What is Autistic inertia?
Similar to ADHD Paralysis, Autistic inertia arises from executive functioning (EF) difficulties which can cause us to become both physically and mentally “stuck”; unable to move forward, start something new, or to switch to something different.
This can be owing, in part, to cognitive rigidity. Many Autistics struggle with being mentally flexible, so when we have our mind set on something, it can be very challenging to change course.
Autistic inertia can also happen due to challenges with task initiation. Due to executive functioning issues, we may know what we want or need to do in terms of the larger picture, but struggle to break it down into smaller, more manageable steps.
These are very familiar experiences for me on a daily basis. I can get hyperfocused on a task and really struggle to pull myself away, even when I know I should.
Perfectionism and difficulty breaking things down into manageable parts are also a daily struggle for me.
Apparently people with ADHD tend to start with the bigger picture and work our way inwards to the more specific details, whereas neurotypicals tend to do the opposite, starting with the intricacies and working their way out toward the final product.
My experience
This is definitely how my brain works (or doesn’t work, as the case may be). My brain is easily bored with the nitty gritty and just wants to fast forward to the interesting stuff, the end goal. Once I do start something, I just dive right in and figure out the details along the way.
This does not always work to my advantage.
When impulsivity overrides my Autistic tendency for attention to detail, I forge ahead without taking a moment to evaluate or contemplate, and that can end poorly for me.
Similarly if I have a relatively small job to do, like wash a few dishes, my brain is not satisfied with this. I will look at the whole kitchen, and if there is a lot of cleaning or tidying needing to be done, my brain tells me that I must do it all.
Allegedly there is no point in doing the dishes if the rest of the kitchen is messy, so it’s all or nothing. If I am feeling overwhelmed or tired, this is when inertia sets in and I choose option B.
This is related to cognitive rigidity as well, where we may engage in very black-and-white thinking.
What works for me
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