When Everything Feels Heavy: Moving Through Low Periods in ADHD and Autism
We don’t always talk about the in-between states—the ones that don’t quite meet criteria for clinical depression, but leave you foggy, flat, and stuck. If you’re neurodivergent, especially living with ADHD or Autism, you probably know this state well.
It’s the moment when brushing your teeth feels monumental. When your creative drive vanishes. When initiating even pleasurable tasks becomes impossible. You’re not in crisis, but you’re not okay either.
I’m in it right now.
And over the years—both personally and in my work as a therapist—I’ve learned this: it’s real, it’s common, and it’s not your fault.
What Is This “Low Period,” Really?
This state often emerges from a tangle of overlapping neurodivergent experiences:
Autistic Burnout: chronic exhaustion from sensory overload, masking, and navigating an inaccessible world. (Raymaker et al., 2020)
ADHD Inertia: the motivational brick wall where executive function fails to initiate even simple actions. (Barkley, 2012)
Nervous System Shutdown: part of the polyvagal theory—when your body enters a freeze state as a protective mechanism. (Porges, 2011)
It isn’t laziness. It’s your body and brain doing what they think they must to survive.
So what helps?
Let’s break it into two buckets: Prevention and Support.
PREVENTION: Laying the Groundwork for Stability
Anchor a Few Core Routines
You don’t need an elaborate schedule—but anchoring key rhythms like wake time, sunlight exposure, hydration, and movement can create scaffolding when your brain goes offline.
Try it: A sunrise alarm clock or daylight lamp can boost dopamine production, improving mood and motivation. I’ve added my favorites here.
Budget Your Energy Like Money
Many neurodivergent folks live in constant energy debt. Tracking what drains and what sustains you is a game-changer.
I use a simple energy log with clients—want a downloadable version? Check it out in the store.
Use Sensory Profiling to Catch the Early Signs
Autistic burnout doesn’t always announce itself. Many miss the red flags—like sound sensitivity, decision fatigue, or irritability—until shutdown hits.
Products like weighted lap pads, noise-reducing earplugs, and sensory-friendly clothing can support regulation before the crash. Browse my picks here.
Reframe Through Self-Compassion
This one’s less tangible—but it might be the most important. Build inner scripts that counteract self-judgment:
“This isn’t laziness. This is my nervous system asking for care.”
SUPPORT: What To Do When You’re Already In It
Lower the Bar—Then Lower It Again
Behavioral activation tells us that action precedes motivation, not the other way around. Start with a laughably small task: move from the bed to the floor. Put on one sock. Open the window.
Sometimes I’ll light a scent I associate with energy—citrus or eucalyptus. You can find items here.
Regulate the Body First
When you're frozen, the brain isn’t the entry point. The body is. Polyvagal research supports movement, rocking, deep pressure, and even humming as ways to gently re-engage.
Find One Tiny Point of Contact
Whether it’s texting a friend, joining a virtual body-doubling session, or just sitting near another human—co-regulation shifts us out of isolation. You don't have to talk. Just be.
Try this: My ADHD clients swear by Focusmate—and I often recommend a timer with soft interval tones like this one for gentle structure.
Change the Environment
If your brain won’t cue action, let your environment do it. Open a curtain. Move to a different room. Put on your “action hoodie.” Light a candle that says, “we're beginning again.”
Curated sensory candles, cozy wearables, and low-stimulation lamps can cue the shift. I’ve collected a few here.
How I Support My Clients—and Myself
In session, I normalize it. I remind people that their nervous system isn’t broken; it’s trying to protect them. We co-create “low day protocols”—gentle lists they can follow when their brain won’t cooperate.
I remind them (and myself) that healing isn’t always bright. Sometimes it’s a weighted blanket, a soft light, a smell you love, and a text that says, “I’m in the fog today.”
And that’s okay.
In Closing
Low periods aren’t a failure. They are part of the rhythm of living in a world that wasn’t built for your brain.
But there are ways through.
And if you’re in it right now?
This blog was written from the same place.
Take one breath. One sip of water. One gentle thought. That’s the way back.
Sources:
Raymaker, D. M., Teo, A. R., Steckler, N. A., et al. (2020). “Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left with No Clean-Up Crew”: Defining Autistic Burnout. Autism in Adulthood, 2(2).
Barkley, R. A. (2012). Executive Functions: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Evolved. Guilford Press.
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. Norton.