CW: ableism (I think)
I've been recovering from/experiencing burnout symptoms for the majority of the last couple years. It definitely messed with my relationships and life in general to the point where some people were really confused and put off by my behavior. I've been isolating myself a lot and been kinda flaky with showing up to events or hang outs because I just haven't had the energy. I didn't really explain or offer reasons for my actions. I've just had no energy, no capacity to deal with life, let alone social situations.
Well, an old friend who's been going to therapy weekly for who knows how long basically confronted me the other day saying that I needed to 'get help', go on meds, or 'fix whatever the hell is going on' with me because I was starting to seem agoraphobic or severely depressed and 'overly obsessed with covid' (because I still mask when in public and large groups) and that they'd spoken to their therapist about me, who apparently suggested those terms to describe me...almost like the therapist made a second-hand diagnosis of me or something. I am AuDHD. They know I'm neurodivergent. I guess Autistic burnout is something completely foreign to both of them, because I'm a walking info graphic on burnout and it's notable symptoms.
I need space to recoup my very tiny battery, I get overwhelmed by too much stimuli, I've had deteriorating executive function, struggled to communicate, and just do life stuff some days. I told them I was burnt out, and they never responded. I guess it's been annoying enough for this person to talk to their therapist at length about what's wrong with me, which makes me feel fucking weird.
Idk what I'm expecting by posting this. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has experienced something like this and maybe have advice on what to say to this person, who I thought understood that I was ND and struggling with everything? How the fuck do I even begin to counter those weird accusations and the low-key aggressive way that they approached me with this? I was so flabbergasted I just didn't respond. And now I can't stop thinking about it.
My dark humor is that I find it odd society is so against nonverbal autism - when what they really despise is actually listening to people on the spectrum. I hear you. I’m pretty impatient (read overly forgiving) of this sort of thing and give one or two chances to improve before you’re dead to me. Also fuck their garbage-ass therapist lol
I'm not one for giving too many chances, either, and I've been really thinking about if this person has been a good friend to me all this time or not and what level of energy I'm willing to expend to continue such a relationship that is so easily tainted/manipulated by that garbage-ass therapist who so readily diagnosed me via hearsay.
You’re a gracious person for the chances you’ve given and should be proud of standing up for yourself and your lived experiences - other people are sometimes quite oblivious to the trauma their words can cause, especially to folks built sensitive to that sort of thing o7
Thank you for the kind words, comrade <3