Prevent Occupational, Life, and Autistic Burnout by Completing the Stress Cycle

Written By Cary Rosko

Preventing occupational, life, and autistic burnout means more than just addressing stressors—it also means knowing how to complete the stress cycle in the body

It’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t felt some degree of burnout in the past (at least) five years. Whether it’s the cynicism or feelings of pointlessness of occupational burnout, the bone-deep exhaustion of life burnout, or the sensory and cognitive overload of autistic burnout, the experience is intense and pervasive. Recovering from burnout is a long road, but if we understand stress as a physiological process that has off-ramps, we can protect ourselves from burning out in the first place. By practicing the evidence-based techniques recommended by co-authors Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA in their book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, you can help your body complete the stress cycle and better avoid burnout.

But first: there are different kinds of burnout? You bet there are.

 

Occupational Burnout vs. Life Burnout vs. Autistic Burnout

Occupational Burnout

The OG of burnouts, occupational burnout is defined by the World Health Organization as “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Occupational burnout appears in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and is characterized by “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.” In other words, you’re crushingly exhausted by a job that you feel detached from or think is meaningless and you don’t feel effective at it even when you try.

Life Burnout

Most research on burnout focuses on occupational burnout. However—surprising exactly no one—emerging research indicates that a majority of people attribute their burnout to everyday stressors. Life burnout can result from any number of personal, family, or community stressors like caregiving, financial worries, relationship problems, chronic illness, or political violence. They’re not limited to the workplace, so they’re always whirring in the background, draining your energy. Life burnout can result in myriad emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms like feeling trapped or helpless, GI problems, withdrawing from others, or substance misuse.

Autistic Burnout

Like life burnout, autistic burnout is an under-studied phenomenon that is gaining more attention. Autistic burnout occurs when life stressors overpower an autistic person’s ability to cope and causes chronic exhaustion, reduced tolerance of sensory input or increased sensitivity to sensory stimulus, and loss of skills or executive functioning (e.g., thinking, planning, remembering). Constant masking and ignoring sensory needs in order to meet neurotypical social or professional expectations is a primary cause of autistic burnout, as is having insufficient access to needed accommodations or supports.

 

The Common Thread

So what do occupational, life, and autistic burnout have in common?

The demands of the stressors outweigh the resources available to meet those demands, which creates the chronic stress that leads to burnout.

Recovering from any form of burnout takes time and typically involves, among other things, addressing the stressors that lead to burnout. This is important work, but sometimes addressing the stressor doesn’t make the experience of the stress itself go away. Or maybe you can’t resolve the stressor, so you’re repeatedly exposed to it.

That’s where knowing how to complete the stress cycle comes in.

 

Stressors vs. Stress Itself

In Burnout, Emily and Amelia Nagoski explain why the difference between the stressor and stress itself is so important.

Stressors are pretty easy to recognize: they’re whatever your brain perceives to be a threat. It’s the proverbial tiger that you need to outrun—or in the modern world, it's your performance review or yet another argument with your teenager or the possible social consequences of not masking in front of others. Your brain considers all these triggers to be serious threats.

Stress itself, however, is a biological process that prepares us to deal with a stressor. Expecting a tiger, the body releases cascades of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other endogenous chemicals that flood the circulatory, muscular, digestive, cognitive, and immune systems so you can mobilize and get out of there alive. You run like hell, escape the predator, and celebrate survival with your fellow villagers. 

That’s the stress cycle—it has a beginning, a middle, and an end:

  • Beginning: threat = the tiger

  • Middle: mobilize = run like hell

  • End: stressor is managed = survival

The body gets the signal (in this case, by mobilizing) that it’s safe and the stress cycle completes itself physiologically.

But that’s the key: your body has to get the message that it can complete the stress cycle. Otherwise, you get stuck partway through the stress cycle and the body doesn’t ever fully finish its physiological process. You’re left with the unresolved artifacts of the stress cycle lingering in your body and you’re never able to fully reset.

For example:

  • Beginning: threat = you have a horrific commute to work

  • Middle: ???

  • End: stressor is managed = you arrive at work… and go straight into your first meeting

There’s no signal to your body that it can complete the stress cycle.

Or maybe the stressor is beyond your influence (like the climate crisis), or it’s inherent to your body (like chronic pain) or situation (like caring for an aging parent). So you’re left with a heart rate that never really comes down or a suppressed immune system or sensory overload—all the things that, added up over time, lead to burnout.

So how do we signal to the body that it can complete the stress cycle, even if the stressor hasn’t been fully resolved?

 

How to Complete the Stress Cycle

The Nagoski sisters have gathered a list of seven research-backed ways you can help your body complete the stress cycle. Psychologist Dr. Megan Anna Neff also offers additional adaptations to these techniques that autistic folks may find user-friendly.

Method How to Do It Why it Works
Physical Activity Exercise, vigorous movement, progressive muscle relaxation, shaking, stimming Clears stress hormones, releases endorphins
Breathing Deep, slow breaths with a longer exhalation (ex: inhale for 5, hold for 5, exhale for 10, hold for 5) Activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is the “rest and digest” branch of the autonomic nervous system
Positive Social Interaction Small talk, wishing someone a nice day Friendly interactions signal that the world is a safe place, releases oxytocin and endorphins
Laughter Big belly laughs with others, reminiscing about times you’ve laughed together Releases endorphins that increase social bonding and signals safety, recalling memories can induce the same response
Affection Hug for 20 seconds or until relaxed, a 6-second kiss, pet a dog or cat or other cuddly friend Heart rate and blood pressure lowers, oxytocin is released
A Big Ol’ Cry Let yourself cry when you feel it, watch a sad movie or listen to sad music Releases physical tension, clears stress hormones, releases endorphins, activates the parasympathetic nervous system
Creative Expression Engage in any kind of art, craft, or storytelling Facilitates emotional processing which releases tension, lowers cortisol, releases endorphins

You don’t have to do all of these techniques—play around and experiment and see which ones work best for you. You might notice a release of tension in your body or more emotional lightness or less tunnel vision. It’s okay if you can’t put your finger exactly on what’s changed or if you don’t get all the way to zero—just notice which ones help you feel better. And keep practicing them!

 

Going Forward

While we can’t avoid all stressors, we can understand the physiology of stress and do what we can to help our bodies complete the stress cycle and sidestep burnout. But if you do find yourself in a state of occupational, life, or autistic burnout, consider working with a therapist to put together a recovery plan. With therapeutic support, you can learn to adjust your boundaries, find social support, rest and recharge consistently, and practice recognizing and completing the stress cycle as it arises in your body.

 
Cary Rosko