Help with teenage autistic burnout - vagus nerve stimulation?
We are in crisis mode with our teenager who is on the spectrum and also deals with ADHD and other learning differences. He is highly anxious, avoids school due to his fear of not being able to focus and to fall behind even further than he already is.
If he goes to school at all, he is so exhausted when he comes homethat he hides in his room and avoids any contact or other stimulation. This looks like autistic burnout to me, coupled with depression and anxiety. We are talking with the school/learning specialist/psychiatrist to find ways out of this.
I would like to explore alternative ways of calming down his overstimulated nervous system. I've read a lot about the vagus nerve and that stimulating it will have a calming effect.
While there are plenty of exercises online, I doubt he will do any of them due to lack of motivation and follow through. So I'm hoping to find a PT who is willing to help him learn them and get used to doing them regularly. Would be greatful for any suggestions or other ideas around recovering from autistic burnout. Thank you!
Parent Replies
Hi there, I’m so sorry to hear you and your child are going through such a difficult time. I have adhd and am highly sensitive and have had years of being overstimulated and melting/shutting down after being out in the world. I’m sure you’ve heard it a lot but yoga was the key for me to start being able to notice when I’m getting overstimulated and regulate myself.
Yoga can help you get out of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), which is where you can actually process what you’ve experienced and learn and grow. It does it in part by stimulating the vagus nerve through breath work and by moving mindfully, which can take you out of your head.
There are many many other ways besides yoga of course that could be a better fit for your child. I just found yoga clicked with me because I could feel the changes directly and because there is a wealth of information (online, through teachers, through experience as you practice) on the nervous system and its impact on the mind/body that I found helpful for understanding why I experience the world one way while a neurotypical person may experience it a different way.
I’d be happy to talk to you more if you have any questions, just let me know. Good luck!