I really appreciated this piece. I am currently in burn out acutely since the end of summer (2023), which has made so many life changes happen due to things like skill regression. This burn out was progressive and slow for me comparatively to other burn outs I lived throughout my life that were really fast and super noticeable. This one took a good year and a half to become absolutely intolerable. I am finding lately that it feels very 'one thing after another', and I am often wondering how I will get out of burn out from the place of being in burn out. A lot of the list of the changes you mentioned are things I have had to do in the past few months. And perhaps more as time goes along. Thank you for writing! Made me feel more understood. :) Lots of love to you!
This all resonates so deeply for me. I used to work in the corporate world, in IT. I worked 60-80 hours a week, in a highly stressful environment. 14 years ago, I got sick and have been chronically ill ever since. In retrospect, it is obvious to me that what happened was not uncommon for AFAB late-diagnosed Autistics. I crashed and burned, and was unable to work at all for several years. Since then, I haven't worked more than 20 hrs a week, and mostly, less than that.
At the time I crashed, I was undiagnosed. I didn't know I was Autistic, and had no idea why it was so hard for me to "fit in." I never liked any of my jobs, and I never felt respected or valued at any of them, except for one boss who took me under her wing. Even then, the environment was brutal. I know I'm not alone in this; I don't think I know anyone who works in a corporate environment who feels comfortable there. Our cultural aditude about what is expected and condoned in most work environments is not conducive to well-being, especially for workers who are already marginalized in society.
Hey Rey,
I really appreciated this piece. I am currently in burn out acutely since the end of summer (2023), which has made so many life changes happen due to things like skill regression. This burn out was progressive and slow for me comparatively to other burn outs I lived throughout my life that were really fast and super noticeable. This one took a good year and a half to become absolutely intolerable. I am finding lately that it feels very 'one thing after another', and I am often wondering how I will get out of burn out from the place of being in burn out. A lot of the list of the changes you mentioned are things I have had to do in the past few months. And perhaps more as time goes along. Thank you for writing! Made me feel more understood. :) Lots of love to you!
This all resonates so deeply for me. I used to work in the corporate world, in IT. I worked 60-80 hours a week, in a highly stressful environment. 14 years ago, I got sick and have been chronically ill ever since. In retrospect, it is obvious to me that what happened was not uncommon for AFAB late-diagnosed Autistics. I crashed and burned, and was unable to work at all for several years. Since then, I haven't worked more than 20 hrs a week, and mostly, less than that.
At the time I crashed, I was undiagnosed. I didn't know I was Autistic, and had no idea why it was so hard for me to "fit in." I never liked any of my jobs, and I never felt respected or valued at any of them, except for one boss who took me under her wing. Even then, the environment was brutal. I know I'm not alone in this; I don't think I know anyone who works in a corporate environment who feels comfortable there. Our cultural aditude about what is expected and condoned in most work environments is not conducive to well-being, especially for workers who are already marginalized in society.