autistic burnout
Masking's cumulative toll
Autistic burnout is a state of chronic exhaustion, reduced functioning, and heightened sensitivity experienced by autistic people after prolonged periods of masking or coping with neurotypical demands.
Unlike ordinary fatigue, it can persist for months or years and often includes loss of skills that were previously manageable: After years of forcing herself to make eye contact and suppress stimming at work, she hit autistic burnout and couldn't leave the house.
Recovery typically requires reduced demands and increased accommodation rather than simply rest.
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- shutdownCessation of operations
- maskingConcealing by covering
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
- sensory overloadExcessive simultaneous stimulation
nervous system · meltdown · fatigue · collapse · overstimulation · spoons · regression · withdrawal · executive dysfunction · cognitive load · brain fog · hypersensitivity · stimming · quiet room · quiet space · scripting · nonverbal · weighted blanket
autistic burnoutthriving
Succeeding vigorously
flourishing · energized · regulated · recovery · replenishment
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