Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #AutisticBurnout
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I want to remind you all that not wanting to do anything or having to stimulate yourself with low energy stuff like eating or TV can be indicative of #AutisticBurnout for some, and that the old dopamine systems may need a bit of a reset.
If we think of burnout as an umbrella term for a state that can include fatigue, anxiety, depression and so on, then any of the symptoms of those will fall under the umbrella condition of burnout. With #depression, #anhedonia is a symptom for many.
#Anhedonia refers to a lack of pleasure. When I was in #burnout, I didn't want anything, I didn't know what I wanted and I couldn't even do things I actually loved. I ate and ate and ate to try and stimulate myself and kickstart my brain functioning.
🧵Common warning signs of autistic burnout:
Either that it's coming soon, or that you’re in it.
People in burnout may experience some of these, but probably never all of them.
#AutisticBurnout #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD
1/26
Either that it's coming soon, or that you’re in it.
People in burnout may experience some of these, but probably never all of them.
#AutisticBurnout #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD
1/26
Also, all comparisons (more, increased, longer, etc) are using YOUR personal best functional time in life as a baseline. This is not a comparison to others, this is a comparison to you alone.
In no particular order:
2/26
In no particular order:
2/26
Low energy.
Exhaustion.
Sleep disruptions, lack of sleep, or sleeping all the time without feeling rested.
3/26
Exhaustion.
Sleep disruptions, lack of sleep, or sleeping all the time without feeling rested.
3/26
If you're working on:
#burnoutrecovery
#AutisticMasking
#sensory quality of life improvements
figuring out your wants and needs
trying to get better at noticing and responding to what's going on in your own body is an essential part of making progress.
#AutisticBurnout
1/7
#burnoutrecovery
#AutisticMasking
#sensory quality of life improvements
figuring out your wants and needs
trying to get better at noticing and responding to what's going on in your own body is an essential part of making progress.
#AutisticBurnout
1/7
If don't know what's going on inside come on you can't tell when you are pushing too hard, or what things are affecting you, or how, whether your being your masked or unmasked self, etc.
2/7
2/7
People ask me all the time how to get better at this stuff and it's actually pretty simple. Thought it does take time and attention.
Noticing what's going on in one single body part in this particular moment, creates associations between that sensation and its meaning.
3/7
Noticing what's going on in one single body part in this particular moment, creates associations between that sensation and its meaning.
3/7
🧵How to get out of #AutisticBurnout when you can't quit responsibilities (parenting/work/etc).
This is meant as a framework, a guide. Please adjust for your own circumstances and needs.
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD
This is meant as a framework, a guide. Please adjust for your own circumstances and needs.
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD
Before we get practical:
Recognize that things are going to have to change eventually. You may not be able to quit your kids or your family or even this job, but something is going to have to change.
You can't heal in the environment that made you sick.
Recognize that things are going to have to change eventually. You may not be able to quit your kids or your family or even this job, but something is going to have to change.
You can't heal in the environment that made you sick.
1. You can make a lot of gains for free, with little or no extra time, by picking apart and dissolving the untrue thoughts that are causing you pain.
You can do this even when the kids and loud and you're cleaning up peach juice flung against the wall, or your boss is raging.
You can do this even when the kids and loud and you're cleaning up peach juice flung against the wall, or your boss is raging.
Notice even tiny moments when there's no panic attack, and stress is a tiny bit lower. Simply remind yourself in the slightly better moments that it is slightly better.
#MentalHealth #AutisticBurnout #Depression
1/4
#MentalHealth #AutisticBurnout #Depression
1/4
As opposed to just waiting for it to be bad again, or discounting that it is slightly better because it's worse a lot of the time.
2/4
2/4
Whatever we focus our attention on, our attention will focus on that more. So, if you're focusing just on how bad it is, you'll be reinforcing how bad it is. But if you focus on the fact that this moment is slightly better, there's a feeling of 'it can get slightly better.'
3/4
3/4
🧵How to recover from autistic burnout.
Once you've figured out you're in #AutisticBurnout, the natural question becomes, how do you get out of it? How do you recover?
Here's my philosophy, in 5 parts.
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD #AutismAcceptance
Once you've figured out you're in #AutisticBurnout, the natural question becomes, how do you get out of it? How do you recover?
Here's my philosophy, in 5 parts.
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD #AutismAcceptance
I've recovered from two severe, years-long burnouts, and several weeks-to-months-long ones. I've also been burnout free since 2015!
Over the last few years, I've been helping others create their own versions of this journey.
Over the last few years, I've been helping others create their own versions of this journey.
Everyone is unique, and every recovery journey is unique. Nevertheless, there are some pretty consistent patterns, and my pattern-loving brain has synthesized my own take on what it takes to get out of burnout, and stay out.
🧵Common warning signs of autistic burnout:
Either that it is coming soon, or that you’re in it.
Any individual may experience some of these, but probably never all of them.
In no particular order.
#AutisticBurnout #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD
Either that it is coming soon, or that you’re in it.
Any individual may experience some of these, but probably never all of them.
In no particular order.
#AutisticBurnout #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #AutisticTwitter #AuDHD
Also, all comparisons (more, increased, longer, etc) are using YOUR personal best functional time in life as a baseline. This is not a comparison to others, this is a comparison to you alone.
Getting sick easily.
Taking longer that usual to recover.
Minor, or major, injuries or accidents.
Taking longer that usual to recover.
Minor, or major, injuries or accidents.
1/18 So today, with the support of @nicolaleaking & @BrownlessElaine, I brought the latest round of the Inside of Autism to a close.
I hate the sales pitch stuff, so this is me, just letting you know what the Inside of Autism is & letting you decide if it might be useful to you:
I hate the sales pitch stuff, so this is me, just letting you know what the Inside of Autism is & letting you decide if it might be useful to you:
2/18 Non-Autistic/#Autistic people, whether you are Professionals/parents or otherwise: 'The inside of Autism' has two rounds left in 2022 (one in Sept and one in Nov).
Sept is 3/4 full already and November is 1/2 full.
Places go FAST (That's not a sales pitch, they really do)
Sept is 3/4 full already and November is 1/2 full.
Places go FAST (That's not a sales pitch, they really do)
3/18 But what is it?
Its training, but it isn't autism training. At least not like you're used to.
The course focuses on reframing the #Autism narrative from an Autistic perspective, based on current Autistic & ally-led research & aims to introduce new concepts & give new tools
Its training, but it isn't autism training. At least not like you're used to.
The course focuses on reframing the #Autism narrative from an Autistic perspective, based on current Autistic & ally-led research & aims to introduce new concepts & give new tools
1/4 If any Teachers and/or Educationalists are interested I'm very happy to be speaking at the @street_trust 'Excellence in the every day' in-person conference @HardwickHHotel on November 1st
Details below ⬇️
Details below ⬇️
2/4 My talk is titled:
'What we know and what we think we know aren’t always the same thing: Supporting Educators to better understand their Autistic learners'
'What we know and what we think we know aren’t always the same thing: Supporting Educators to better understand their Autistic learners'
3/4 In it I will be both reframing the autism narrative and reconceptualising it for Educationalists through topics such as #AutisticMasking #AutisticBurnout #Alexithymia #Monotropism #Stigma #Invalidation #Identity #Communication #Behaviour and #Pathologisation
On helping a loved one in #AutisticBurnout, another 🧵
Ask us what we need. @Sora_Jansen nailed this step by asking all of us online, but also remember to ask the actual person in your life if you can. They might not know, but it's helpful just to open up the floor for them and let them know it's okay to ask for help.
On a similar note, if you know your loved one is sensitive to certain sensory input, proactively change things for them. I am often so burned out that I don't see the problem, much less the solution. For example:
Rest is the only way. Not like eat healthy veg/do a daily run rest, but Do Nothing rest. Reduce stimuli of all kinds, try to eat somewhat regularly, engage in SpIns if it helps. But mostly rest…lots of time being/hearing silence. “Exposure therapy” approach is counterproductive.
This point by Hantu is also key: “If you only want to recover from burnout to get back to where you were, it's a bit hard to accept where you are at.”
You’ll likely never be the same as you were before, best to accept that and be open to what is still possible or not.
You’ll likely never be the same as you were before, best to accept that and be open to what is still possible or not.
Important is to ignore most NT/work burnout advice, it won’t help and can make it worse while also making you feel worse about yourself and your “recovery process” 📈📉📈📉🌀➰🌀➿📈📉😵💫💀
New co-produced study defines #AutisticBurnout through experts with lived experience of #autistic burnout syndrome. Research by @JulianneHiggi16 @drsamarnold @liz_pellicano @JanelleWeise @3DN_UNSW. @AutismCRC, @NationalAutism @Autism
doi.org/10.1177/136236…
A thread.
doi.org/10.1177/136236…
A thread.
@JulianneHiggi16 @drsamarnold @liz_pellicano @JanelleWeise @3DN_UNSW @AutismCRC @NationalAutism @Autism @JulianneHiggi16, late-diagnosed autistic peer-researcher with experience of burnout with @drsamarnold noted that #autisticburnout was discussed in social media but not in academic literature. The @3DN_UNSW @liz_pellicano team brainstormed survey, Delphi or interview approaches.
@JulianneHiggi16 @drsamarnold @liz_pellicano @JanelleWeise @3DN_UNSW @AutismCRC @NationalAutism @Autism @JulianneHiggi16 identified the Grounded Delphi Method (GDM), enabling an emancipatory approach led by autistic adults positioned as experts by lived experience. Grounded theory with Delphi method, is useful for theory building and reaching consensus in under-researched areas.
There’s a side to so-called ‘high functioning’ #autism that you don’t see. You don’t see it, because our high functioning brains give us the ability to hide it from you. #autistic 1/
I went on the People’s Vote March yesterday. It wasn’t a long day; I left home at 9am and was back by six thirty. When I got home I went straight to bed, and it took me until after 2am to wind down from the sensory overload enough to sleep. #autistic 2/
I can’t really articulate why it took so long to settle down. I just felt ‘bothered’, flustered, on edge. When I eventually attempted sleep my brain replayed the march over and over - the crowds, the noise, people moving around. It was like dreaming, but I was awake. #autistic 3/
