WTF is AuDHD? E53 | When perimenopause and autistic burnout collide - with AuDHDer Jen
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Feb 9, 2026 Jen (Autistic Connections) is an autistic, ADHD-identified advocate sharing lived experience of late diagnosis, long-term burnout and perimenopause. She describes how perimenopause stripped away coping masks, sudden regression and cognitive fog. The conversation covers medical dismissal, delayed processing of trauma, workplace vulnerability, and choosing new life rhythms and supports.
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Achievement Can Hide Deep Burnout
- Jen realised burnout and her search for meaning converged during university and COVID-era hyperfocus.
- Achievement masked deeper struggles until external demands resumed and broke her coping rhythm.
Hormones Can Break A Well-Practiced Mask
- Perimenopause eroded Jen's ability to mask and triggered sudden emotional collapse in professional settings.
- Autistic burnout causes previously normal daily skills to become suddenly impossible.
Daily Routines Became Unmanageable
- Jen describes needing to sob in toilets and becoming physically ill from anxiety during burnout days.
- Sensory issues and events like Guy Fawkes pushed her beyond prior coping limits.