Dealing with autistic burnout

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Caveat: I am recently self-diagnosed, but I am working with a therapist who affirms my autism.

Recently, after having a bad case of Covid, I found my ability to mask really fell off a cliff. I am tired, grumpy, and find social interactions physically taxing. I've always been high-masking and while never "normal" I was able to hang with NT humans. But since July, I am really struggling. Work has become very difficult, so I'm trying to limit my Zoom time and just write code (my main job)

I'm trying to rekindle some special interests like music and writing, as I find I get an energy boost from those activities, but I am still fighting a steady feeling of fatigue and overload.

I'm about to turn 54, and this is the first time I've experienced this and is what led me to seek out a diagnosis.

Moreso than suggestions (which I'd love) have you all gone through this? If so, I'd love to hear your stories (especially if you recovered) and give each other a virtual hug.

Yep, earlier this year my workplace had a remodel, which came with a shit-ton of background noise. It really taxed my sensory issues hard, and as a result I was so burnt out that whenever I wasn't working, I found myself either sleeping or that I had to lie down and essentially do nothing at all. Not even browse the internet on my phone!

During that time, I learned the importance of listening to my body and its limits. If I was too tired to do anything, I let myself do nothing and banished myself from feeling bad about it. I did eventually come out of at least that level of severity. I think it took a few months to get out of burnout. If I am in burnout now, it's def much more mild.

I've been working on is taking a mini staycation from work with minimal contact with people every couple months, at least. Alongside this, making the effort to go for walks most days and eat more fruits and vegetables. Am also trying magnesium to see if it helps with anything.

Thanks, that is helpful!

I too had a bad case of the covid that affected my life negatively.
Brain fog was the worst of it, it made my autism more apparent. While I have a pretty good understanding of social rules and conventions. Not being able to recall them when needed really put a damper in my interactions, at stages I even had to disclose to my friends that I wasn't feeling so good and have trouble thinking. Other times, I wasn't able to form a coherent sentence for the life of me without sounding like babbling.
Physically exhausted, I first attempted to allocate all my energy into work. Feeling weaker as days go on (by then my covid fogged brain made me anxious about social situations so I alienated myself from my coworkers which didn't affect me as much as I thought, as I'm not particularly chatty at the best fo times but I wouldn't recommend it) I eventually realised I would not be getting back to my 100% I had hoped. So, I tried to get back on track.
Things that helped me recover (not to 100% but maybe 90%)
Eating well and enough food (covid killed my appetite) making it a priority to eat even when feeling nauseous.
A daily walk outside and once a week gym session, for stamina and a change of scenery for emotional health
Keep talking with people(online mostly) practising active listening when I find myself not able to make sentences of substance
Trying old and new interests to see what I enjoy doing at this stage, some interests don't interest me at the same intensity as it once did, but I managed to find replacments.
Most importantly, when all of my efforts become overwhelming In itself, I made sure to have some desensitise time. Quiet activities like reading, napping or playing with a stim toy.

been there several times, overwhelm happened when I asked too much of myself, tried too hard to please others at the cost of expending emotions, time, physical resources/abilities repeatedly without ceasing. It is obvious now that I needed a different spouse, a different employer, a different family circumstance. I did not know in those days that I was autistic, I got through those things but had breakdowns/ burnout in each case. Learning about autism gave me the self understanding I needed to stop forcing myself to try to live up to other's expectations and to know my own limitations. I was diagnosed at age 68 and am finally finding myself and a way to live a healthier and saner life. We are survivors, congratulations for recognizing your own needs and setting limits, using tools for self accommodation, and finding better ways to live every day. It seems so obvious in hindsight but being caught up in all of it at the time I did not see any of it. I had to have a therapist explain so many things that others seem to know and understand (but I did not). Cheering you on! I predict a healthier and better future as you work through all the "whys" and painful past now you know about being autistic. Perspective and diagnosis (even if self discovery and not "official") is absolutely life changing! <3

Yes. Gone through it a number of times... I too am awaiting assessment.

I found that since the first few burnouts which could have been mild mentsl breakdowns (Yet to be confirmed), I was more vunerable to them repeating, ad each one hit me harder than the one I had before. I joined this site after I was accepted on the list to be assessed. (Took me two years before that before I was able to ask a doctor due to nurves and I expected a yes or no answer. Did not know one needed to be assessed).

The last burnout/breakdown I hit was august to september 2019, where I knew I was in trouble and needed help. It scared me when I found myself standing in the middle of a carpark not knowing what to do as I had forgotton how to walk! (I didn't even know it was possible to forget how to walk!) As I was already on the list to be assessed, and the day after my temporary job ended there happened to be an autism open day for those who had autism and their fsmilies, and those who were on the list waiting, I went, and they saw the state I was in and wanted to push me to the front of their list to be assessed, but they were told they were not allowed to which is why I have not been assessed yet, but fastforwards a few years, and I moved area, and they have honoured that I have been waiting for four and a half years and they have pushed me forward on their lists so I will be assessed next month.

When I went to that open day, for me it was the start of such a release of built up emotion, as it was the first time ever I found someone who understood what I was going through. decades of visiting doctors I was never able to explain. I didn't know feelings had names! So when asked things I would say "No". (E.g. "Do you have anxiety?" Actually had it often. .. Daily for when I was in school or in college ot work in various jobs! I never knew the feeling was called anxiety, as to me, when I had heard that name as a child it had something to do with stomache ulcers as someone my Mum was friendly with was in hospital due to it).


Going back to burnouts/breakdowns (Whatever they were), they would hit me physically and mentally but I didn't realize mental effected physical. I assumed it was the other way around, and one does not think mental if one does not know, because one naturally notices physical (Though one most definately feels stress and the mental side of that, but I never linked them somehow?)

But one thing to be aware of. DO NOT push yourself to go through the mental barrier like I did on each burnout. I would have recovered far quicker if I had just quit and walked out of work, or gone sick (Couldn't go sick most of the places where I worked as I was part time and if I did miss a day I had to do twice the hours the next day I came to work).

I had patterns after the first significent burnout event.

Would work and work and work pushing through the physical barrier which involved hardly any sleep and re-living the day before and reliving the next days expected shift to prepare myself for it before I could get to sleep etc. Would even dream the shift!
Would have continual partial shutdowns while in work and be fighting off catatonic style full out shutdowns, which I would have to hide while having them, so I was stressed to find places to have them without others noticing I had had them. (No one understanded me and I had no way to describe them. When I did try would be told "Ignore them anf they will go away!" etc.

When in the first big one, my mind started jumping back and fore through time. Upset a dear work collegue who hasn't wanted to know me since, as got confused with something said with confidence as to which bits were confidetial and which hits were not.
Also during that time, I almost ended my life but a passenger (Unknowingly) prevented it by hammering on the train door requiring me to deal with a situation.
I quit the job with its pension and other benefits. Handed in my notice. always each time I handed in my notice in various jobs when I hit burnout, the last few weeks of pushing myself to work the notice period was physical and mental torture!

Long story, but sold my house, camper and my classic car to rid my self from the stresses of owning them. Had no income as couldn't sign on (UK) as didn't feel physically able to work. (When one quite a job one can't sign on for six months anyway).
Lots going on with family at the time... Also in the years near that time they did flu vaccine experiments in my area and hundreds of people died. I went to 43 funerals which included family members, relitives and family friends in just a couple of years).


But anyway! It really takes a couple of years to recover from each burnout. When one feels better, double it! As going back to work too early pushed me into another and another burnout, and I was only able to work part time!

My boss wanted me to come in every day to answer the phone to talk to customers with technical issues.

I found it most effective, when the weather allowed, to play a quick round of golf in the middle of the week for a "mental reset." Not only did I get valuable exercise by walking the course, carrying the clubs, but I had to problem solve, strategizing my way around the course.

If you can set proper boundaries between work and play you may be able to avoid burnout and be more productive at both. This may not be easy, but it may be worth trying.

Two major religions have a day off during the week. Christian and Jewish people observe the Sabbath. It is why Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays.

Even harder may be to save enough money to have savings to avoid being pushed into burnout.

I am taking the next week off (have lots of PTO saved up) because wow, I'm feeling taxed today. I was pretty much done after 10:00am but I had afternoon meetings to power through.