Autistic Burnout Isn’t Just Being Tired — It’s a Full-Body Shutdown
And You Can’t Schedule Your Way Out of It
I used to think I was just tired.
Tired from parenting.
Tired from working.
Tired from masking, people-pleasing, trying to be “normal.”
But this wasn’t tired.
This was something else.
I wasn’t just exhausted.
I was erased.
Disconnected from myself.
Lying on the floor in the dark, noise-canceling headphones on, trying to remember how to human.
It turns out, there’s a name for this:
Autistic burnout.
What Is Autistic Burnout?
Burnout is a buzzword these days.
But autistic burnout isn’t about productivity.
It’s not about “work-life balance.”
It’s about neurological shutdown from prolonged exposure to a world that isn’t built for us.
It’s when you’ve spent too long:
Masking
Overcommitting
Sensory flooding
Trying to meet expectations that weren’t meant for your brain
And your system finally taps out.
What It Feels Like (for Me)
Everything is too loud
Everything is too bright
But also… everything is too nothing
I stop making art.
I forget how to text back.
Even eating feels like a multi-step plan I can’t follow.
It feels like being trapped in a fog, wearing someone else’s skin.
Detached. Numb. Unreachable.
And yet, somehow, still overstimulated.
The Red Flags I Didn’t Catch
Feeling “off” but pushing through
Cancelling joy things but keeping obligations
Snapping at people I love
Crying over crumbs (literally—once it was tortilla chips)
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
If you’re deep in it right now, I see you.
And if you’re just starting to realize this might be you? Good. That means there’s still time to soften the crash.
What Actually Helps (Spoiler: Not a Planner), said the planner junkie
You cannot spreadsheet your way out of burnout.
You cannot gratitude-journal your way out of nervous system collapse.
You need a reset.
Here’s what’s helped me, and what I built into the Sensory Reset Toolkit:
Tiny things that help:
Turning off the overhead lights and using lamps
Switching to text-to-speech or voice notes
Having one sensory-safe outfit on standby
Eating the same meal 3x in a row because choices are hard
Body-doubling—just being near someone quiet and safe
Inside the Toolkit:
Visual calming strategies
Sensory input ideas by need (pressure, motion, temperature)
Emergency decompression menu
Daily ritual builder for when you can’t build a plan
Affirmations that don’t sound like BS
You don’t have to fix your life right now.
You just have to soften the edges of your day.
You Are Not Lazy. You Are Running a System with No Backup.
Burnout doesn’t mean you failed.
It means your body and brain did exactly what they were designed to do:
Shut it all down to protect you.
It’s not drama. It’s not overreacting.
It’s the cost of survival in an environment that’s not built for your nervous system.
You don’t need to push through.
You need permission to pause.
This is that permission.
Want Support?
My Sensory Reset Toolkit is available now
It’s made for autistic and ADHD adults who are overwhelmed, frozen, or falling apart in slow motion.
Free downloads and mini-tools are in the Resource Library when you join the Community.
Let this be the beginning of your reset—not the end of your rope.
At AuRTistic Expressions, I create sensory regulation tools, burnout recovery kits, and art-based support for autistic and neurodivergent adults. If you’re navigating shutdowns, masking, chronic overwhelm, or trying to rebuild from burnout, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. Explore the blog, tools, and courses built for brains like yours.
Cover Photo: Photo by maxim bober on Unsplash
