How Autistic Burnout Affects Executive Function (And What to Do About It)
Executive function is what helps us organize, plan, and carry out daily life. For autistic adults, executive function can already feel like climbing uphill—and during autistic burnout, it can collapse completely. Suddenly, simple tasks like brushing teeth, paying bills, or cooking a meal may feel impossible. This is not laziness or failure. It’s a neurological […]
How Friends and Family Can Help Prevent Autistic Burnout
When an autistic loved one reaches burnout, friends and family often step in to help. But what if support began earlier—before burnout hits? Prevention is just as important as recovery. Autistic burnout develops over time due to constant masking, sensory overload, and pushing beyond capacity. With the right awareness and adjustments, friends and family can […]
Pacing for Autistic Adults: How to Avoid the Boom-and-Bust Cycle
If you’ve ever had a burst of energy, done “all the things,” and then crashed for days or weeks, you’re not alone. Many autistic adults know this as the boom-and-bust cycle. It feels good in the moment to get everything done, but the cost is often autistic burnout. Pacing is the antidote. It’s the practice […]
How to Advocate for Burnout Accommodations at Work or School
Autistic burnout doesn’t just affect personal life—it can make functioning in workplaces and schools overwhelming, if not impossible. Unfortunately, many environments don’t yet recognize autistic burnout as valid, leaving people without the accommodations they desperately need. Advocating for support can feel intimidating, but with the right strategies, it’s possible to create environments that reduce stress […]
Why Autistic Burnout Recovery Takes Longer Than You Think
In a world obsessed with quick fixes, many people expect burnout recovery to be fast. Take a vacation, get some rest, and bounce back—right? But for autistic adults, burnout doesn’t work this way. Autistic burnout is deep, systemic, and cumulative. It isn’t solved in a weekend, and it can take months—or even years—to recover fully. […]
Autistic Burnout vs Depression: How to Tell the Difference
Feeling exhausted, unmotivated, or emotionally numb can be frightening. For autistic adults, these signs often raise the question: Is this burnout, or am I depressed? While they can overlap, autistic burnout and depression are not the same—and confusing them can delay the right kind of support. In Embracing Self-Care for Autistic Burnout: Your comprehensive resource […]