Three Workplace Conditions That Turn Autistic Strengths into Burnout
- 11 hours ago
- 5 min read
Amy Noyes is a Neurodivergent-Affirming Coach and Consultant, specializing in late-identified Autistic and ADHD adults who are struggling with unmasking, burnout, and self-advocacy. Amy is passionate about creating consent-based space to guide clients in reconnecting with their needs, autonomy, and true selves.
Many articles regarding neurodivergence in the workplace discuss unemployment and/or underemployment. While statistics do support the idea that many to most autistics are either underemployed or unemployed, this is not about a lack of work. On the flip side, this is about the potential for burnout that can be caused by a combination of overworking, injustice sensitivity, and special interest energy that can consume autistic people at their jobs.
These characteristics are common among undiagnosed or late-diagnosed autistics who are high maskers. For over two decades of my adult life, I was working and living as an undiagnosed autistic person. I was not underemployed or unemployed. It was quite the opposite. In my jobs, I excelled. I was given promotions. I was constantly exceeding expectations. This eventually led to burnout multiple times, and I came to realize that my autistic nature had actually contributed to my own burnout and exhaustion.
Overcompensating, masking, and powering through to meet the expectations of the role
My first work burnout came during a time when I was working in a group home setting with adolescent youth in independent living. My special interest in energy led me to work constantly. Whether I was at work or not, I was on. I was gifted with the clients, and I thought about them constantly, even when I was off the clock. I even dreamed about them.
Because of my professional success, I didn't recognize that I was burning out, even though I was so anxious that I couldn't leave home when I was off work. I couldn't eat. All I did was smoke cigarettes and drink coffee. People around me signaled that something was wrong. I heard from many friends and family that I didn't look well. I looked green.
Even so, I continued to excel professionally. I was offered promotions and better workspaces. A few times, I tried to tell my boss I was struggling, but they wouldn't hear it. Professionally, I continued to override, but internally, my body was breaking down.
I finally realized I needed to quit when a close friend gave me the reflection, "You're not doing well." It hit me that I was at a mental health crisis point. I had to leave and go home to my parents. Even then, knowing I couldn't go back to work, it took me time to quit. I didn't know how to tell my bosses that I couldn't work there anymore. Ironically, even though we didn't know anything about neurodivergence or autism at the time, my parents helped me write a resignation script. My bosses didn't want to accept it. They offered me extra time off. Finally, after three times, I got the message through to them that I was not coming back.
Injustice sensitivity
One part of my burnout was that there were things going on at work that were illegal and morally wrong. Some of the staff were taking advantage of the clients, and once I learned of it, I became incensed and determined to stop it.
Many autistics experience "injustice sensitivity." In one study, it was found that autistic people scored similarly to allistic people on "care or concern" for others. But they were "more likely to endorse 'fairness,' giving people what they are owed and treating them with justice, over care."
During my time at the residential home, I learned that my coworkers were stealing from the residents by using the residents' toiletry allowances to buy things for themselves. They even offered to buy me these items. I became consumed by the injustice of it all.
There was this moral, ethical situation going on. I began to have this dissonance over where I was. Why was this person on my team?
I was so uncomfortable with knowing this that I couldn't tolerate their rationalization that, since they were paid poorly, they took advantage of the system and the client.
I was the walking police of other people's behaviors. I spent my days raising alarms around the systems for the directors. Internally, I was just consumed by it mentally.
Special interest energy
Another time that I burned out was when I was running my own contracting business. As a business owner, I overworked to the point that I didn't realize how much I was working. I would spend a full eight-hour day painting, framing, doing drywall, and electrical work. When my workday was over, I'd spend the entire evening working on design. I couldn't control my overworking. I was overtaken by special interest energy. It became hard to recognize that I needed to take a break when I began doing things like looking at paint colors. I was burning out all my fan belts, wearing myself out.
Aside from the work itself, being my own boss added to the stress level. I began experiencing mental health symptoms like obsessing over my bank account. I became fixated on the finances and sometimes checked my account upwards of fifty times a day. I was overeating and bickering with my husband, even though we rarely fought.
I was exhausted, and I didn't even realize it. I finally recognized that I couldn't control overworking myself, and I needed some help.
Reimagine work
If any of this sounds familiar, perhaps you are experiencing burnout. Many of the signs of autistic burnout can be difficult to recognize. Overfunctioning at work, injustice sensitivity, and special interest energy can all be vehicles to override your system. But what if you could reimagine what work could look like, allowing you to use your autistic characteristics to enjoy your work instead of feeling fatigued by it?
If you knew what led to your burnout, could you figure out what to do? It's common for autistics to believe that their system is the only way they can work, that they will lose their skills, or that a perfectionist mindset is the only way to function. Rest can feel like death. It can feel dangerous to take time off. But living in a hypervigilant state is not the only way to work.
At ND Friendly Life, we specialize in supporting late-diagnosed and late-identifying autistic and ADHD adults who recognize these patterns of overfunctioning, injustice sensitivity, and burnout in their own lives. Through individual coaching, couples and family coaching, and supported self-assessment, we help you understand your neurodivergent nervous system and build a life and career that work with it instead of against it. All sessions are offered online, serving clients in Vermont and worldwide.
Curious to learn more? Whenever you're ready, you can learn more or book a free consultation on our website.
Read more from Amy Noyes
Amy Noyes, Autistic and ADHD Coach and Advocate
Amy Noyes is a late-identified Autistic, ADHD, and PDA individual with a deep commitment to helping others discover and embrace their authentic selves. They understand how living in environments not designed for neurodivergent ways of being can lead to internalized ableism. Amy believes that uncovering one’s neurodivergence can unlock self-understanding, self-acceptance, and the ability to create spaces that truly support our brains. With degrees and professional experience in Autism Studies, Transpersonal Psychology, and Social Work, Amy has dedicated their life to supporting anyone who wants to better understand their true self.
