Autistic burnout is different from other experiences of burnout. It is unique to the individual experiencing it, though there are some specific aspects which set Autistic burnout apart including how to support folks through it.

Ways Autistic Burnout Differs from general Burnout:

Emotionally

We may experience emotions more intensely in burnout. Even those of us who live with Alexithymia and low interoception may notice an increase in the level of distress we notice, especially when we’re having more difficulty accessing needs.

Energy/Sensory

Our level of need may be higher than usual. We may need more sleep, more food to eat, more water to drink, more time to rest, etc. 

Our sensory systems are more hypervigilant so we may notice we are more ‘sensory sensitive’ while experiencing burnout. In fact experiencing sensory overstimulation for a prolonged period of time often contributes to burnout.
Example: after attending a work conference for two days with multiple trainings to attend, socializing over lunch when we may otherwise opt to eat alone or eat while we work and having to be in a new place can cause a shorter period of burnout for some of us.

We may seek out our interests more than usual. Our interests may be the only thing we have the capacity to interact with.
Example: We may spend all day reading, watching movies or shows (especially rewatching comfort shows), scrolling through our preferred apps and websites, playing video games, etc.

If we have been able to mask our outwardly observable Autistic experiences (‘traits’) in the past, we may no longer be able to - at least not to the extent we have in the past. This is often referred to as “appearing more Autistic” than we had before.
Example: we may stim more obviously (finger flicking, skin picking, rocking, etc.)

Mentally

We may have even more difficulty accessing certain brain functions. Executive functioning skills are often mentioned, such as planning, task initiation, etc. I tend to think of it as our brain needs rest to be able to access certain functions in the brain and reverts to how our brain is hardwired, rather than skills we may have had to force ourselves to adapt to over a long period of time.

We may notice we are “lost in thought” more often than usual. These thoughts can be about our interests, or replaying events from the past more than usual. At times it can be similar to what we experience with depression where the thoughts are of a ‘darker’ nature than they would be otherwise. This experience can be more intense and/or frequent dissociation or monotropic thought processes.

Relationally

We may be more socially withdrawn than usual. While this is also a common experience with depression and general burnout, our capacity for social communication and physical interactions may be significantly lower than that of a non-Autistic person or an Autistic person who is not experiencing Autistic burnout. We may actually need and require very small amounts of social interaction including short bursts of conversation, communicating only when absolutely necessary all the way to the point of not being able to tolerate any socialization for a period of time.

Just like anyone else, we can experience an increase in anxiety and depression during periods of burnout. If we live with OCD or panic, the experience of these may also become more frequent or intense during burnout. If depression is present we may seem more solemn or even come off as just a bit more aloof than usual. Outward presentation is not a reliable qualifier for whether or not someone is experiencing Autistic burnout.

Autistic burnout can be short term (hours after a stressful event) to long term (months to years, when needs are not met and the Autistic person is not appropriately supported).

Please note: every Autistic person is different. We all have different needs and access to meet these needs so our experiences with burnout will vary. 

Disclaimer: this is not a diagnostic tool nor is it to be used in the diagnostic process. This blog post contains insights from an Autistic therapist who has worked with Autistic people in different fields for over a decade. 

The image selected for this post which appears on the previous page and in social media links of this blog are a part of HikiApp project with Getty Images where they brought Autistic photographers and models together to more accurately represent Autism in adulthood in stock images. To learn more please visit: hikiapp.com/gettyimages
Model pictured: Lauren Meliisa of @autienelle an Autistic self advocate and YA fiction writer of Boy at the Window and Gimmicks and Glamour