A lived-experience perspective of dealing with autistic burnout: introducing the Social Presentation and Emotional Load model

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Adams, N. N. (2026). A lived-experience perspective of dealing with autistic burnout: introducing the Social Presentation and Emotional Load model. Disability & Society, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2026.2709517

Publication date: 31 Jul 2026 Added to AutiHub: 26 Oct 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Nicholas Norman Adams *

Abstract

Autistic burnout (AB) is gaining recognition as a complex and frequently misunderstood state, characterised by persistent exhaustion, reduced functioning, and increased sensitivity to sensory and emotional stimuli. This work offers a novel perspective, grounded in both lived-experience and psychological awareness, to advance understanding of AB beyond current clinical framings. Using autoethnographic reflection, I explore how the cumulative strain of masking, navigating neurotypical expectations, and managing continuous social and sensory demands contributes to burnout. Driven by experiential insights, the paper introduces the Social Presentation and Emotional Load model of AB: a conceptual tool designed to capture simply, the progressive nature of AB through five stages. The model provides people with autism a structured way of articulating and making sense of experiences, while equipping practitioners with a more contextually attuned lens for recognising and responding to autistic distress. Instead of pathologising burnout, this framing calls for systemic adjustments and compassionate recognition of diverse needs.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 28 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
8
With a DOI
7
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
1
5 / 8 (62.5%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 8 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
8 / 8 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
1
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
40
From DOI or external metadata
40
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
34 / 40 (85.0%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 6 / 40 (15.0%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
8 / 40 (20.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 8 / 34 (23.5%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 7 / 35 (20.0%).
  2. Nicholas Norman Adams * (2026). DeusEx Saved My Life: A Feminist-Autoethnography of Video-Gaming Through Major Depressive Disorder . Qualitative Health Research, 36(13), 1375-1389. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/10497323241307193 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4405501625
    Crossref OpenAlex
  3. Laura Hull , Lily Levy , Meng-Chuan Lai , K.V. Petrides , S. Baron-Cohen , C. Allison et al. (2021). Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults? Molecular Autism, 12(1), 1. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00421-1 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3132619758
    Crossref OpenAlex
  4. Adams N. N. (2025). Virtual Hauntology in Resident Evil: Why Playing the Original Resident Evil Feels Like Coming Home . Phlexible Philosophy.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  8. Anna Pyszkowska , Tomasz Gąsior , Franciszek Stefanek , Barbara Więzik (2023). Determinants of escapism in adult video gamers with autism spectrum conditions: The role of affect, autistic burnout, and gaming motivation . Computers in Human Behavior, 141, 107618. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107618 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4311968575
    Crossref OpenAlex