- When you're in burnout or overload, deciding what to do is one more cost. This page removes that decision.
- Tap the things that calm you. They become a list, saved on this device.
- The rule on the list: don't choose. Start at the top and do the first thing for ten minutes.
- Stimming counts. Rocking, flapping, pacing and humming are how many autistic people regulate. You don't have to hide them at home.
- This is not a treatment. It's your own list, for you.
Find what calms you
Tap anything that has helped before, even once. Skip what you're unsure about. You can add your own in each group.
Want something on screen? Calm games has bubble wrap, fidget toys and puzzles with no ads.
What to skip
- "5-4-3-2-1" grounding asks you to notice five things you see, four you hear, and so on. For many autistic people, noticing more input makes overload worse. If it works for you, keep it. If not, that is normal.
- Breathing exercises help some people and make others feel worse. Skip them if they don't help.
- Anything someone else says you "should" do. The list above is yours.
Why this works
Autistic adults describe stimming as a way to manage overwhelming emotion and sensory input (Kapp et al., 2019). Being blocked from stimming and from special interests appears as a risk factor for burnout; access to both appears as protection (Mantzalas et al., 2022).
Time on special interests is linked to wellbeing in autistic adults (Grove et al., 2018).
The "don't choose" rule is there because executive function is often the first thing burnout takes. A list you made earlier does the choosing for you.
Where this comes from
- Kapp, S. et al. (2019). "People should be allowed to do what they like": Autistic adults' views and experiences of stimming. Autism.
- Mantzalas, J. et al. (2022). What is autistic burnout? A thematic analysis of posts on two online platforms. Autism in Adulthood.
- Grove, R. et al. (2018). Special interests and subjective wellbeing in autistic adults. Autism Research.
Information, not medical advice. Weighted blankets are not for babies or young children, and never over the face.
Autistic burnout
Why this happens and how to come back from it.
Bare minimum day
A complete day when you have almost nothing.
My kit
Everything you've saved, in one place.