One Way I Deal With Autistic and ADHD Burnout

Off and on, I’ve been doing it for years without realising

In recent years, I’ve started trying to observe my own behaviour, in an attempt to understand myself better.

During autistic and ADHD burnout, I’ve realised that I often do a certain thing. It’s a thing I’ve been doing for decades, long before knowing about autism and ADHD.

So What Is It?

I spend time alone, refreshing my memory about technical subjects.

It could involve books, magazines, or TV shows.

Items from my childhood: Everyday Electronics magazine from July 1982 and three old electronics books from the 70s / early 80s: Radio Construction for Amateurs by R H Warring, The Pegasus Book of Electrical Experiments by F G Rayer, Popular Electronic Projects by R A Penfold and The Pegasus Book of Electronic Experiments by F G Rayer. The words say ‘One Way I Deal With Autistic and ADHD Burnout’.
Some of my old electronics books and an electronics magazine. Photo taken by the author.

During the last week, I’ve watched several old computer shows that the BBC produced in the 1980s: The Computer Programme, Making the Most of the Micro, and Micro Live. I used to love those programmes when I was growing up.

From about the age of 8, I’ve often re-read books and magazines about electronics. (Two of my favourite authors were F G Rayer and R A Penfold.)

In each case, there’s something comforting and relaxing about sinking into another world — an old, familiar one — where it’s not necessary to think too much.

It’s all about refining and topping-up existing knowledge, rather than breaking new ground.

Few people understand how it can be relaxing for me to look at technical material like that — they think I should be reading fiction instead. But I struggle to keep track of all the characters in fiction books, especially if there are more than just a few — and that doesn’t help me to recharge.

When I’m next suffering from burnout, perhaps it will help if I do these things sooner, rather than later.

I’m not suggesting that reading old technical material will help you. But perhaps there’s something else that does help, which you don’t do often enough, because you haven’t really noticed it yet.

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