Autistic Comfort

Engaging with your special interest is a great way to regulate your nervous system and relieve stress.

These comforting, joyful, or peaceful things should be recognised and highlighted as self care and coping mechanisms.

Going through and identifying what may sooth you is just as important (if not more) as identifying things that stress you out. Incorporating these good things more into your life, will help you regulate yourself.

Disclaimer: I do not encourage leaning into coping mechanisms involving substance abuse, any addiction, or self harm etc. No judgement to those involved with these coping mechanisms, be kind to yourself. Seeking professional help is likely the best step forward.

Overdoing it doesn't just take a physical toll but also mental and emotional.
Taking a break to meet your needs may feel like it makes a task take longer. But in reality, rushing through only means your needs demand more from you, and in that aftermath, you're not able to do/focus on anything else.

It's difficult to articulate, but as someone dealing with chronic fatigue, I see the extreme reality of the consequences of not pacing myself.

We don't all have the privilege to let go everything that's contributing to autistic burnout. But even tiny changes can make a difference.

Swapping from in person grocery shopping to delivery, giving yourself permission to eat mainly prepare meals, anything that takes even the tiniest demand away from you can help.

When you're in autistic burnout, the ideals cannot be the goals, survival is.

It helps to know what you are dealing with, even if you are dealing with both.
The link below explains the similarities and differences much better than I could in a post.

Depression treatments often include adding activities you may find enjoyable. Trying to add any demands if you're in autistic burnout can have negative effects.
Likewise, dropping activities and spending time alone can help improve autistic burnout but may worsen depression.
(Simplified explanation)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/neurodivergentinsights.com/misdiagnosis-monday/autistic-burnout-vs-depression%3ffbclid=IwAR3XWT9AHULFl2mpCl-T1VodyOqQBF4T3vz5KlCx_FG9FsqiFxQwXhjGdH0&format=amp

I hope to give others a jumping off points and guidance through their journey.

Meeting a neurodivergent person mean you have met one single neurodivergence person. We are all different