Neurodivergent depletion checklist

Free AuDHD burnout test

AuDHD burnout can involve persistent exhaustion, sensory overload, shutdown, and a temporary loss of everyday capacity after prolonged demands or masking. This checklist helps organise those changes into a clearer pattern.

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Answer based on the past six months

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1.Ordinary tasks now require much more effort than they did before.
2.Rest helps less than I expect, and I wake feeling depleted even after time off.
3.Planning, switching tasks, speaking, cooking, hygiene, or replying to messages has become harder.
4.Skills or coping strategies I previously relied on feel temporarily unavailable.
5.Noise, light, touch, crowds, or interruptions overwhelm me more quickly than usual.
6.I need more silence, predictability, solitude, or control over my environment to function.
7.I experience more shutdowns, meltdowns, irritability, tears, numbness, or loss of speech.
8.Small demands can trigger a disproportionate sense of panic, anger, or complete inability to begin.
9.Maintaining a capable or socially acceptable appearance uses most of my available energy.
10.I can get through required activities but crash once I reach a safe place.
11.I have reduced demands, but my capacity has not returned as quickly as I hoped.
12.I feel trapped in a cycle of brief recovery followed by another period of overextension.

AuDHD burnout is more than being tired

Burnout usually describes a change from your baseline: everyday skills become harder, sensory tolerance drops, masking becomes unsustainable, and ordinary rest does not quickly restore capacity. ADHD-related cycles of overcommitment and urgency can compound the sustained autistic load.

Burnout, depression, and medical causes can overlap

Exhaustion, withdrawal, sleep changes, and loss of function can also occur with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, anaemia, thyroid conditions, infection, medication effects, and other health problems. An online checklist cannot distinguish them. Seek medical advice for significant, persistent, or unexplained changes.

When to get help

Contact a qualified health professional if you are struggling to eat, drink, sleep, work safely, care for yourself, or recover despite reducing demands. If you might harm yourself or cannot stay safe, use your local emergency or crisis service. Masking may be part of the load, so the AuDHD masking checklist can provide additional context.

Sources and further reading