November 2021

A graphic with the title “Autism and Burnout” at the top. Below, an illustration shows a person slumped over at a desk with a low battery icon above their head, symbolizing exhaustion. The person is seated next to a laptop, a potted plant, and a small stack of folders. The background is white with teal and pink design accents. The logo for Neurodivergent Insights appears in the bottom left corner.

Autism and Burnout

November 28, 2021 Autistic Burnout Few studies have looked at Autistic burnout, which, unfortunately, means it is mainly missing from academic and clinical literature. So it is no surprise that few clinicians have heard of or understand how to work with Autistic burnout! Slowly awareness is growing as more and more Autistic self-advocates openly talk […]

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A graphic from Neurodivergent Insights titled “Misdiagnosis Monday: Borderline Personality Disorder vs. Autism” explores overlaps and differences between BPD and Autism. In the center, shared traits include low self-esteem or feelings of being imposters, a diffuse sense of self, difficulty with social nuance, increased risk of eating disorders and substance use, heightened emotional sensitivity, and a higher risk of victimization, suicidality, and self-harm. Both can also involve shame dynamics and trouble with regulating emotions. On the left side, under “BPD,” traits include identity instability—marked by ongoing changes in relationships, moods, and self-image; intense emotional upset often triggered by attachment wounds and trauma reminders; inconsistent relationship patterns with cycles of idealization and devaluation; persistent emptiness and feelings of worthlessness; and BPD-distinctive traits such as impulsivity, self-harm, and fear of abandonment. BPD is also characterized by a strong fear of being alone. On the right side, under “Autism,” traits include a masked identity, where autistic people may adopt personas to fit in; emotional upset often triggered by unexpected change, social misunderstanding, or sensory overload; struggles with relationships due to challenges in understanding social rules or maintaining more than one relationship at a time; and special interests, which are often deeply tied to identity and help regulate anxiety. Unique autistic traits can include monotonic speech, stimming, difficulty with self-advocacy, and alexithymia (difficulty identifying emotions). At the bottom, the graphic notes that a person can experience both conditions. The image includes the Neurodivergent Insights logo.

BPD vs Autism

November 16, 2021 Borderline Personality Disorder vs. Autism Borderline Personality Disorder is a common misdiagnosis for Autistic women and genderqueer people. Complicating matters, BPD and Autism also co-occur at high rates, and an Autistic person is more vulnerable to developing BPD. So a person may have both Autism and BPD. When the underlying Autism is

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