At some point in our lives we can all enter some form of burnout, physical, emotional or combined. Most of us can resonate with overwhelm and exhaustion but If you, or someone you love or care for is Neurodivergent, you may notice how exhausted and wrung out you (or they) get by certain activities or life in general.
Many people feel cycles of neurodivergent burnout, it might be every few months or years. Burnout is not depression, though depression can be a result of it and it is often mistaken for depression or anxiety by the medical world
Living in a world which isn’t designed for you is incredibly difficult; sensory overload, emotional dysregulation, social anxiety, criticism and judgement, to name just a few challenges. These all drain the battery and can lead to shutdown and overwhelm, which presents differently for everyone.
If you have ADHD or are Autistic, your burnout signs are uniquely yours and it is often the case that the closer we get to burnout the less available our emotions are to us. Counterintuitively we can often do more, take on more or override our needs even more. Issues with Interoception can make this even worse and our physical health can suffer too.
In my neurodiverse affirming practice, I love to support my clients to map out their own personal neurodiverse landscape.
We begin to asses the ways they feel challenged; these are the deep chasms in their landscapes. We also map those things that bring them joy; these are the peaks! Drawing them can give a visual map to our landscape and helps us know what we need to watch out for to avoid burnout.
When you know your landscape when you are regulated, then temperature checking when you are feeling overwhelmed may help. Are your chasms getting deeper, are you feeling stuck? Do you find those peaks unattainable and too much?
Having someone to share this with can really help, so if you want to be an ally here, please do offer support, encouragement, kindness and try not to blame.
Neurodivergent people often struggle with self compassion, as we have so often been told to just get on with it and override overwhelm, to make others less uncomfortable. I often notice discomfort is not an unusual state, so its hard to imagine what it is to feel comfortable.
A great question to ask yourself is “What comfort can I bring myself in this situation?”
Give yourself permission to ask for reasonable adjustments if you need them and use supportive tools like sound cancelling headphones, weighted blankets or stim toys. If you are an ally, remind loved ones or colleagues, they have permission to do this and support them.
Unlike depression, where being isolated and alone can often compound symptoms, those in burnout might need to withdraw and be completely silent. One thing is sure, reconnecting with interests and passions is vital (you need those peaks!)
Being kind and allowing yourself time and space to explore your own processing with compassionate interest, alone or in therapy can be incredibly supportive and give more time between burnout cycles.
As a therapist I know we can all thrive in our own personal landscapes, if we are shown understanding, compassion and respected as individuals. We all deserve that.