My Second Autism Burnout

Autism burnout is a complex phenomenon that encompasses much more than just fatigue. Imagine struggling daily to process all the sensory stimuli around you. The sounds others may barely notice, like the hum of lights or traffic noise outside, can be overwhelming for you. Additionally, there are the bright lights, strong smells, and unexpected touches that constantly overload your nervous system.

Socially, you often feel uncomfortable and unsure. Simple conversations can be exhausting because you're constantly thinking about what to say, how to react, and what body language to use. It feels like a constant struggle to meet others' expectations and to understand yourself in a world that's often confusing and unpredictable.

Over time, stress and tensions build up, leading to burnout. It starts with a constant fatigue that doesn't go away, no matter how much rest you get. You find it increasingly difficult to concentrate and remember things. Even the simplest tasks seem overwhelming and exhausting.

But it's not just the physical and cognitive symptoms that affect you; it's also the emotional toll that comes with an autism burnout. You feel irritable, overwhelmed, and often hopeless. Even the smallest things can upset you, and it feels like you have no control over your emotions.

Recovering from an autism burnout can be a lengthy process. It requires patience, understanding, and support from yourself and others. It's not just about resting your body, but also calming your mind and finding ways to reduce stress. Therapies focused on managing sensory stimuli, developing social skills, and coping with stress can all be helpful in this process.

It's important to learn to listen to your own needs and boundaries, and to accept that it's okay to ask for help and take breaks when needed. With the right support and self-care, you can recover from an autism burnout and find balance in your life.

What Happened?

Unbeknownst to me, my daily life began to demand more and more from me. Initially, there were only vague complaints of fatigue, but these steadily grew into a feeling of exhaustion. Tensions escalated at home, and my self-care completely fell by the wayside. Without realizing it, I slid into a downward spiral of self-destruction, blaming the world around me. After expressing my frustrations in a 'too' gentle manner, my mind reached emptiness, and my body called a halt. It wasn't until my wife told me forcefully, "Enough now, Tim! You're calling in sick now!", that I could admit to the need for rest.

The Approach

It was a shock to me to fall back into a burnout within a relatively short time. Just two years earlier, I found myself in a similar situation at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Determined to battle this burnout with a self-improvised 'shock-and-awe' approach, I sought out all the help I could find. I enlisted various support lines: mental health services, social care, a practice nurse, mindfulness, a job coach, and even an orthomolecular therapist.

I quickly found an approach that seemed to suit me. Through the municipality, I found a life coach/psychologist specializing in autism; at work, I received support from a job coach who could immediately address the work-life balance; and I've been on a specially adapted nutrition plan for endorphin recovery for some time now. With these specialists, I embarked on the process of preventing or reducing future burnouts.

I have already experienced real progress with the endorphin recovery plan. Thanks to a nutrition plan tailored specifically to me, supported by epigenetics, my own blood values, and psychological interim measurements, I no longer feel like someone living on their reserve energy today. My energy level is still on the low side, but I can function in a more 'normal' way again. I feel the urge again to pick up things that I didn't have energy for during the burnout.
A small note here: The combination of the nutrition plan and three weeks of relaxation on a sun holiday collectively gave me the boost I needed.

• The right food for my body, along with an abundance of recommended supplements in the endorphin recovery plan, have prepared me for the next steps.

The next steps will involve slowly resuming my tasks, step by step, and receiving support to check when it's too much or inappropriate. With this help, I truly hope to be able to maintain an excellent energy balance on my own. I also need to be aware that difficult moments may arise again and that I need to learn to accept and prepare for them, so I can correct myself faster each time.

The barriers have been broken…

To be continued...

TIM.

I collapsed entirely. The following three days were spent mostly sleeping, more than 18 hours a day. I felt empty and drained, sunk into a deep depression where my Autism Burnout suddenly became very clear. I shared my situation with the doctor, who confirmed my suspicions.