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Language note: Although individual preferences exist, surveys of the autistic community consistently show that autistic people preferidentity-first languagerather than person-first language (i.e., “autistic person” rather than “person withautism”). This article reflects that community language preference.
Althoughnot listedin the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, autistic burnout is a condition that has recently gotten the attention of providers, researchers, and the autistic community.
Baden Gaeke Franze, 2017 president of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network of Winnipeg, has written, “On the most basic level, autistic burnout means being exhausted. Our brains and bodies get tired out, and we don’t have the energy to do the things that used to come easily to us.”Essentially, autistic burnout is what happens when an autistic person is no longer able tofunctionas they previously could in the past.
So far, there has been limited research on how autistic burnout is triggered, manifests, and responds to treatment, but members of the autistic community have shared their experiences with burnout.
Signs and Indications
What to Know About Autism and Life Expectancy
Identifying Autistic Burnout
While other mental health conditions can cause an onset of functional impairment, includingMajor Depressive Disorder, autistic burnout is distinct from any other mental health diagnosis. It is important for providers working with autistic clients to understand and recognize the difference, as preliminary research on autistic burnout has shown that evidence-based treatment for depressive episodes can exacerbate burnout symptoms rather than alleviating them.
If you have a history of mental health issues that manifest as periods of decreased functioning due toexhaustion, executive dysfunction, and withdrawal, and these symptoms have not responded to other treatment approaches, it may be possible that you are experiencing burnout from unidentified ormisdiagnosedautism.
Since autistic burnout is not an official diagnosis, it is not something that the provider tests for through a psychological evaluation. However, a provider might notice burnout symptoms developing and talk to you about treatment options.
If you are autistic and notice decreased ability tocope, increased executive dysfunction, exhaustion, or withdrawal from people and activities you once enjoyed, you may be experiencing burnout.
Causes
Many autistic people, especially those labeled as “high-functioning,” learn from an early age that they might be ostracized or punished for autistic behaviors. In an effort to fit in and be accepted, theymaskthese behaviors and may present as neurotypical. This is exhausting and wears the person down over time until they can no longer force themselves to mask, leading to burnout.
Autistic children in particular are often referred forApplied Behavioral Analysis(ABA), a treatment that involves behavior modification. If a client’s treatment goals in ABA involve making them behave in ways that are not authentic and natural to them as an autistic person, this treatment can lead to burnout. This is why many autistic people describe their experience in ABA as traumatic or abusive.
Essentially, what we know about autistic burnout so far is that it is a response to chronic, ongoing stress. In particular, it is linked to the stress of existing in a world that is not designed for you.
Prevention
Allowing autistic people to take space toregulatewhen needed, create schedules that do not overwork them, and meet their sensory needs also protects against burnout.In addition, providing autistic people with autistic-led education about burnout and meeting sensory needs can allow them to take steps to mitigate burnout symptoms.
Additionally, centering autistic voices in research will lead to developing treatment and supportive services that meet autistic people’s needs rather than forcing them to present as neurotypical. In the long-term, this will prevent burnout in the community as a whole.
Treatment for Autistic Burnout
Because limited research exists about autistic burnout, there are not presently evidence-based protocols for alleviating burnout. Some treatments for mental health issues in the neurotypical population can exacerbate burnout,so it is important for providers to accuratelyidentifyautistic clients and create a neurodiversity-affirming treatment environment.
Surveys of the autistic community suggest effective treatment for burnout can includeeducationabout burnout, support from other autistic people who have previously recovered from burnout, and reduced demands that allow the autistic person to recover and preserve their energy.
As future research progresses, evidence-based and neurodiverse-affirming treatments for autistic burnout will hopefully emerge, allowing autistic people to receive support, manage burnout when it arises, and prevent future bouts of burnout.
ADHD Symptom Spotlight: Burnout
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Franz, B. G.Help! My Child Is Regressing! - On Autistic Burnout And How To Manage It.
Mantzalas J, Richdale AL, Adikari A, Lowe J, Dissanayake C.What is autistic burnout? A thematic analysis of posts on two online platforms.Autism in Adulthood. 2022;4(1):52-65.
Zaboski BA, Storch EA. Comorbid autism spectrum disorder and anxiety disorders: a brief review. Future Neurology. 2018;13(1):31-37. (3)
Mantzalas J, Richdale AL, Dissanayake C.A conceptual model of risk and protective factors for autistic burnout.Autism Research. 2022;15(6):976-987.
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