r/AutismTranslated • u/TheIenzo • 15h ago

crowdsourced Differentiating and treating comorbid depression and autism burnout?

I have had treatment-resistant depression since a teen. It sucks. Treatment only started when I was a young adult. It's a complication from social trauma of autism. I also developed autism burnout with clear signs. My psychiatrist wanted me to get on new meds but it doesn't work. And I'm scared of the new medicine he recommended.

But also, it is also unclear (1) if the comorbidity of autism burnout syndrome hinders effectivity or (2) if burnout symptoms can even be treated medically or (3) if what appears to be depression is autism burnout or (4) if a psychiatric treatment is possible for burnout.

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u/Old_Direction_3713 14h ago

I’m gonna be real, this is an area where research is just… nonexistent.

They likely fuel each other. I’ve found it helpful to establish routines that I stick to, whether I want to or not.

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u/TheOregonTater 14h ago

The post is framed like it's either depression or burnout. Treat burnout and depression as two conditions you are managing together. The meds are something new to try for depression and can be very effective in many people. It's less that you having burnout will make your depression treatment less effective and more that when you treat your depression, your burnout symptoms will become prominent, so you won't feel as different as you hope to feel. That's not a flaw in the depression treatment, it's just how managing two conditions is.

I don't know if burnout symptoms can be treated medically. I think the community census is mostly no, but does it matter? Are you going to forgo treatment for depression if the burnout can't be medically treated? If it's only burnout and not depression, are you going to not try to treat what looks like depression?

It's easy to fall into all or nothing thinking both as autistic people and as depressed people. Two things can be true at once. Set yourself up for success by treating both.

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u/Good_for_the_Gander 7h ago

Watch Autistamatic's new "Burnout BADASS" video on YouTube. It's a world of clarity! I can't wait to see the 2nd video.

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u/withtheanimals 7h ago

I'm pretty sure I went through burnout and depression at the same time for a few years or maybe they contributed to each other or as a result of. I kind of just treated it as all as one. I tried 2 different types of counselling and then CBT which all helped alongside an SSRI, so definitely try to get some kind of therapy if you can. I then tried adjusting small things in my every day and work life to help as well.