Autistic burnout article

Sadly one thing most of us have learned since diagnosis is that the NHS is not remotely interested in helping in autistic adults.

... I may be misreading this, but to me, this response says any extra NHS funding goes to services for people WHO ARE ALREADY IN CRISIS, and children with complex needs.

These are obviously massively important services, but are also the bare minimum. I fail to see how this helps improve NHS services to PREVENT autistic burnout in adults. 

That would require a massive training program and extra resources at primary care level, would it not? 

Tulip52 said:

All this will, I hope, better support people with autism and help them avoid burnout.

Oh  That'll be a no then. No hope. I guess it would be wishful thinking to expect anything else.

None of that so called 'support' is being directed towards the autistic adults who desperately need it. They're still expected to approach their GP, who of course doesn't recognise the burnout and misdiagnoses it.

Sounds like you have every reason to be angry, and maybe it is healthy to let that emotion out of the bag every now and again (so long as it is not directed at me!).

It seems like a lot of health professionals rely on checklists for diagnoses, filtered through the same sort of stereotypes that the general population hold. A simple example, and nowhere near as serious as yours, was when I broke my wrist many years ago. The GP said it could not be broken because I could move my fingers normally, despite me telling them I could do the same the previous two times I had broken my wrists. Three weeks later I had to beg them to send me for an x-ray, and the technician who took it could not believe I had been wandering around with it in that state for so long. And no doubt that GP still takes the same approach to their diagnoses.

Your brother is lucky to have you, but make sure you look after yourself as well.

I dont know how i am feeling, but sadly some in anger. Today, my brother aged 60 years was diagnosed with ADHD. It was a private consultation. In July 2022 he was diagnosed as Autistic, again a private consultation. We have very little money. I have tried so hard to support him most my adult life, whilst trying to look after myself. I am exhausted. He has had many consultations with the CMHT which have been of no help and damaging. I am feeling relieved for him and me, but i am also shocked and a little angry that it has taken this long, despite us both shiwing obvious "symptoms: and struggles. Just saying. X

Sadly, that is the type of response you receive from the Government on any issue, no matter which party is in power. "Thank you for wasting your time in writing to us. It is all under control. Quote big number of the amount of money being spent, with no context as to whether it is enough. We trust you won't bother us again". Really looking forward to the bunny rabbits and butterflies 

So this is how our government responds to the desperate need for autistic burnout to be understood, recognised and supported appropriately (notice the use of person first language and quite frankly the patronising tone).

Dear Ms Dawes

Thank you for your email, which I read with interest. I hope that you are well.

As you will, I am sure, be aware, the Government’s current Autism Strategy is in place and will run from 2021 to 2026. It is being implemented to help to improve the lives of children and adults with autism; this strategy aims to: tackle the barriers autistic people face so they can live independent and fulfilling lives; ensure faster diagnosis and better access to health and social care for autistic people of all ages; and support better education tailored to the needs of autistic children and young people.

This strategy was backed by £75 million in its first year alone, £40 million of which is through the NHS Long Term Plan to improve capacity in crisis services and support children with complex needs in inpatient care.

All this will, I hope, better support people with autism and help them avoid burnout.”

Don’t worry folks. Crisis averted! The autism strategy will make everything better and we will all live in a yellow submarine with the bunny rabbits and butterflies. 

#itsnotoktonotbeok

I looked up Viv Dawes on facebook. I am now following her. She posted the response that she received on facebook following this. X

Thank you. Let's hope this important topic will form part of a future report and not be quietly forgotten.

It was evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee, as part of its inquiry into 'Prevention in health and social care' - https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7205/prevention-in-health-and-social-care/

It is the very last item on the 30 pages of written evidence - https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7205/prevention-in-health-and-social-care/publications/written-evidence/?page=30

The committee has published a few reports so far, on two of the ten themes (vaccination and healthy places) - https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7205/prevention-in-health-and-social-care/publications/

The full list of ten themes is: healthy places; vaccination; health inequalities; mental health and wellbeing; healthy eating and obesity; smoking, drugs, alcohol, and gambling; sexual health; early years and childhood; cancer prevention; other major conditions.

Thanks for posting. I only recently came across this document myself and it is one of the best explanations of autistic burnout I have found. I agree we all should share this as widely as we can, to try and get some recognition and understanding out there.

Far too often autistic people in burnout are misdiagnosed with depression / anxiety and given inappropriate medications or talking therapies, which only serve to make things worse. Autistic children in burnout are pressured into attending school, which is usually the cause of the problem in the first place.

I fear in this fast moving forum this post will soon be forgotten. I hope in the new forum there will be a way to sticky essential reading such as this at the top.

I have tried to search online to find out what was the outcome of the Parliamentary Committee where this document was presented as evidence. I have not managed to find anything. Does anyone know any more?

I hope so  

I am going to print some copies of this article  and hand them out to people. We need to start somewhere. 

Like the post office scandal......"we are just the "scint" little people on the ground". 

Very good. The knowledge is there with this, and people are flagging up attention to it, it's just we have a government with interests inclined in the exact opposite direction to suit their selfish greed.

We have this nonsense from the Tories: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-68006813 ("This morning, she was worried about school.... BUT LOOK AT HER NOW!" - "Moments matter, attendance counts" - This from our lazy, incompetent overlords who've done nothing except devastate the NHS since 2010 with budget cuts. And the Tory anti-work from home propaganda they've been spreading over the last 12 months, so now most businesses expect people to sit in expensive real estate for no reason while ignoring the needs of neurodiverse people.

One massive step forward for the ASD community will come with the general election in 2024 and the removal of this disaster of a government. Then we can all look forward to a brighter future.

Great! It’s always very reassuring when you find professionals who take the time to understand you.

Thats not too bad 

Yes she is commited and wants to see change x

Yes £10. 

That’s great! Seems like she can really support you well then and is committed to improving her knowledge and practice.

Was there a charge for attending the webinar? 

She is very interested and is very supportive and understanding x