Never ending burnout

Hello. I have ASD, and I also suffer with pretty intense anxiety and PTSD. Lately I have been suffering what I’m pretty sure is autistic burnout and fatigue, something that’s left me bedridden on some days. I get out of bed, do something, not even something major and I feel like I just run 5k! I end up feeling dizzy and like I haven’t slept in days.

I have seen the GP about these, bloods etc showed nothing of concern. Her advice is to rest when I need to and do little things when I can. But it feels like such a waste of life, I’m here, functioning, existing… but not really living. It’s a strange situation and one I have never experienced before. Reading through NAS’s advice & guidance pages I think it is burnout, sounds similar anyway and I’m aware for some as we get older – I’m 27 now – our symptoms of anxiety and the way autism can affect life can become increasingly more difficult to cope with.
The advice & guidance has been helpful but I thought I would ask here too in case anyone has been through this or is currently experiencing it and might have any advice on what I can do to help myself.

Any advice is welcomed and will be helpful. This burnout feels never ending and is affecting my life in so many negative ways.

TIA x.

Parents Reply Children
  • Hello Bunny. Thank you, it’s so kind of you and greatly appreciated. Thanks for the links, it will probably do me some good to revisit some of the pages as I am bound to have forgotten some of the stuff I read. Retaining the things I’ve read is a big issue for me, makes reading things like books more difficult.

    Also, big thank yous for the link to Dr Megan Neff. I watch a lot of her YouTube videos and they have been such a great help to me since and before my diagnosis. She really knows her stuff and I’m glad she is out there spreading more awareness and helping people better understand what they are experiencing.

    I had no idea she was an author though! Thanks for telling me about her book, I’ll be buying that ASAP!!

    Enjoy your Saturday and thanks again.