Middle Aged Monotropist

@relational.bsky.social

160 Followers 202 Following

(she/they) Independent researcher, curator more than creator, academically + clinically trained chaplain, board game enthusiast. Resisting adultism and all power over dynamics. I believe a better world is possible, with care at the center.

Venn diagram with ND burnout on the left and (ND) menopause on the right.

Burnout:
- prolonged masking
- demands outweighing energy and capacity
- too many expectations
- sensory overload
- transitions
- trauma symptoms

Menopause:
- oestrogen levels drop by 65%
- progesterone levels drop
- second puberty
- accelerated change
- more sensitive nervous system

Shared traits:
- loss of executive functioning
- anger, irritability
- exhaustion
- overwhelm
- inability to mask
- self harm, suicidality

a flow chart showing my struggles when i realized i am autistic, but my brain went into loops of self doubt and denial. It starts with "maybe i am actually autistic and..." because it explained so much of my life, but leads to things like 'probably i am just weird, maybe i overstated my struggles' and 'i am so high functioning it doesn't matter' (not true but a doctor told me that) and eventually leads to 'i am just an imposter'. but then the flow chart leads to trying to re mask and having burnout again and the whole thing starting over.

Bespectacled white lady with short gray hair leans against a pillow and her dog, a silver standard poodle with a short clip, rests her head on the same pillow above her. They are both looking straight at the camera.

Close up of adult bobcat looking straight at the camera as they step forward. There are brown composting leaves on the forest floor and a small branch extends from the right into the frame just above the cat's head. A larger lichen covered tree trunk is just behind them. There seems to be a morning mist.