What is the difference between autistic burnout and sensory overload?
Although some symptoms of sensory overload and autistic burnout may overlap each other, studies show that these two conditions are not the same.
A sensory overload is usually accompanied by a quiet moment or a change in environment, but burnout mostly needs more important changes to your lifestyle. Autistic burnout also affects your time to heal. It can affect every area of your life, such as school, home, and work.
What does autistic burnout look or feel like?
Autistic burnout occurs in different ways. However, one sign is always common and stands out as a unique symptom of the condition: sheer exhaustion. People with autistic burnout always feel like all their energy is gone. According to a licensed autistic psychotherapist, Sharon O’Connor, autistic burnout makes normal daily routines feel extremely difficult.