Mental Health Awareness Week (A Response)

📅 Shared with permission by an anonymous contributor

Speech bubble with quote "put on your own oxygen mask before helping others"

Job Satisfaction, Burnout, and Listening to My Body - shared by an anonymous neurodivergent individual

"Job satisfaction and working within my own limits is so important to me. In the last job I had before my current one, I found it hard to distinguish between what was a healthy work load for me and what was too much. I found myself arriving at work, having driven over in a stressful and long commute, and having to take time before I went in to the office, to cry and listen to music as I psyched myself up to go in for another day in an environment which was negatively affecting my mental health. I should have recognised these as early signs of burnout, alongside my physical health which started to take a turn. Being neurodivergent, and not being formally diagnosed until recently whilst I’ve been in my new job, I struggle to listen to my body and understand my own limits. I would have been lost without my own support system, including my partner and my parents and sister, who spotted most of the signs before I did, and encouraged me with the best advice I have ever received:

“No job is worth pushing yourself into burnout for.”

They pushed me to consider my own mental health, and reminded me that I didn’t owe anyone anything when it came to the job, and I needed to prioritise my own health first. Just because there were already a few people off sick at work, it didn’t fall to me to pick up and cover the shortfall. This all occurred before I found the resources offered by NeuroEmpowered, so a lot of it has been a case of learning prioritisation and working within my own strengths and limits myself and with help from my support system, but the resource guides created and provided by NeuroEmpowered have been brilliant reminders which have been invaluable in my new job. As neurodivergent individuals, we are at greater risk of harm to our mental health, such as anxiety and depression, and we can put unfair pressure on ourselves as we don’t want to let others down, and so take on greater workloads and responsibilities even when we’re feeling overwhelmed. Alongside the advice given to me by my family, I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with the slightly cliched advice that I should:

“Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.” Yes — it’s a cliché. But I’ve learned how true it really is.

Even in the case of starting my new job, in which I already feel happier and more contented, I experienced periods of overwhelm as I struggled to take in all the information I was being given in the first weeks. I found that the resource guide sections provided in the ’Self-Care’ section on the NeuroEmpowered site (https://www.neuroempowered.org/items-1-4) were especially helpful as reminders to take time for myself and accept that not everything would come at once. Particularly helpful was the guide which provides self-care strategies during periods of burnout, as well as help working to prevent future burnout (https://www.neuroempowered.org/items-1-4/how-to-set-up-self-care-rituals-during-periods-of-burnout), and one I would recommend very much for anyone who needs a little bit of help keeping themselves safe and keep themselves mentally well."

Why We're Sharing This

At NeuroEmpowered, we know how many neurodivergent individuals push themselves to breaking point — out of care for others, fear of failure, or simply not knowing another way. This story is a powerful reminder that your mental health matters. Always.

We’re honoured to share this anonymous submission and grateful for the trust placed in us to amplify it.

If you’re neurodivergent and would like to share your experiences, reflections, or creative writing, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a message — your story matters.

🧡 Explore all of our free downloadable resources: neuroempowered.org

With warmth — The NeuroEmpowered Team