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Aug 18 2023
Five things that help me when I’m experiencing Autistic burnout

Autistic burnout can present itself in many different ways, not just the depressive state that observational models have taught us to expect. Despite assertions to the contrary, sometimes burnout is more than a need to withdraw.

Conceptualising Autistic Burnout

One might describe burnout as

“Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left with No Clean-Up Crew”

Raymaker et al (2020)

Of course, due to the infinite possible interactions with one’s Self and environment, there are infinite ways that Autistic burnout can present. Raymaker et al (2020) go on to conceptualise the mechanics of burnout.

Figure taken from Raymaker et al (2020)

Using this, I can begin to explain the things that help me when I am experiencing Autistic burnout.

What helps me with Autistic burnout?

  • Sensory Input
    • A good sensory diet is helpful to myself. I use dark rooms with colourful lighting and star projectors. I also use an oil diffuser. Besides the typically expected sensory input, I might mention that physical activity that engages my proprioceptive sense can also help with waning interoceptive accuracy.
  • Nesting
    • I have discussed in a previous article my AuDHD habit of nesting. While having a sensory safe space is a part of this, what is also important is that this space is safe from intrusion by the outside world. Sometimes, I need space to think and process whatever is going on in my mind in order to function in a world that can be quite hostile.
  • Boundaries
    • This one follows on quite nicely. We have to not only understand our strengths and struggles, but also enforce boundaries that compliment them. Learning to say no can feel quite villainous at first, but only when we make space for ourselves can we properly energy account. It is okay to make space for yourself.
  • Trust yourself
    • As Autistic people, we are constantly invalidated and gaslit about our experience. It is vital that we learn to trust ourselves on matter that pertain to ourselves. Nothing will drain you quicker than constant self-management. It is also impossible to enforce boundaries when we believe they are uneccessary or an overreaction.
  • Slow and Planned transitions
    • Autistic people experience cognitive trauma when they are forced to rapidly disengage and re-engage with different tasks and demands (more on this here and here). It is important that we slow down our transitions during burnout as in my experience we are more prone to that cognitive trauma during these time.

Final thoughts

As with everything, different things will help different people. The most important thing is that we treat ourselves with the same kindness that we would another. Humans of any neurocognitive style were designed for the cognitive equivalent cruising speed, it is not sustainable to move at maximum velocity without a break.

More than anything, you need to know that Autistic burnout is a logical consequence of our intensely hostile world. You are not worth less for struggling, and you are not alone.

David Gray-Hammond 0 Comments
Jun 24 2023
Autism and pain: When pain management options are limited

I have recently been writing about the Autistic experience of pain and the risk that it presents to Autistic people when medical professionals do not understand the way we display pain. Some of us, however, live with chronic pain and are prescribed painkillers. For a lot of people in that position, narcotic pain relief serves as the only option. What people often don’t realise is that being able to use narcotic pain relief is a privilege, and not all of us have that privilege.

I am not only Autistic, ADHD, and Schizophrenic. As of this year (2023), I am seven years sober from drug addiction. The drugs I was using that are most relevant to this conversation were opioids, benzodiazepines, pregabalin, cannabis, and spice. I was using all of these drugs very dangerously and, as a result, have chosen a life of complete abstinence. If I hadn’t, doctors would not prescribe anything similar to them anyway.

This has left me with very few options for the pain I experience related to my hypermobility. Realistically, I can only take paracetamol and naproxen. Neither of these offer much relief from bad pain days, but they do reduce the pain just enough that I can mask it.

Addiction isn’t the only exclusionary factor that can stop people from accessing the privilege of strong pain relief though. Allergies, or an intolerance to side effects, make the use of strong pain relief impossible. Even in countries where medical cannabis is legal, cannabis is not suitable for everyone. For me personally, cannabis use always ends with me using harder drugs. For some, it affects their mental health or makes them experience unpleasant thoughts and feelings.

This has landed many Autistic people in a sticky situation. We have nowhere to turn for pain relief. Pain we may not express in a “typical” way or be able to articulate. It means living in a state of constant dysregulation. Despite this dire need for strong pain relief that does not have mind altering effects, pharmaceutical companies are yet to create anything.

Autistic people are significantly more likely to experience chronic pain, with Autstic children being twice as likely to experience it as their non-Autistic peers. We then have to consider the risk of addiction in Autistic people due to self-medicating. To top that off, just over a third of addicts in this study were abstinent upon successful discharge from treatment. To me, these statistics say that there are a significant number of Autistic people unable to manage their pain effectively without the risk of relapse into addiction. Let’s also not forget the risk of habituation among people new to opioid pain relief.

The cherry on top of all of this is that recovering addicts who ask for pain relief are often accused of drug-seeking and ignored. This can only be compounded by professionals who do not understand Autistic presentations of pain. There is a great deal of stigma around addiction in professional circles. With chronic pain being a risk factor in already elevated suicide rates amongst Autistic people, this is an issue that can not be ignored.

When researchers are spending millions on looking for why we exist, rather than trying to improve quality of life with regards to things like this, is it any wonder that there is a gulf between us and them?

David Gray-Hammond 1 Comments
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