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Aspie burnout-what does this mean to you?

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IlovemyAspie
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02 Oct 2013, 2:55 pm

I am very interested in Aspie burnout. Please share your thoughts and/or experiences.


Thank you Aspiemike for your inspiration. :D


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Geekonychus
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02 Oct 2013, 3:26 pm

Aspiemike had a burnout? :(

I've gotten good at recognizing when they are coming and know how to respond. Sometimes it's good to just find a safe/secluded place and let it happen. I usually feel much better afterwards.

Is a burnout the same as a meltdown?



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02 Oct 2013, 3:34 pm

Suzanne C. Lawton refers to Aspie burnout as The Asperger Middle-Age Burnout in her book "Asperger Syndrome: Natural Steps Toward a Better Life"*. Lawton shares on page 33 what Dr. Leslie Carter observed:

Suzanne C. Lawton wrote:
"She had noted this same behavior and attributed it to adrenal exhaustion from years of pumping out high levels of epinephrine from prolonged severe anxiety. Not only were these AS people dealing with their regular levels of anxiety, but they were also working extremely hard to maintain a façade of normalcy ... Some AS people seemed to slip through this burnout crack. The common denominator was diet and relaxation."


*Publication Date: August 30, 2007; ISBN-10: 0275991784; ISBN-13: 978-0275991784; First Edition



Last edited by Fnord on 02 Oct 2013, 3:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

IlovemyAspie
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02 Oct 2013, 3:35 pm

Geekonychus wrote:
Aspiemike had a burnout? :(

I've gotten good at recognizing when they are coming and know how to respond. Sometimes it's good to just find a safe/secluded place and let it happen. I usually feel much better afterwards.

Is a burnout the same as a meltdown?


NO NO NO!! One of his threads was the inspiration for this one. The one on self defeat.

I don't know about the meltdown vs burnout question. Maybe someone can shed some light on this as well.


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MjrMajorMajor
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02 Oct 2013, 3:44 pm

Burn outs seem to be cumulative. The longer the length of time in a stressful situation, the longer the recovery time usually. I tend to run on a short cycle normally of productive day/fried brain day. I've had a few times where I had to turn to medication to snap out of it.
During this there is little tolerance for any stress, and it's very difficult to respond to anyone. After some recovery time, the light switch flips back on, and I'm okay.



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02 Oct 2013, 3:48 pm

What exactly is aspie burnout?



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02 Oct 2013, 4:03 pm

You need to withdraw. You've had enough.

For me, I'm 'peopled out'.

Thanks to this forum, I understand it a lot better. I thought it was just me who got like this.



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02 Oct 2013, 4:05 pm

Rigor wrote:
What exactly is aspie burnout?

It seems to be a mostly middle-age phenomena that occurs when an Aspie who has spent most of his or her life trying to cope with the anxiety and stress of trying to be 'normal' suffers some kind of emotional collapse.

The book I mentioned before has this to say...

Quote:
The Asperger Middle-Age Burnout

There is a curious phenomenon that seems to hit the middle-age person with AS; they start to have trouble coping on their previous level. Working with AS support groups, I see middle-aged members, previously able to function in the workplace no longer able to work and ending up on disability. For example, men who had government jobs and had been the primary breadwinners for years, being fired or let go at work and unable to regroup and hunt for a new job. I was wondering aloud about this over a luncheon with a psychologist colleague of mine, Dr. Leslie Carter, who treats the same population. She had noted this same behavior and attributed it to adrenal exhaustion from years of pumping out high levels of epinephrine from prolonged severe anxiety. Not only were these AS people dealing with their regular levels of anxiety, but they were also working extremely hard to maintain a façade of normalcy. Some AS people seemed to slip through this burnout crack. The common denominator was diet and relaxation.

Those who ate an excellent diet with no sugar and who had some regular form of relaxation such as meditation or yoga, naturally supported and replenished their adrenal glands and avoided the burnout.

Whether this is valid or just another piece of New-Age Psychobabble has yet to be worked out. Regardless, the off-hand observations of only two psychologists does not even qualify as a formal case study, and much less any form of scientific research.



Rigor
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02 Oct 2013, 4:06 pm

Sounds like me if I'm out in public for more than 4 hours at a time.



Kinme
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02 Oct 2013, 4:12 pm

I get this after I've socialized with people I don't know very well. It causes me immense anxiety; I'm self-conscious of what I'm doing the whole time, because it feels like they might make fun of me since they don't know me well. I've had it happen way too often. After I leave their company, I tend to sleep for a long period of time afterward in order to regain energy. It leaves me feeling dead. Even with people I know very well it often leaves me drained, but only after a day or so of socializing with them.

The thing is, though, what does this have to do with Love & Dating? Are you asking if on dates that we get this way? I've never been on a proper date, so I couldn't answer that. I'm sure I'd be very stressed out the entire time.



IlovemyAspie
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02 Oct 2013, 4:27 pm

Kinme wrote:
I get this after I've socialized with people I don't know very well. It causes me immense anxiety; I'm self-conscious of what I'm doing the whole time, because it feels like they might make fun of me since they don't know me well. I've had it happen way too often. After I leave their company, I tend to sleep for a long period of time afterward in order to regain energy. It leaves me feeling dead. Even with people I know very well it often leaves me drained, but only after a day or so of socializing with them.

The thing is, though, what does this have to do with Love & Dating? Are you asking if on dates that we get this way? I've never been on a proper date, so I couldn't answer that. I'm sure I'd be very stressed out the entire time.


It's here because I was asking in regards to relationships-close friendships included.


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02 Oct 2013, 4:43 pm

Rigor wrote:
Sounds like me if I'm out in public for more than 4 hours at a time.


I think we're going in that direction, and yes. I think 4 hours is close to mine.

For the record 'aspie burnout' is a LeLetch quote, and ya'll know i can be ranty. Meltdown was the wrong word. So basically, what rigor was saying, but at a more severe level.

We're not talking about the middleaged chemical thing that was pointed out above (although it is very intriguing!) we're more aiming at the cumulative stress of having too many social obligations over a longer period of time, and the burnout that can result.

Kindof like biting off more than you can chew. Until a collapse happens. I guess its like a meltdown, but that sounds melodramatic. But hey, if turning off your cellphone and avoiding people for unspecified ammount of time is a 'meltdown', then yes... use that term.


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The_Face_of_Boo
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02 Oct 2013, 5:01 pm

Do you mean explosive farting?



LeLetch
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02 Oct 2013, 5:19 pm

The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
Do you mean explosive farting?


Yes. But that's your fault. Stop holding my arse to the fire. Har har har.



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02 Oct 2013, 5:29 pm

Fnord wrote:
Suzanne C. Lawton refers to Aspie burnout as The Asperger Middle-Age Burnout in her book "Asperger Syndrome: Natural Steps Toward a Better Life"*. Lawton shares on page 33 what Dr. Leslie Carter observed:

Suzanne C. Lawton wrote:
"She had noted this same behavior and attributed it to adrenal exhaustion from years of pumping out high levels of epinephrine from prolonged severe anxiety. Not only were these AS people dealing with their regular levels of anxiety, but they were also working extremely hard to maintain a façade of normalcy ... Some AS people seemed to slip through this burnout crack. The common denominator was diet and relaxation."


*Publication Date: August 30, 2007; ISBN-10: 0275991784; ISBN-13: 978-0275991784; First Edition


I got news for Ms. Lawton - there's nothing "Middle-Age" about it. I experienced this periodically about every other year from the time I entered the workforce. The stress of having to interact with humans and pretend to be one of them would wear me down in a matter of months. Then I would just wait to be fired and take the better part of the next year to recover, before doing it again.

Personal relationships tend to run a similar cycle - the pressure of having to live up to another person's expectations eventually becomes unbearable and things implode.



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02 Oct 2013, 6:09 pm

For me, the idea of Aspie burnout (minor form) is more along the lines of that feeling of overwhelming social exhaustion that comes from too much social interaction. Even though, as I've gotten older, I find I have a lot less anxiety and I actually enjoy socializing - it still 'takes a toll'...If I go to an event, like a wedding or some other intense social event - it can take me a day or two to recover. The day after often finds me with a case of ''meh" - where I need to be alone with a good recovery activity like organizing the books or indulging my special interests, or just sleeping it off - no phone, limited interaction with my family. And if I don't put myself in positive 'time out' - I know I'm risking the irritability that can precede a meltdown...

Major Aspie Burnout can involve spiraling into depression. I think it comes from ignoring the personal balancing act every Aspie learns....when you push and push and push to do it all and meet everyone's 'normalcy' goals....blam - and a major can cause terrible damage to oneself and others... just my take