Published on 12, July, 2020
I've been wondering about this for a while...I used to be very depressed but when I looked up the diagnostic criteria, my symptoms never really matched, I used to look up different types of depression too but none of them sounded like me. I went to a professional too and they also said I probably don't have it until I talked about suicidal thoughts, then they gave me a prescription. It all made me feel like an imposter. I had many symptoms but either they fluctuated too greatly and were not as persistent as the criteria says, or I never had the right combinations of symptoms or my experience didn't match with the described experience of that type of depression.
So, was it autism that was doing this?
Autistic burnout is often wrongly identified as depression.
Maybe experiences of autistic burnout may be more relevant for you? If you search online for autistic burnout blogs/experiences I am sure you will find lots of information.
The way I remember my experience, I think it was closer to depression than to autistic burnout.
Oh ok, maybe some other members of our autistic community will be able to share their experiences of depression with you.
Yes I know but obviously burnout requires very different support in comparison to depression.
You can have both. Even the most competent psychologists struggle to differentiate. My understanding is that burnout is the result of frequent meltdowns so has no specific cause from your past. This is why CBT may not be helpful or might even be harmful. Trying to find a cause in your past which is not there might heighten a past experience and send the sufferer into a loop. On the other hand. Perhaps others can advise if my understanding is correct.