Understanding Autistic Burnout

It feels like your life is shrinking. You barely get through each workday, and you definitely don’t have leftover energy to give to friends, family or hobbies. Even simple tasks leave you overwhelmed, overstimulated and exhausted.

If you’re autistic, these could be signs that you’re dealing with a specific type of burnout. Psychiatrist Rachael Ferrari, MD, explains the concept of autistic burnout, what causes it and how to recover.

What is autistic burnout?

Autistic burnout is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion that interferes with daily functioning and isn’t fully resolved through rest alone. It’s a result of:

• Chronic stress and overstimulation
• The mental and emotional strain of masking autistic traits
• A lack of support from others (in some cases)

The term “autistic burnout” is new in medical circles — researchers formalized it in a 2020 study. But autistic people have been describing this phenomenon for a long time.

“Autistic burnout isn’t an official clinical diagnosis, but it happens to so many people that the research is developing quickly,” Dr. Ferrari says. “We’re learning more and more about it every day.”

Autistic burnout symptoms

The symptoms of autistic burnout reflect a mismatch between what you need and what’s being expected of you. Suppressing autistic traits takes a lot of energy. Over time, it can take a serious toll on your health.

“Imagine starting your day with your battery at 50%,” Dr. Ferrari illustrates. “If you’re expected to run at the same pace as everyone else, by halfway through the day, you’re crashing.”

By the time you get home, you’re too tired to do the things that make you happy and help you recharge. Without that time, your stress levels compound, making it even harder to get the rest you need.

Sound like you? Here are some other red flags to look out for:

• Extreme fatigue: We’re not talking about the kind of tiredness that an afternoon nap can cure. We’re talking about bone-level physical, mental and emotional exhaustion that makes it hard to get through the day.
• Sensory overwhelm: When you’re dealing with autistic burnout, it can be harder to tolerate sensory input, like lights, sounds and smells. “Some people find that even being in the sun is overstimulating — so much so that they don't want to go outside,” Dr. Ferrari shares.
• Executive dysfunction: Maybe you can’t bring yourself to solve problems, plan or make simple decisions. It might also be hard to start, focus on and complete tasks. Autistic burnout can also affect your memory.
• Difficulty masking: “It’s common to engage in social masking to seem more neurotypical,” Dr. Ferrari explains. “If you’re completely exhausted, you can lose those skills.” For example, you may have a hard time maintaining eye contact, finding words or having conversations.
• Skill loss: You may notice that your fine motor skills aren’t what they were, or that you don’t have the brain power to perform at work or school. You may even have trouble with activities of daily living, like personal hygiene.
• Emotional regulation issues: Dr. Ferrari says autistic burnout causes some people to melt down more often — to go from zero to 100 with little warning. Others become numb or dissociate from the world around them. If you already struggle to identify what you’re feeling (alexithymia), it may get worse when you’re burnt out.

Autistic burnout vs. depression

Research suggests that autistic people are more likely to experience depression. If you live with both conditions, how can you tell which one’s causing your symptoms?

“Depression isn’t usually triggered by sensory overwhelm or social interactions, like autistic burnout is,” Dr. Ferrari explains. “And depression can’t be resolved by accommodations alone.” In other words, if you have all the support you need and still struggle with feelings of sadness, hopelessness and disconnection, you may be in a depressive state.

That said, you can also be depressed and burnt out at the same time.

There’s no conclusive link yet, but Dr. Ferrari says many people report difficulties sleeping and eating and a lack of interest while going through autistic burnout. These symptoms also occur in depression.

How to recover from autistic burnout

Recovering from autistic burnout can take time — sometimes even years, depending on how severe it is. Your goal isn’t to “get back to normal.” It’s to adjust your lifestyle to help prevent it from happening again.

But you can’t do that alone.

Dr. Ferrari says a big part of the recovery process is learning how to communicate your needs and find support.

Here are some steps you can take to put burnout behind you.

Rest

Sure, you probably need to catch up on sleep and spend more time in low-stimulation environments. Rest can also mean finding opportunities to decompress throughout the day. Examples include:

• Using your lunch hour to be alone and or in a low-stimulation setting
• Finding a private place to stim when you feel overwhelmed
• Taking short breaks throughout the day — even if you don’t feel like you need them
• Building buffers into your schedule so you don’t have to rush from activity to activity

Reflect

To move past autistic burnout, you need to know what’s fueling it in the first place. Think about your life. Ask yourself:

• What about it is overwhelming?
• What kind of support would make it more manageable?
• What does a balanced, happy life look like for me?

Request support

Now that you know why you’re burnt out and what will help, it’s time to make some changes. Usually, you do that by asking for support.

“The ask will look a little different for everybody,” Dr. Ferrari clarifies. “Some people need to play with fidget toys in class, skip overstimulating TV shows during family time or receive specific, written instructions when assigned a new task at work.”

Requesting changes to your environment or relationships can be intimidating. Dr. Ferrari recommends practicing with a friend or therapist first. To start:

• Explain the problem, like: “I find it hard to focus in our shared office space.”
• Share how it’s impacting you, such as: “It’s affecting the quality of my work.”
• Propose a solution, for example: “Could I move to a quieter floor?”

If you’re nervous, start small. And remember: It’s your choice who you choose to share your medical history with.

“Be open to exploring different options,” Dr. Ferrari urges. “You may not know what’s going to help until you try it out.”

Make a prevention plan

There’s no guarantee you won’t burn out in the future, but making these lifestyle changes can reduce your risk.

• Find your support system. Spend time with people who know and accept you for who you are when you aren’t masking. “You can better express yourself and share your unique skills in a nurturing environment,” Dr. Ferrari explains. “You’re also less likely to find those social interactions completely exhausting.”
• Make time for special interests. Spend 15 minutes every morning brushing up on your foreign language skills. Put cuddling your kitty in your calendar. Treat that weekly pilgrimage to the comic book store as non-negotiable.
• Set realistic goals. “Look at how many social events you have and figure out what’s manageable, what’s not and what your priorities are,” Dr. Ferrari suggests.
• Build downtime into your schedule. If you’re going to a big concert on Friday, set the weekend aside to reset. “You don't want to withdraw for too long because it may amplify depression, but alone time can be helpful,” Dr. Ferrari notes.
• Don’t be afraid to stim. Make space for stimming behaviors that aren’t disruptive. You can’t hum through a work meeting, for example, but you can squeeze a stress ball. And if the eye contact is getting too intense, note-taking can be a great alternative.
• Get comfortable setting boundaries. “It’s OK to tell your friends you can only do one social event a week, or that you can’t do movie theaters,” Dr. Ferrari says.

Final thoughts

Some people learn that they’re autistic because their experience of burnout looks different from typical burnout. If you think you’re in that situation, Dr. Ferrari advises having an open, honest conversation with your primary care provider, psychiatrist or therapist.

“Ask if autism’s a possibility and share the reasons you’re considering it,” she says. “We’re seeing lots of adults with autistic burnout who didn’t have stereotypical, obvious symptoms in childhood. They’ve lived their whole lives without getting the support they need.”

Talking to your provider could be the start of a healing process that goes beyond burnout.