Are You Heading For A Burnout Without Even Realizing It? For Neurodivergent Folks, The Warning Signs

Digital illustration of six people of different ages, ethnicities, genders, and abilities. There’s text that reads, “it is exhausting being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world”

Graphic with text that reads “are you experiencing autistic burnout?” Below there are six icons depicting signs including, “It’s hard to complete tasks; you always feel tired; everyday feels overwhelming; it’s hard to m@sk in front of others; it’s hard to do self care; and struggling to speak or form sentences.”

Graphic with text that reads “are you experiencing autistic burnout?” Below there are six icons depicting signs including, “More clumsy or off balance; reduced memory; you feel down or flat; regular meltdowns + shutdowns, loss of interest of hobbies; and increased isolation.”

Graphic with text that reads “what causes autistic burnout?” and bullet points that read “masking autistic traits to fit into a neurotypical world; there is too much expected of you; consistent emotional or sensory overload; big life changes or transitions; not getting enough sleep, health care, or right nutrition; illness, including chronic illness; lack of boundaries; doing too much coupled with an inability to take breaks from stress”

Graphic with text that reads, ‘how to recover from autistic burnout.” Below there are six icons with text, “Ask for help; rest; take time; allow yourself to stim; unmask; and spend time with a special interests”

Graphic with text that reads, ‘how to recover from autistic burnout.” Below there are six icons with text, “Reduce your load + take breaks; set healthy boundaries; create a routine; pay attention to your body; learn how to manage spoons; know the warning signs of burnout.”

Are you heading for a burnout without even realizing it? For neurodivergent folks, the warning signs of burnout may look different and be harder to recongize.

Neurodivergent or not, we all need to understand our limits and boundaries. When you’re neurodivergent, you may not know you pushed yourself too far - until it’s too late!

Need help with some of the terms in this post?

😎 “Masking” or “Camouflaging": a coping strategy that many neurodivergent people use to suppress aspects of themselves to appear neurotypical. It’s important to note that social masking is a tool many neurospicy folks use to keep themselves safe, and usually starts in childhood. 🥄 “Spoons” refers to Spoon Theory, which is a metaphor describing the amount of physical or mental energy that a person has for daily activities and tasks. It is a helpful tool for disabled and neurodivergent folks to describe their energy. 👋 “Stim” short for "self-stimulation" is a term used to describe repetitive behaviors or movements that people may engage in to help cope with emotions. It may include rocking, flapping hands or twirling.

If any of this resonates with you, try letting the “mask” slip a little!

Being disabled shouldn't equal being poor.

Abolish the sub-minimum wage, increase income caps for disability assistance, and establish universal basic income.

digital illustration of a disabled nonbinary person with leg braces. They have a green mullet and are wearing a black t-shirt, purple cargo pants, green chunky heels and a green belt. There's text that reads, 'being disabled shouldn't equal being poor.'

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intersectionalityfinal1

2 weeks ago

Disability Timeline

A non-comprehensive list of important events about the Disability Rights Movement from 1800-1990

1815-1817 - Formal Deaf Education Begins in the U.S

1829 - Louis Braille Invents the Raise Point Alphabet

1907 - Eugenic Sterilization Law for People with Disabilities is Enacted

1932 - Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Person with a Disability, Elected President

1934-1940 - National Federation of the Blind Founded

1935 - Social Security Act Signed into Law

1939 - Nazi Program Kills Thousands of People with Disabilities

1946 - National Mental Health Foundation Founded

1947 - Paralyzed Veterans of America organization founded

1954 - Brown v Board of Education

1963 - Community Mental Health Act signed into Law

1965 - Medicaid Assistance for People with Disabilities and those with Low-Income

1968 - The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968

1973 - Disabled in Action, PA founded

1974 - Last of "Ugly Laws" Repealed

1975 - The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Enacted

1975 - United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons

1978 - National Council on Disability Established

1982 - United Nations Encourages Global Equality and Participation for the Disabled

1990 - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is signed into law.

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intersectionalityfinal1

2 weeks ago

Black text on yellow background reads: save section 504, what's happening and what can you do? END ID.

black text on yellow background reads "What's going on with Section 504? Seventeen states are suing the Department of Health & Human Services to get rid of Section 504, the federal law that prohibits the federal government, or any programs or entities that receive federal funding, from discriminating on the basis of disability. Programs or entities that receive federal funding include individual states, hospitals, schools, universities, public libraries, airports, and more. These spaces have to accommodate people with disabilities to follow the law."

black text on yellow background reads "Any state, program, or entity that violates Section 504 by discriminating against people with disabilities risks losing their federal funding. Section 504 protects the rights of people with disabilities, but especially children with disabilities and veterans with disabilities." END ID

black text on yellow background reads "Why is this happening? These 17 states are suing because in 2024, DHS added a new regulation for how to enforce Section 504. In that regulation, it said that gender dyspohira was one example of a condition that could be a disability. The distress associated with gender dysphoria is similar to the distress associated with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions that can be considered disabilities. The regulation was meant to help trans folks with gender dysphoria access healthcare and protect them from discrimination in seeking that care - from hospitals, employers, and more."

black text on yellow background reads "Why is this happening? These 17 states want to continue discriminating against trans people. But Section 504 means they could lose federal funding for doing so, and they argue that is unfair. But their argument doesn't end there - they argue that Section 504 as a whole is unconstitutional and should be thrown out, because Congress can't financially pressure states into following laws.* *Congress is permitted to do this under the Spending Clause of the US Constitution so long as the laws are in pursuit of "the general welfare" with some restrictions."

black text on yellow background reads, "The 17 states include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, lowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West, Virginia"

black text on yellow background reads "What can we do? If you live in one of the 17 states, you can call your state's Attorney General and urge them to withdraw from the lawsuit. You can find contact information and sample call scripts on the last two slides and at callurreps.carrd.co. If you live near or can travel to the U.S. District Court in Lubbock, Texas you can pack the courtroom for the hearing on February 25th, or protest outside the courthouse. For everyone else, you can share information about the lawsuit and encourage those you know in the 17 states to call their AG."

black texts on yellow background reads, "BASIC CALL SCRIPT Hello, my name is [NAME] and I'm a resident of [CITY, STATE]. I am calling to urge AG [LAST NAME] to withdraw from the Texas v. Becerra lawsuit. The suit asks the court to declare that Section 504 is unconstitutional. Section 504 protects the rights of so many people in [STATE] and throughout the country. It is the reason people with disabilities are able to go to school, receive accessible healthcare, use public libraries, and so much more. Without Section 504, children with disabilities would lose their right to be accommodated in public schools, and veterans with disabilities would struggle to access Social Security and other essential programs. This lawsuit will hurt people in [STATE] and I ask you to do what is right and withdraw from this suit to help save Section 504. [STATE] should not be known as the state that helped destroy disability rights. I urge you to withdraw from Texas v. Becerra and protect the rights of all people in [STATE]. Thank you for your time."

black text on yellow background reads "EXAMPLES OF ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS EXAMPLE: IMPACT ON VETERANS There are [NUMBER] veterans with disabilities in [STATE]. Section 504 protects their rights. It is the reason many veterans are able to receive an education or obtain public benefits even after becoming disabled while serving their country. If [STATE] cares about veterans, why are we part of a lawsuit that will destroy the rights of our most vulnerable veterans? EXAMPLE: PERSONAL STORY I myself am disabled. I am 28 years old and about to finish my last year of law school. Section 504 is the reason I was able to receive accommodations in public school that allowed me to pursue a career fighting for my fellow Americans. I should be worried about exams, not whether I will lose my access to public spaces or the rights that have allowed me to get to this point."

black text on yellow background reads, "For more information, check out Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) and resources shared by @cripple.media powerfullyisa cadisabledicon esyannebloom @_thehopetheory_" END ID

What is happening with section 504? And what you can do about it? Section 504 is under attack. If you live in any of these states, you can call your representatives.

DISABILITY INJUSTICE AFFECTS EVERYONE. You shouldn’t care “just because” you could be disabled one day. You should care *now*, because this will come back to everyone.

Images from @/myelasticheart on Instagram

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intersectionalityfinal1

2 weeks ago

don't say "empathy" when you mean "helping others."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "moral values."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "taking people's problems into account."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "stand up for people who can't stand up for themselves."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "sense of justice."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "doing right things."

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intersectionalityfinal1

2 weeks ago

Some people don’t want to hear this but sometimes accessibility is not sustainable or eco-friendly. Disabled people sometimes need straws, or pre-made meals in plastic containers, or single-use items. Just because you can work with your foods in their least processed and packaged form doesn’t mean everyone else can.

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intersectionalityfinal1

2 weeks ago

This is a friendly reminder that none disabled people often do benefit from the same accommodations disabled people benefit from.

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intersectionalityfinal1

2 weeks ago

en.wikipedia.org

Spoon theory - Wikipedia

What is spoon theory and where did it come from?

According to Wikipedia, 'Spoon theory is a metaphor describing the amount of physical or mental energy that a person has available for daily activities and tasks, and how it can become limited. '

Tags

chronic illness disability spoonie spoon theory

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