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Learning how to prevent burnout/meltdowns/shutdowns - therapy options?

Maz

Hi everyone,

A bit of back story before I go to my request:

I turned 51 last week and 30+ yrs ago I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and put on medication. I have tried many different anti-depressants but none have ever properly worked and I was never convinced my diagnosis was right. Then, 3 years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD and things felt 'better' and it seemed as if I might finally understand myself but over time this too didn't feel like the answer - since then I have also been diagnosed with ME and Fibromyalgia.

At the end of last year we had a specialist come into work to do a talk on autism and I remarked at the time how similar autism was to ADHD.......then several months later it clicked; it was not the similarity at all but what I was reading and hearing about autism was me. I spoke to my GP who concurred and she put me in touch with the local ASD service - after completing tons of paperwork I finally heard back last week and they believe there is a strong possibility I am autistic but I have to wait 2 years to see someone.

The biggest problem I have is being overwhelmed by everything that lead to crashed where I am out of action for weeks at a time; these last few months, after a stressful change at work, I have found it harder and harder to cope, am sleeping and eating less, am super anxious, angry and snappy all the time and endlessly tearful. This is a regular pattern for me and I expect many others here. Autistic burnout.

Over my life I have seen so many therapists/consultants/psychologist/psychiatrists but they have all been focussed on my depression because that is what they all latch on to - as I consider the occasional bout of depression a symptom of something bigger (as it now shows to be) it is no wonder this has never worked for me.

Has anyone ever used specific therapy, targetted at the ASD population that has helped them better manage their symptoms etc.? Any help will be greatly appreciated especially as I am struggling to hold off another full-blown crash right now

Thank you

Simon

Parents

  • I can't name any specific type of therapy that might be aimed at autistic people, but I have found that working with a neurodivergent therapist has been really beneficial for me. Although I'm autistic and my therapist is ADHD, there's enough overlap there (combined with her experience in working with other high-masking/late diagnosed autistic clients) for her to understand how my thinking, needs, and experiences are different from a neurotypical person.

  • in reply to battybats

    Yes, since my diagnosis I've spoken to three professionals now who have a neurodivergence themselves in addition to their qualifications, one of which also autistic.  It's a very different conversation.  No need to educate them only for them to still not get it.  They get it bang on and straight away.

    It's the only bit of personal information I'd want about a therapist.  Autistic too?  Cool, we're on the same page then.

  • in reply to Dawn

    I completely agree Dawn. It IS a very different conversation. I have only realised recently how much I've masked with regular therapists and gone along with expectations. I didn't need weeks and weeks of cbt for the 100th time. I needed someone to tell me like it is. Burnout. And the rest. What you said about anti depressants is pertinent too.

    I also found that with a neurodivergent therapist, some of the things we talked about (related to autistic processing) are not things I had ever read before or heard about ANYWHERE. This therapy offered a new perspective on my autism which I wouldn't have had otherwise. I am very fortunate.

  • in reply to Deleted User

    Yes, I've been thinking that of late. Why isn't it routine to run all patients through an AQ50 and ask a few questions like: do you or any of your family have a diagnosis of ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia etc.

    It would give them some clues from the get go as to who might need an assessment and who they should be aware might be vulnerable to being misdiagnosed bi-polar or EUPD etc to alert them to be super careful about that.

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  • in reply to Deleted User

    Yes, I've been thinking that of late. Why isn't it routine to run all patients through an AQ50 and ask a few questions like: do you or any of your family have a diagnosis of ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia etc.

    It would give them some clues from the get go as to who might need an assessment and who they should be aware might be vulnerable to being misdiagnosed bi-polar or EUPD etc to alert them to be super careful about that.

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