If You’re Going Through Autistic+ADHD (auDHD) Burnout, You May Experience:

If you’re going through autistic+ADHD (auDHD) burnout, you may experience:

*anxiety

*depression

*extreme lethargy

*inability to ask for help

**memory issues

**loss of words or selective mutism

**reduced executive functioning (e.g., staying organized, making decisions)

**trouble bouncing back from daily tasks

*suicidal thoughts

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**Feelings of fatigue and constant exhaustion.

*Low self-confidence coupled with high self-criticism.

*Lack of motivation and drive to complete tasks.

*Anger and resentment toward responsibilities, obligations, and other people.

What do we need to exit the burnout realm:

Stimming and sensory stimulation/deprivation

Food, water, medications

Physical safety (e.g., a home, your bedroom, a place to stay that is away from harm)

Social support (e.g., can someone help you with chores? managing your schedule? explaining neurotypical norms going on around you? doing tasks that require engaging with others like making phone calls?)

Time for special interests

Time for sleep, recovery, and rest

If someone you know is experiencing auDHD burnout, be gentle with them, they're already barely holding it together with straws and Scotch tape.

Don't add to the burnout, requiring us to submit more energy spoons than necessary, and understand that the size of your energy spoons are different from those of neurodivergent people. We have less spoons to dole out, and they're tea spoons compared to your serving spoons.

Let us rest. Send us home early from work or class, let us do our work in the safety of our home environment during burnout phases. Everyday interactions that are energizing for neurotypical people are extremely energy draining for those with auDHD, especially during a burnout phase.

Help them if you are willing and able. Those of us with auDHD most of the time don't know or understand what exactly our needs are. Having a support system around that can see what is needed and offer assistance could mean the difference in those of us with auDHD between crashing or being able to recharge.

Be kind. This isn't the time to bully or make fun of the person with auDHD. There is no need to be a jerk in the first place, but we live in the real world, with real, neurotypical people who do not understand how our brains work so differently as to cause situations like burnout that affect others around the person with audhd. Just be kind, those experiencing burnout are already fragile emotionally and probably spiritually. Being a part of our support system as opposed to someone who is making it more difficult to survive this experience could mean the difference between recovery or crashing.

For those with auDHD, find support groups online. There are so many other adults experiencing auDHD and burnout in today's demanding neurotypical world. You're not alone in this.