“My burn-out was a time in which I learned a lot about myself and about autism.” - Ingrid

I’m Ingrid, I’m 42 years old and together with my husband I have a 12-year old daughter and a 10-year old son. I work 24 hours a week and in my spare time I enjoy reading, writing or being creatively active in other ways.

I was diagnosed with autism about 4 years ago. Soon after, I became housebound due to burnout. In retrospect, it turned out to be a time in which I learned a lot about myself and about autism. After watching Netflix on the couch for a few months, I slowly calmed down and started actually rearranging my life. I’ve learned to listen to my feelings and my body. And I now know how important it is for me to have balance between activity and rest, and what I need to achieve that. I have to consciously remind myself of it every day, because otherwise I will exhaust myself without even noticing it.

I am proud of the fact that when I have a goal in mind, I won’t let anything or anyone stop me. As a result, I am where I am now and I know what I need to be happy.

My tip for people with autism is: Try to find out what’s the right balance for you and what you need to organise your life as good as possible. Ask others for help if you can't figure it out by yourself.