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Purple background with white text reading 'Learning Programming while in Autistic Burnout' and 'Multiple Days Per Concept' with white spoon icon in bottom right corner

Learning Programming in Autistic Burnout Takes Multiple Days Per Concept

Learning skills in autistic burnout: Why I need multiple days per programming concept and skip cleaning for weeks to preserve my 4 daily spoons.

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Purple featured image with white text reading 'I Want Friends' and 'Can't Handle Small Talk' - autistic adult social exhaustion

I Want Friends But Can't Handle Small Talk (Autistic Burnout Reality)

I genuinely want friends. But small talk before actual conversation costs too many spoons when I'm in autistic burnout. I stay home instead.

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Purple background with white text reading "Don't Request Accommodations" and "They wrote me up for kneeling" - blog post about why autistic warehouse worker avoids requesting workplace accommodations due to retaliation and write-ups

Why I Don't Request Accommodations as an Autistic Warehouse Worker

I wanted one accommodation: work alone, no small talk. Here's why I never requested it and what happened when I tried anyway.

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Purple gradient background with white spoon icon and text about physical symptoms of autistic burnout affecting coordination and sleep recovery

The Physical Symptoms of Autistic Burnout I Never Thought About

I've been in autistic burnout for 5+ years. Everyone talks about the mental exhaustion, but nobody warned me what it would do to my body. My legs give out during runs. I trip more. 8 hours of sleep barely helps me function. Here's what chronic burnout actually looks like physically.

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Sleep setup 65°F saves 3 spoons every morning - autism sleep environment

My Sleep Setup Isn't Excessive. It Saves Me 3+ Spoons Every Morning.

65°F. Sleep mask. White noise machine. Weighted blanket. 30-minute wind-down with rain sounds. My family says it's 'too much.' They don't realize I'm compensating for warehouse noise and sensory overload. Without my setup, I need 30 extra minutes of sleep.

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Shutdown vs meltdown vs burnout difference - minutes vs days vs years

Shutdown vs. Meltdown vs. Burnout: What's the Difference? (Autism)

Meltdown: Crying in bathroom at family dinner, minutes. Shutdown: Couldn't talk, bed all day, too exhausted to eat, days. Burnout: 5+ years, masking harder, social skills degraded, everything feels harder. Timeline is the difference.

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Masking breakdown warning signs - apologizing for things that aren't my fault

When I Apologize for Nothing: My Autistic Burnout Warning Sign

I'm sorry I don't talk to Grandad as often.' I'm in burnout, minimizing small talk. Mom criticizes me harshly. I apologize anyway to avoid conflict. When I start apologizing for things that aren't my fault, I know I'm about to break.

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Executive function tax task switching - hidden energy cost of autism

Executive Function Tax: The Hidden Energy Cost of Autism

Executive function tax: the mental cost of switching tasks. Before I run, I text my mom, find my heart rate monitor, calculate time. 4 spoons gone before I start. For neurotypicals, mildly impractical. For me, extremely exhausting.

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Meal prep Saturday saves 30 spoons weekly - autism energy management

I Spend Saturday Meal Prepping: 6 Spoons Saves Me 30 All Week

I spend 3 hours on Saturday making 16 sandwiches, 4 batches of potatoes, and 4 batches of chicken. Costs 6 spoons. Without it, each work day costs 9 spoons. The math: 6 spoons saves me 30.

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Grocery shopping Instacart 98% of time - sensory overload avoidance

I Use Instacart 98% of the Time Because Grocery Stores Destroy Me

Grocery stores cost me 5 spoons. Loud intercoms, navigating crowds, workers forcing small talk. Even with Theraspecs and headphones at 8 AM, still 2-3 spoons. Instacart costs 0 spoons. Not convenience—accommodation.

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Transportation costs $500 monthly rideshare - energy math doesn't work

I Spend $500/Month on Uber for Work: Why the Math Doesn't Work

I don't drive. So I spend $500/month on rideshare for 3 days of work. That's 1/4 of my income. Driver small talk drains 3-4 spoons before my shift starts. The financial and energy math doesn't work.

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Autistic rest watching same clips 50 times when burned out

Why I Watch the Same Movie Clips Over and Over When I'm Burned Out

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Death vs. Puss fight scenes. I loop them 30 to 50 times until my mood gets better. Why watching the same clips over and over is how I actually rest.

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Autistic burnout 5 years recovery - what actually helped slightly

I've Been in Autistic Burnout for Years. Here's What Actually Helped (Slightly).

5 years ago, I hit burnout. Multiple meltdowns from my mom, pressure to socialize, yelling over minor things. I'm still burned out now. Here's what actually helped—slightly.

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Phone anxiety autism - why texting saves spoons for autistic adults

Autism Phone Anxiety: Why Texting Saves Spoons

Phone calls drain 5-6 of my spoons from sensory overload and masking demands. Texting saves me energy by removing the instant response pressure. Why I prefer text.

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Noise sensitivity autism - why noise drains spoons faster than anything

Why Noise Drains My Spoons Faster Than Anything Else

People talking loudly, alarms, totes slamming. My warehouse job destroys my spoons in 10 hours. Noise protection isn't optional—it's survival. Here's why noise sensitivity is more than just 'loud = bad.

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Task switching drains spoons - labor sharing reality in warehouse work

Task Switching Autism: Why Transitions Drain Spoons

For autistic adults, task switching between activities drains spoons faster than the tasks themselves. Why transitions demand executive function, how they compound into burnout, and the one strategy that helps me.

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Energy vs mood tracking in autism - why energy matters more than mood

Energy vs Mood in Autism: Why Tracking Energy Works Better

Mood tracking apps miss what actually drains autistic adults: sensory overload, masking, and social exhaustion. Why I built Spoons to track energy using spoon theory, not vague moods.

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Autistic burnout reality vs Instagram - what burnout actually looks like

What Autistic Burnout Really Looks Like (Not Just Being Tired)

Autistic burnout isn't just being tired. It's months of shutdown where skills you had yesterday are impossible today. Here's what it really looks like—and why neurotypicals don't get it.

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Energy debt: Why I need 3 days to recover from 3 work days - autistic burnout cycle

Why My 3 Warehouse Shifts Leave Me Unable to Function for Days (What Autistic Adults Call 'Energy Debt')"

I work 30 hours across 3 warehouse shifts. By Sunday, I'm at 0 spoons and need 3-4 days to recover. This is what energy debt looks like for autistic adults.Done! I

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Autism apps built for parents, not adults - infantilization in autism technology

Why Every Autism App Ignores Adults: The Infantilization Problem

Why autism apps ignore autistic adults: infantilization, sensory overload from bright colors and animations, and apps designed by neurotypicals who don't understand our needs.

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Spoon Theory: Why 3 warehouse shifts drain me more than 5 office days - autism energy management

What Is Spoon Theory? I'll Show You How Autism Drains My Energy 3x Faster

Ever run out of energy completely? If you're autistic, you know exactly what I mean. Learn how spoon theory explains our unique energy challenges.

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