Navigating a world designed for non-autistic people, constantly trying to meet societal demands, can lead to exhaustion, otherwise known as autistic fatigue, and over time can develop into extreme exhaustion or autistic burnout.

Signs of autistic burnout:

• Feeling exhausted and drained
• Easily frustrated and experiencing more meltdowns
• Increased sensory sensitivity
• Withdrawing from responsibilities
• Isolating yourself from friends and family, including loss of speech

Causes of autistic burnout:

• Sensory overload
• Lack of control and changes to routine
• Social exhaustion
• Masking autistic traits
• Suppressing stimming or fidgeting
• Worrying about not meeting others’ expectations

How to recover from autistic burnout

• Rest, time off and/or plenty of breaks from school/work
  • Take time to relax and re-energise. If possible, take time off work or school and other high-stress activities to bring stress levels down.
• Reducing social activities
• Unmasking and factoring time in to stim
• Evaluating expectations of others and yourself
  • Pressure to meet societal expectations can feel like a burden. Discussing any unmanageable and unrealistic demands placed on you can help relieve pressure.
• Factor in time to enjoy special interests
• Reducing sensory in/output
  • Use headphones or earplugs can lower noise levels
  • Wear sunglasses, using darker bulbs and using blackout curtains can reduce visual stimulation
  • Select comfortable clothing to lessen tactile overload
  • Set limits on conversations