Blog
Why I Smell Laundry Detergent Before Starting a Task (Autism Stimming Reality)
I like smelling laundry detergent before starting a task. Not because I planned to — because my brain figured out it regulates me before I did. Written by an autistic adult in burnout.
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Asking For Help Drains My Energy More Than Doing The Task Itself (Autism Masking Reality)
I prefer to handle tasks alone since the cost to mask and deal with small talk is too unbearable, far more than the physical demands of the task itself ever would be. Written by an autistic adult.
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Why Sunlight and Car Glare Overwhelm Me on Morning Runs (Autism Sensory Overload)
I run before sunrise to avoid sensory overload — and still can't escape it. My brain literally cannot filter out car glare no matter what I do. Written by an autistic adult.
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Why I Forget to Eat at Work as an Autistic Adult in Burnout
My body doesn't send hunger signals at work — so I don't eat. I only find out hours later when I crash. Written by an autistic adult in burnout.
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Why I Shower Every Other Day in Autistic Burnout
The tasking switching costs of getting in then getting out, pressure from my family about me showering too little or too long. I can't handle cold showers most of the time and choose to take them every other day instead.
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Why I Switched to a Flip Phone as an Autistic Adult in Burnout
Most days my energy baseline is already gone before noon. I switched to a flip phone to stop hemorrhaging what little I had left on constant task switching. Written by an autistic adult in burnout
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The Friendship Math Doesn't Work for Me as an Autistic Adult
I go in eager every time. Most friendships still end — blocked, faded, or just gone. The masking cost hits either way.
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What Being Poor Costs Me in Energy as an Autistic Adult
I make $2,100 a month. After rideshare, groceries, and essentials, the financial stress alone costs more energy than the work that earned it. Written by an autistic adult in burnout.
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I Quit My Software Engineering Degree Because of Autistic Burnout
I chose software engineering for the remote work and the special interest. A year in, burnout had already taken both. So I quit.
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What Family Restaurants Actually Cost Me as an Autistic Adult
Every family dinner is a performance I didn't audition for. I exert everything I have — not because I want to, but because my family expects it. Written by an autistic adult in burnout.
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Why Jobs Exhaust Me So Fast as an Autistic Adult
Customer service. Grocery stores. Warehouses. Every job has been more mentally crushing than physically demanding. Written by an autistic adult in burnout.
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The Energy Cost of Smiling for Photos: Autism Masking Exhaustion
I figured I could just go to the DMV and take my photo and get it over with. With the expectations to smile, I was drained very quickly, as well as laughed at for my efforts despite trying.
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Door Slams Still Spike Up My Nervous System Despite Wearing Headphones (Autism Noise Sensitivity)
I lose most of my energy from door slams even with headphones on. The volume isn’t the problem. The unpredictability is.
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I Stopped Hiding My Stimming. It's the Only Thing That Helps Me Recover.
I bite my nails. I stand on tippy-toes. I swipe my smartwatch over and over. All three of these help recover my energy while I'm burnout mode.
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The Crawling Sensation Won't Stop Even If I Go Inside (Autism Heat Sensitivity)
Once I start sweating on a run, something crawling on me won't stop. I rub my shoulder every 15–40 seconds until I go inside. Something usually regulates me is now draining me instead.
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I Check My To-Do List 6 Times and Still Forget What I Went Downstairs For
I'll read 'pack lunch,' walk downstairs, on my to do list app then immediately forget why I'm downstairs. I built my routine to compensate for low energy days, but those are the exact days executing them is hard to begin with.
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On Days I Have Very Little Energy, I Don't Hesitate To Cut Out Nearly Everything (Autism Energy Management)
When I'm operating on low energy and can barely handle anything else, I strip away anything that isn't crucial for me to do, and leave the non-negotiable tasks intact and leave them to the evening instead of doing them all in the morning.
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How Meltdowns Impacted My Life As An Autistic Adult
Sudden abrupt and rigid periods to be completely alone, and nearly on the brink of tears. Written by an autistic adults who's experienced many meltdowns on a weekly basis.
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My Hands Feel Painfully Numb After Being In The Cold (Autism Temperature Sensitivity)
During cold periods outside or even in my mom's house, my hands feel very cold where it's physically painful to grab, touch, or interact with anything, even rubbing my own hands.
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Learning Concepts Several Days Per Week Only To Retain Very Little (Autistic Burnout Reality)
Learning to code while in burnout means days per concept. I only code for 1-2 hours on a daily basis, and end up forgetting the material I learn days later regardless.
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90 Minutes of Dealing with Small Talks Costs me 48 Hours of Recovery Time (Autism Friendships Cost)
After a 90-minute hangout I can't respond to texts for two days. The masking, the eye contact, the unpredictability—it wipes me out. So I stay home and text most of the time instead.
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Why I Don't Request Accommodations At My Job As An Autistic Adult
All I wanted was two things. To have a station to work entirely alone, and to allow use of my noise cancellation headphones and light sensivitity glasses. Both got ignored and downplayed entirely.
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Physical Symptoms Of Autistic Burnout That I Wasn't Aware Of
From constantly tripping outside and at work, forgetting something nearly everyday seconds later, the physical symptoms of being in burnout has impacted my life just as much as it does mentally.
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I Optimized My Sleep Routine Ruthlessly, Yet I Still Don't Recovery Fully From Sensory Overload.
From supplements, sleep masks every night, and even earplugs + white noise machine. I still barely recover most days despite doing everything I can think off. Written by an autistic adult.
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Shutdown vs. Meltdown vs. Burnout: How I Tell Them Apart
Meltdown: Minutes—Crying in the bathroom at a amily dinner meeting. Shutdown: days in bed while barely doing anything, including prepping meals much. Burnout: 5+ years. Written by an autistic adult who's experienced all 3.
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Apologizing For Nothing Is My Autistic Burnout Warning Sign
'I'm sorry I don't talk to Grandad". I'm only doing so just preserve any energy reserves I have left, yet I still end up having to make phone calls anyways despite being in burnout.
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My Mom Expects Me To Remember Everything And To Be "Always-On". (Executive Function Tax Reality)
Before I have to run I have to text my mom. Before I wind down for bed, I'm asked to do something. Sudden expectations in periods when I'm trying to relax is unbearable for me.
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I Prep All of Meals In Advance To Minimize Potential Energy Costs Later (Autism Energy Savings)
I spend several hours once per week to make everything in advance. Despite the major energy cost now, the major upside in energy later is more than worth it. Written by an autistic adult currently dealing with burnout.
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Grocery Stores Are Too Exhausting, So I Order Online 98% Of The Time (Autistic Grocery Store Costs)
Intercoms, crowds, forced small talk. Even with headphones and light glasses at 8 AM, grocery stores still overwhelm me. So I order online 98% of the time.
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I Spend $500/Month on Uber/Lyft Just To Work, Which Is Already Exhausting (Autism Unpredictability Costs)
I have to spend roughly a quarter of my income every month just to go to work, then deal with the sensory overload of said job. Rinse and repeat.
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I Watch The Same Tracks Over And Over, and I'm Not Ashamed Of It (Autism Self-Regulation)
I watch the same clips on Youtube over and over and find it immesely regulating despite my family thinking otherwise most of the time.
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Autistic Burnout for 5+ Years: What Helped Me (Slightly)
5 years ago, I hit burnout. Mom yelling over forgotten chores. Pressure to socialize. Constant sensory overload from a house that never goes quiet. I'm still burned out now. Here's what actually helped—barely.
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Phone Calls Drain Me Of Most Of My Energy Before I Even Say A Word (Autistic Phone Calls Drain Reality)
Before I even pick up the phone, my heart rate is already spiking, I'm anticipating the drain of thinking of what to say, and monitoring my voice and tone the entire time.
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I Wear Earplugs Everyday To Work, Yet I'm Still Exhausted
Despite wearing earplugs, sony xm6 headphones nearly every single day, I'm still exhausted the very next day, only to have to deal with the same exact exhausting noises over and over again.
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Being Moved Around With The Expectations To Just "Do It" Is Exhausting (Autism Task-Switching Costs)
From constantly being moved around at work, and expectations to do tasks and answer phones calls without a notice in advance, the cost compound easily and is very frustrating as an autistic adult.
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Happy and Completely Drained at the Same Time
I enjoy Fortnite with my friends. But dealing with small talk just to play with them makes it more exhausting than the game itself.
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I've Been Masking and Dealing with Sensory Overload for Years. 5 Years In, Still in Autistic Burnout.
I've been in autistic burnout for 5+ years. Small talk with others, motor precision, and navigating around others at home and at work is so demanding. 5 years in, I'm still extremely exhausted.
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I Only Work 3 Days a Week, Yet I'm Still Exhausted And In Burnout (Autistic Burnout Reality)
I only go to work 3 days a week, followed by 4 days off, yet I'm still in autistic burnout after 5 years later. My experience dealing with sensory overload on a daily bais.
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Majority of Autism Apps focus solely on kids. Nothing out there exists for us Autistic Adults. Why?
I type in "Autism apps" and "Apps for Autistic Burnout" on the app store, only to be greeted with apps solely targeting kids. Why is there such a massive gap?
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Spoon Theory: Why Autism Drains My Energy 3x Faster Than Neurotypicals
I have limited energy for daily tasks. Cleaning, laundry, cooking—they all cost me spoons. But as an autistic adult, I burn through them 2-3x faster doing the exact same things. Once nearly all of my spoons are gone, the desire to engage in nearly anything is gone. Nothing but silence.
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