll get my phone to remind me for these things too. My sister used to remind me for a lot of things but she's sadly passed away now so it's a bit more difficult. 

    I don't know if you're the same but a lot of the time I don't even feel hungry or thirsty even though I am, which makes me not really want to do either.

  • in reply to %

    Some Autistic people, like me, don't seem to easily receive quite the same level of feedback information as average non-Autistic people seem to about: thirst, hunger, time to use the lavatory

    I use my smartphone calendar - to give me a notification 5 minutes before it is e.g. time for a coffee and some water etc.

  • in reply to DormouseAtRest_25

    Hello!

    Thanks, this is really good advice and definitely something I need to try and remember. Specifically so with the eating and drinking. I always wear a hat when it’s sunny and hot, I have a really nice collection of vintage ladies hats I like to wear. But admittedly I never think to have a snack or remember to drink.

    Luckily Laura, the girl I’ve been working with, always says to stop for a drink but she doesn’t snack much so I don’t think of that ever. I need to try and remember to put a reminder in my phone for snacks and drinks.

    I don’t know whether it’s autism related or something else but my memory is terrible lol.

    Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it! Blush

  • Do you think that you have built in enough time (when you are at the farm) for a snack / lunch and enough breaks to drink enough water?

    Are you careful to wear a hat with a brim / peak and sunglasses when you are outdoors at the farm?

    Eating and drinking enough, plus being sun-sensible can all help with pacing a day spent outside.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    Thank you. I'm a little scared in case they think I'm letting them down but I'm next in on Friday and will talk to them then.

  • If they are not paying you it should be much more negotiable how much time you spend. Talk to them, don't be scared..