Inertia
“It sometimes almost feels like you’re encased in something, like an insect that’s fossilized, encased in amber… You feel like you're just sitting there and you're encased in something, and your brain is going and telling you, I need to do this, I want to do this, I want to go… but you don't move and hours can go by…”
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Inertia is a feeling of being stuck or unable to start something you want to do.
A bit about inertia...
Inertia may happen when you try to start, stop, or change activities.¹ From the outside, inertia might look like burnout (being unable to do things), but on the inside inertia can have a more “nervous energy” or tense, frustrated feeling.²
It can be distressing when your mind is telling you that you should do something, but you are stuck in this inertia state.
This is how some autistic adults describe inertia...
What are the impacts of inertia?
Inertia can be strange because you might be unsure of what you’re feeling or why you’re feeling the way you do. Inertia might result from feeling too excited, overwhelmed about the things you need to do, recovering from a busy week, or not knowing what you’re feeling at all.
Inertia can be especially frustrating when it affects your ability to do something you love or something you have done before without issue. Inertia can also lead to negative feelings or embarrassment. You may feel like you’re failing at things despite trying your best.
Watch a video explaining "Autistic Inertia"...
References
1. Buckle, K. L., Leadbitter, K., Poliakoff, E., & Gowen, E. (2021). “No way out except from external intervention”: First-hand accounts of autistic inertia. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631596
2. Phung, J., Penner, M., Pirlot, C., & Welch, C. (2021). What I Wish You Knew: Insights on Burnout, Inertia, Meltdown, and Shutdown From Autistic Youth. Frontiers in Psychology, 21. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.741421