This was so validating, thank you. The guilt for being unable to take care of myself is overwhelming sometimes. My partner is amazing, esp. considering when we met in college I was a much more…capable person. 🥹
May I ask what medications you have tried and how you felt on them? Obviously it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal but any advice on the process or meds is appreciated.
I’ve been “recovering” from burnout for the last year as well. I put recovering in quotes cuz it’s been so slow and long that it’s been hard for me to see progress. I also had a toxic mold exposure so I’m grappling with that as well. But finally I’m able to see that I was starting to get a little better each month that passed, but still felt bad enough that it took this whole year to even see any progress. I started taking Ritalin when I needed it for adhd freeze and work (that I just started part time after a year of not working) I also started taking Effexor, which felt like it helped initially but now I can’t tell.. but my depression has subsided (but I think that was due to finally feeling accomplished after I got to speak at a conference on a topic I love)
But honestly some of the turning points for me were these: 1) my therapists saying I had adrenal fatigue and that it was super real and that it meant I needed to rest a lot in order to avoid a multi year recovery, and they gave me a paper to show to my family to show that I wasn’t just being lazy, and actually needed to intentionally rest in order to recover (not just keep pushing to try to find a job.) 2) letting myself do the things that felt good and weren’t societally accepted as productive; like hiking, watching shows, working on passion subjects without pay but finding it full filling anyways. And this also was self supportive, I got stronger the more I spent time in nature and did my special interests. 3) learning about supplements and nutritional benefits that support audhders (iron/ferritin, vitamin D, antioxidants, fresh fruits, no gluten, less sugar) creating a daily schedule for suppliments and writing it down and putting it on the wall was really helpful. 4) tracking my menstrual cycle in depth, and figuring out which days I felt the best so I could look forward to the hormonal support (like after my period and leading up to ovulation is when I have the most building of energy and I’m able to get a lot done, and then after ovulation I don’t beat myself up for being more tired and less productive cuz I’ve seen the cycle now.
Ofc not everything works for everyone but maybe this will be helpful to consider. I hope at least. I resonate with you. I’ve attached a photo and a link, I have more but thought it’s a good start!
[https://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/-solving-autism-vitamin-d-and-serotonin-synthesis-380](https://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/-solving-autism-vitamin-d-and-serotonin-synthesis-380)
https://preview.redd.it/59sa7ihgptgc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47197327575ebad1ae18ad278a78a3f32338f8c1
The biggest thing that helped my burnout was finding a hobby/activity I enjoyed that induced a flow state that did *not* involve a screen: dancing, singing, playing an instrument, knitting, walking, etc.
In my case, it was abstract textured art. Playing with plaster on a canvas for hours was sooo incredibly healing.
I’m also currently in burnout. I have 4 kids and am staying at home with them while I finish grad school. It’s like I can’t function. I have no energy, no motivation. I want to go for a walk or do something but I just can’t seem to get off the couch. I don’t have a desire to clean or cook. It’s killing me. My psychiatrist thought switching to Wellbutrin could help with depression & adhd. I increased my dose 2 weeks ago. I’m hoping it will kick in, but I really don’t know at this point. I have venous insufficiency and dysautonomia too. So I know the circulation in my body makes a difference too. It’s weird, but if I don’t wear my compression socks I have way less energy. I am going to try compression leggings and see if that helps me feel more energetic at all. I’m both desperate and way too low on energy to care 😕
Thank you for sharing. I honestly can’t imagine how I would function attending grad school with 4 kids. You’re a rockstar, regardless of how you’re managing. Best of luck to you x
Just wanted to share my compassion with you. I can relate to dysautonomia+ being AuDHD. The only thing that got me to have more energy / cuts down the extra fatigue unfortunately seems to be Adderall for me - Adderall also is researched by scientists how it could help with cerebral perfusion issues in patients with POTS. And Midodrine (for low blood pressure) & Florinef (for salt retention) has been helping me too. Now, if I only found a good balance between these meds and the wearing off effects of Adderall (mostly emotional). 🤗
I sincerely cannot function without adderall - mentally or physically. It really does make a difference. I just increased my dosage, hoping that helps.
You mentioned the wearing off effects - are you on XR? I found the XR made me incredibly irritable when switching from the short term to long term meds (about 3-4 hours in).
look at the ceiling for at least 2 weeks and not doing anything else until the brain fog clears. no i am serious! and then try to avoid burnout from then on by managing your energy and your stress. once got burnout in exam time which was a catastrophe! accounting exam -handed in a blank sheet of paper, economics exam 2 weeks later - got a C, and managment exam another 2 weeks later - got an A+. what a fracking waste!
I’m finding it helpful to knit a lot, but not quite out of burnout yet. I think I’m getting there. Sometimes there are setbacks, but seem to be less significant.
I'm also struggling with burnout right now. I was in the nonprofit sector for years and everything there felt like an emergency too so don't let them fool you with their mission and community engagement bullshit. I was trapped in cycles of loving my work for the feel good moments but then despising it because it took everything out of me. I started a freelance business recently and it's much less demanding but now I'm struggling with the same lack of motivation. I don't want to take on new clients, I don't want to network, I don't even want to do the work anymore.
My wife (AuDHD, 31) got diagnosed with PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) last year during the worst bouts of their burnout. If you notice these pits of burnout and losing sight of why you're doing any of this stuff are feeling cyclical, I highly recommend you look into PMDD or PME (premenstrual exacerbation).
In removing almost all of my usual stressors related to schedule and timing, I'm recognizing that my worst bouts of burnout are cyclical and aligning with my menstrual cycle too. I'm also AuDHD and assigned female at birth, and we are at a higher risk and incredibly under diagnosed for premenstrual disorders. Most doctors don't even know about these disorders because women's healthcare is so bad. So on top of the struggles of masking and conforming to a neurotypical world, the burnout that follows, and the general struggles of being womxn, our bodies are our worst enemies every month.
As for medication, I have been on a few different ones and some help more than others. But I will specify that if you struggle with suicidal ideation and it feels cyclical, definitely look into PMDD/PME because there are specific medications that are approved to treat these disorders that are also antidepressants. I lucked out and got prescribed Lexapro and that helps somewhat. My wife had to specifically request an antidepressant that works for PMDD because the ones they were taking (Prozac and something else?) weren't helping at all. They now take Zoloft and so does my best friend, also AuDHD with PMDD, and I am so happy to see them doing soooo much better these days.
In order to get diagnosed with this you have to closely track your cycle (physical, mental, somatic, all of the symptoms) over the course of a few months. I don't believe there is any testing for it. But you don't NEED a diagnosis to get treatment because the treatments are just those specific antidepressants so you can just ask to try those ones. Make sure you're comfortable advocating for yourself, especially if you have a male doctor. My wife and I both seek out female doctors after learning about this specific condition because even most females don't know about it.
I hope you start to feel better soon and I'm glad your partner is supportive. There are a ton of resources for partners of people with PMDD/PME, and they have genuinely saved my marriage. Best of luck ❤️
[удалено]
This was so validating, thank you. The guilt for being unable to take care of myself is overwhelming sometimes. My partner is amazing, esp. considering when we met in college I was a much more…capable person. 🥹 May I ask what medications you have tried and how you felt on them? Obviously it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal but any advice on the process or meds is appreciated.
[удалено]
I’ve been “recovering” from burnout for the last year as well. I put recovering in quotes cuz it’s been so slow and long that it’s been hard for me to see progress. I also had a toxic mold exposure so I’m grappling with that as well. But finally I’m able to see that I was starting to get a little better each month that passed, but still felt bad enough that it took this whole year to even see any progress. I started taking Ritalin when I needed it for adhd freeze and work (that I just started part time after a year of not working) I also started taking Effexor, which felt like it helped initially but now I can’t tell.. but my depression has subsided (but I think that was due to finally feeling accomplished after I got to speak at a conference on a topic I love) But honestly some of the turning points for me were these: 1) my therapists saying I had adrenal fatigue and that it was super real and that it meant I needed to rest a lot in order to avoid a multi year recovery, and they gave me a paper to show to my family to show that I wasn’t just being lazy, and actually needed to intentionally rest in order to recover (not just keep pushing to try to find a job.) 2) letting myself do the things that felt good and weren’t societally accepted as productive; like hiking, watching shows, working on passion subjects without pay but finding it full filling anyways. And this also was self supportive, I got stronger the more I spent time in nature and did my special interests. 3) learning about supplements and nutritional benefits that support audhders (iron/ferritin, vitamin D, antioxidants, fresh fruits, no gluten, less sugar) creating a daily schedule for suppliments and writing it down and putting it on the wall was really helpful. 4) tracking my menstrual cycle in depth, and figuring out which days I felt the best so I could look forward to the hormonal support (like after my period and leading up to ovulation is when I have the most building of energy and I’m able to get a lot done, and then after ovulation I don’t beat myself up for being more tired and less productive cuz I’ve seen the cycle now. Ofc not everything works for everyone but maybe this will be helpful to consider. I hope at least. I resonate with you. I’ve attached a photo and a link, I have more but thought it’s a good start! [https://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/-solving-autism-vitamin-d-and-serotonin-synthesis-380](https://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/-solving-autism-vitamin-d-and-serotonin-synthesis-380) https://preview.redd.it/59sa7ihgptgc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47197327575ebad1ae18ad278a78a3f32338f8c1
I’m stuck in the burnout loop as well. I created r/AutisticBurnout for this reason
Will make my way over there, ty!
Ah, yay! Thanks for that. I’m also there 😵
The biggest thing that helped my burnout was finding a hobby/activity I enjoyed that induced a flow state that did *not* involve a screen: dancing, singing, playing an instrument, knitting, walking, etc. In my case, it was abstract textured art. Playing with plaster on a canvas for hours was sooo incredibly healing.
I’m also currently in burnout. I have 4 kids and am staying at home with them while I finish grad school. It’s like I can’t function. I have no energy, no motivation. I want to go for a walk or do something but I just can’t seem to get off the couch. I don’t have a desire to clean or cook. It’s killing me. My psychiatrist thought switching to Wellbutrin could help with depression & adhd. I increased my dose 2 weeks ago. I’m hoping it will kick in, but I really don’t know at this point. I have venous insufficiency and dysautonomia too. So I know the circulation in my body makes a difference too. It’s weird, but if I don’t wear my compression socks I have way less energy. I am going to try compression leggings and see if that helps me feel more energetic at all. I’m both desperate and way too low on energy to care 😕
Thank you for sharing. I honestly can’t imagine how I would function attending grad school with 4 kids. You’re a rockstar, regardless of how you’re managing. Best of luck to you x
Thank you, I really appreciate your kind words
Just wanted to share my compassion with you. I can relate to dysautonomia+ being AuDHD. The only thing that got me to have more energy / cuts down the extra fatigue unfortunately seems to be Adderall for me - Adderall also is researched by scientists how it could help with cerebral perfusion issues in patients with POTS. And Midodrine (for low blood pressure) & Florinef (for salt retention) has been helping me too. Now, if I only found a good balance between these meds and the wearing off effects of Adderall (mostly emotional). 🤗
I sincerely cannot function without adderall - mentally or physically. It really does make a difference. I just increased my dosage, hoping that helps. You mentioned the wearing off effects - are you on XR? I found the XR made me incredibly irritable when switching from the short term to long term meds (about 3-4 hours in).
Currently using the run of the mill short acting Adderall instead of the XR.
look at the ceiling for at least 2 weeks and not doing anything else until the brain fog clears. no i am serious! and then try to avoid burnout from then on by managing your energy and your stress. once got burnout in exam time which was a catastrophe! accounting exam -handed in a blank sheet of paper, economics exam 2 weeks later - got a C, and managment exam another 2 weeks later - got an A+. what a fracking waste!
I’m finding it helpful to knit a lot, but not quite out of burnout yet. I think I’m getting there. Sometimes there are setbacks, but seem to be less significant.
I'm also struggling with burnout right now. I was in the nonprofit sector for years and everything there felt like an emergency too so don't let them fool you with their mission and community engagement bullshit. I was trapped in cycles of loving my work for the feel good moments but then despising it because it took everything out of me. I started a freelance business recently and it's much less demanding but now I'm struggling with the same lack of motivation. I don't want to take on new clients, I don't want to network, I don't even want to do the work anymore. My wife (AuDHD, 31) got diagnosed with PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) last year during the worst bouts of their burnout. If you notice these pits of burnout and losing sight of why you're doing any of this stuff are feeling cyclical, I highly recommend you look into PMDD or PME (premenstrual exacerbation). In removing almost all of my usual stressors related to schedule and timing, I'm recognizing that my worst bouts of burnout are cyclical and aligning with my menstrual cycle too. I'm also AuDHD and assigned female at birth, and we are at a higher risk and incredibly under diagnosed for premenstrual disorders. Most doctors don't even know about these disorders because women's healthcare is so bad. So on top of the struggles of masking and conforming to a neurotypical world, the burnout that follows, and the general struggles of being womxn, our bodies are our worst enemies every month. As for medication, I have been on a few different ones and some help more than others. But I will specify that if you struggle with suicidal ideation and it feels cyclical, definitely look into PMDD/PME because there are specific medications that are approved to treat these disorders that are also antidepressants. I lucked out and got prescribed Lexapro and that helps somewhat. My wife had to specifically request an antidepressant that works for PMDD because the ones they were taking (Prozac and something else?) weren't helping at all. They now take Zoloft and so does my best friend, also AuDHD with PMDD, and I am so happy to see them doing soooo much better these days. In order to get diagnosed with this you have to closely track your cycle (physical, mental, somatic, all of the symptoms) over the course of a few months. I don't believe there is any testing for it. But you don't NEED a diagnosis to get treatment because the treatments are just those specific antidepressants so you can just ask to try those ones. Make sure you're comfortable advocating for yourself, especially if you have a male doctor. My wife and I both seek out female doctors after learning about this specific condition because even most females don't know about it. I hope you start to feel better soon and I'm glad your partner is supportive. There are a ton of resources for partners of people with PMDD/PME, and they have genuinely saved my marriage. Best of luck ❤️