Beyond Overwhelm: The Reality of Autistic Burnout
Often by the time client’s approach us for help, they are already experiencing Autistic Burnout, or some stage of Autistic Burnout. This can be a serious condition and should be taken seriously.Â
The hidden battle of Autistic Burnout is a complicated reaction with a combination of various factors, that the medical profession still doesn’t completely understand. It’s a combination of day-to-day anxiety, that can involve sensory processing overload, masking, navigating the uncertainty of a neurotypical world, having to interact with people, coping with people’s demands and the most damaging of all, the demands people place on themselves!
So, why is Autism Burnout so serious? It’s a state of cognitive decline, emotional dysregulation and severe physical exhaustion. Scientific literature refers to this as chronic exhaustion and often involves loss of skill and reduced tolerance to stimulus. It could be temporary or prolonged. The type of exhaustion where more sleep or a vacation doesn’t make much difference. You still wake up tired. You may struggle to think clearly, to concentrate, making simple decisions or doing basic tasks. You are beyond overwhelmed! Recovering from autism burnout may take weeks or months and often the people around you may not understand this condition. They might accuse you of being lazy or to get some rest and get over it. This is easier said than done.
If this is your silent struggle, you need help. Autistic Burnout in adults is often the result of a late or missed diagnosis. The first step to recovery is to get a confirmed professional diagnosis. Then you are one step closer to making sense of the world of Autism. The value of a diagnosis cannot be over stressed. Following the diagnosis, we have designed very specific treatment programs for Adults with Autistic Burnout. Our programs include topics such as:
- Strategies for preventing Autism Burnout
- Understanding Adult Autism and navigating the Neurotypical World
- Assertiveness skills & Setting Boundaries
- Energy Accounting and Identifying Stressors Â
- Unmasking and Rebuilding Identity
- Controlling Obsessive Overthinking
- Emotional Self-Regulation
- Navigating the Workplace & Personal Relationships
- How to calm down Sensory Overload
- Making time and space for Self-care, Resting and Recharge.
- And many more…
By: Chael Nel, Clinical Psychologist (South Africa)
