Coping with autism burnouts & careers

[Buzzybeeinmybrain]

Was just wondering if anyone gets Autistic Burnouts? I was fine until I reached 34 and now I'm 36 - I've had two quite significant "burnouts". Which have caused me to leave the jobs I was in until i recovered.

Both times made me feel more fragile than the time before.

Both jobs were hugely stressful and overwhelming.

I'm now ready to look for work and worried about the weird gaps on my CV - but I'm more worried it'll happen again and again.

I dream of having a long term role, where I'm settled and comfortable. I don't need to earn a lot but I actually love working. I love being useful.

Anyway, how does everyone else manage?

Sorry to say that I never learnt to manage and ended up having to not work at all. Same as you I had 2 big burn outs. I could never cope in the workplace now.

Thanks @ofwarren, I think that's what will happen to me too!

I'm so saddened by the realisation that my career might be over

Hi. I had my first burnout last year at 37/8. I went on sick leave rather than quit and then eventually moved jobs. I would quit in a heartbeat if I won the lottery. I do wonder if one day in the future I just take a part time low stress job although I'm not sure if they exist.

I know I should have done that :( I'm looking for a part time low stress role but they're quite hard to find here. (Rural corner of the UK where part time is still frowned upon)

I used to work part time because I knew I couldn’t cope with full time. It wasn’t the work that was the problem - it was being out of the house for 10 hours with no escape from noise and bright light and people. I felt exposed and unsafe, I could only handle it for so long before I had a meltdown.

I used to go and sit in my car at lunchtime to be alone. When it was too cold to sit outside I sat in a cupboard with the door locked. Then I got disciplined for sitting in a cupboard because they said it was weird. I said fine, you will need to provide alternative accommodation for my disability then, and give me a more suitable place to sit alone. Needless to say they didn’t like that and they found an excuse to get rid of me!

@Dadaya I feel this. One of my last roles I was struggling as my colleague walked out, meaning I had two jobs to do.

I struggled. And then they decided to restructure the office to save money and were so nasty to me, I felt compelled to leave.

In hindsight, they curated me leaving. Such a shame as the role was enjoyable (at the beginning!) And my colleagues are my friends.

After i left, 5 key staff members resigned after me.

Still feel sad about the whole thing.

I'm 43 now and I had my first big burnout at 28 (which, coincidentally, was also the start of my path to diagnosis at 32).

I was in the fortunate position of having quite a niche specialist skill set, so I took some time out, then started my own business and worked as a consultant for a few years (I should add that I was lucky enough to be supported by my OH in this).

I went back to working for others when I was about 34 and worked in a few nice places, then made the mistake of joining an org where the fit was all wrong, and it didn't end well. It really impacted my mental health and I took about six months out - again, supported by my OH.

I've been in my current role for about two years, with a really nice company and colleagues I genuinely like and respect and it's perfect. I am a senior SME head of function and make my own decisions and run my department / function my way. I also work remotely, with some occasional travel 3/4 times a year.

In both instances, I have found that being able to take time out has been the thing that has 'fixed' me, but I appreciate I was very fortunate to be able to do so and not everybody will have that option.

I'd love to work remotely. I was having a lot at roles on LinkedIn and they had 400-600 applicants. Scary!

Local recruitment agencies are so rude about my CV gap. One said I should be ashamed of myself.

I'd love to become self employed. How do you find clients? @AffIt this is the bit that scares me most

Just started a new post after going back to university to retrain and being diagnosed. Had a long chat to my manager today about what the warning signs were I'm starting to struggle mentally (they do this with all new employees) and how they can help etc etc - which obviously in my case includes the possiblity of burnout. I've got freedom to manage my own diary and schedule my day either clustering up my appointments to plan downtime to catch up with admin at home at the end, or block days on visits and days at home according to what helps me. Also helps I've got a community role where I have the natural downtime between visits to return to baseline as well.

Basically - I've kind of hit the jackpot working in a role with people with neurodevelopmental issues, including autism, who are absolutely overjoyed to have someone on the staff who is openly autistic and who all want to support each other.

Oh wow @CoffeeWithCheese . What kind of sector do you work in? You're so lucky!

I recently retrained as a speech and language therapist - work primarily with adults with intellectual disabilities but autistic adults also come under our service.

Absolutely incredible! Well done you 👏 x

Had a burn out around 30. Worked part time. I have had burnouts since due to parenting through difficult times. Only just realised as I am typing this that this is probably what it was. This realisation has come at the right time:

My mum is in hospital 50 miles away and I will need to be careful about not burning out by putting in preventative measures.