How Social Exhaustion Affects Neurodivergent Teens and Ways to Cope
Published: 02/09/2026 | Updated: 02/09/2026
Adolescence is a time of significant physical, emotional, and social change. Developing strong relationships with family and friends is important for coping with many of these changes. However, for some teens, socializing is harder than it is for others. This is especially apparent in teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Neurodivergent teens face unique challenges related to social functioning due to differences in communication styles, sensory sensitivities, and cognitive abilities. While teen social burnout can occur in anyone, those with ASD tend to report higher rates of overstimulation and social fatigue. As a result, social exhaustion in neurodivergent teens is an area of interest for many psychologists.1,2
If you’re the parent of a neurodivergent adolescent, this article will help you understand how social exhaustion affects your teen and what strategies can help them cope more effectively.
The following topics will be covered in detail:
Social challenges for neurodivergent teens- Causes of social fatigue in autistic teens
- Mental health concerns related to social exhaustion
- Therapy for overwhelmed neurodivergent adolescents
Exploring Social Challenges for Neurodivergent Teens
Two of the main social challenges that autistic adolescents face are social anxiety and difficulties with communication. Several research studies have shown that greater social-communication difficulties are associated with lower overall life satisfaction and school achievement.3,4
This relationship remains consistent even when controlling for co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. However, it is important to note that social anxiety in neurodivergent teens can further impact social functioning, which can then negatively affect relationships.3
Children with autism face higher rates of peer victimization and bullying due to social communication issues, as well as sensory overload and social exhaustion in school settings. Adolescents with autism often struggle to initiate conversations with neurotypical peers or respond appropriately to social cues.3,4
Understandably, sensory overstimulation combined with these social communication difficulties and higher rates of anxiety can lead to mental energy depletion in neurodivergent adolescents, and ultimately, teen social burnout.
Causes of Social Fatigue in Autistic Teens
Understanding the specific causes of social fatigue in autistic teens can help parents identify what their child is struggling with. Both environmental factors and internal characteristics can impact social exhaustion in neurodivergent teens.
Masking and Camouflaging
When an autistic teen consciously or unconsciously suppresses their natural response to a social situation as a way of hiding their autistic traits, it is known as masking or camouflaging. Because of the constant effort exerted to appear “normal” in a world that stigmatizes autistic traits, masking and social energy depletion are directly related. Individuals with autism who engage in masking and camouflaging regularly are at an increased risk of autistic burnout and social fatigue.5
Sensory Sensitivities
People with autism commonly experience sensory sensitivities. This can involve both over- and under-responsivity to sensory input. For teens who are overly reactive to sensory input, overstimulation and social fatigue often co-occur. In addition, some situations can trigger sensory overload and social exhaustion, particularly when there are many sounds, smells, and visual components.6
When neurodivergent teens are overwhelmed socially by the factors listed above, as well as other risk factors like lack of support and comorbid mental health concerns, social exhaustion is a common outcome. Below, we explore the mental health concerns closely tied to social exhaustion in neurodivergent teens and how these issues can compound one another.
Mental Health Concerns Related to Social Exhaustion
Social burnout and mental health in teens are closely related, especially when looking at the neurodivergent population. Teens showing ADHD and autistic traits have consistently reported higher rates of depression and anxiety. Many neurodivergent teens meet the clinical threshold for diagnosis of an anxiety disorder or mood disorder.
Anxiety and Depression While some teens will experience anxiety and depression from social fatigue, other neurodivergent adolescents present with co-occurring depression and anxiety that interferes with other areas of their lives. For teens showing high levels of ADHD and autistic characteristics, rates of being diagnosed with panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety, or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) were significantly greater than those without ADHD and autistic symptoms. Therefore, social anxiety in neurodivergent teens is a growing area of research for finding interventions specifically targeting those with ADHD and autism.7,8
Emotional Dysregulation in Neurodivergent Adolescents Another mental health concern tied to social exhaustion in neurodivergent teens is emotional dysregulation. Emotion regulation is a person’s ability to track, assess, and change emotional responses to different situations. Adolescents with autism or ADHD often present with signs of emotion regulation difficulties. Because emotion regulation plays an important role in a child’s social development, it is important to address skill gaps early on to prevent additional mental health concerns from emerging.9
Emotional dysregulation is measured across six dimensions: goals, strategies, impulsivity, awareness, clarity, and non-acceptance. These dimensions are measured with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), with higher scores indicating more difficulties with emotion regulation.9
According to recent studies, adolescents diagnosed with ASD or ADHD who demonstrate difficulties with emotion regulation report more negative effects, such as higher rates of anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. These negative effects overlap with instances of social exhaustion and autistic burnout due to deficits in social learning.9
Low Self-Esteem and Social Exhaustion Recent studies focused on neurodivergent teens found that those with autism or ADHD tend to have lower levels of self-esteem. Because low self-esteem can lead to depression and anxiety, understanding the risk factors of low self-esteem is important, particularly in the neurodivergent population.10
Low self-esteem is often linked to social deficits and poor social behavior. For example, teens with autism and ADHD may be more likely to feel like they don’t have many friends or feel that they behave poorly in social situations.10
When neurodivergent teens experience episodes of extreme social exhaustion, some of the thoughts that follow can further damage their self-esteem. For instance, if a teen is overwhelmed by sensory input in a social situation, they might start to believe that they are “deficient” or “bad” for not being able to handle environments that their peers can.10
Understanding these mental health concerns is the first step. The next step is finding treatment methods that have proven effective for neurodivergent adolescents experiencing social exhaustion.
Therapy for Overwhelmed Neurodivergent Adolescents
For neurodivergent adolescents experiencing episodes of social exhaustion, help is available. There are several evidence-based options for therapy for overwhelmed neurodivergent adolescents that can target strategies to manage social exhaustion. In this section, we will focus on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), emotion regulation skills, and self-care techniques.
When implementing CBT for neurodivergent teens, there is a strong emphasis placed on developing social skills. Some of the specific skills that therapists will focus on include starting and maintaining conversations and managing interpersonal conflicts. In addition to applying these practical skills, CBT for social anxiety and burnout incorporates methods for challenging negative core beliefs.8
As we mentioned earlier, emotional dysregulation is common in ASD and ADHD. There are many types of therapy used to target emotion regulation skills, but one approach that has been focused on recently is modified dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), specifically for treating ASD.11
CBT for Social Anxiety and Burnout
When implementing CBT for neurodivergent teens, there is a strong emphasis placed on developing social skills. Some of the specific skills that therapists will focus on include starting and maintaining conversations and managing interpersonal conflicts. In addition to applying these practical skills, CBT for social anxiety and burnout incorporates methods for challenging negative core beliefs.8
CBT often uses different activities to help neurodivergent teens develop these important skills. For instance, role plays, exposure tasks, and practice outside of individual sessions are all important for making progress.8
Other components of CBT for social anxiety are psychoeducation and relaxation techniques. By understanding how social exhaustion impacts your teen’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, they become better prepared to handle difficult situations in the future. In addition, by practicing relaxation techniques like paced breathing, body scanning, or grounding, teens can learn skills to apply in the moment during overstimulating social situations.8
Emotion Regulation Skills for Neurodivergent Teens
As we mentioned earlier, emotional dysregulation is common in ASD and ADHD. There are many types of therapy used to target emotion regulation skills, but one approach that has been focused on recently is modified dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), specifically for treating ASD.11
DBT was originally developed to treat patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but over the years, it has been effectively applied to treat a range of mental health conditions. There are three main parts of DBT therapy: individual psychotherapy, emotional education, and social skills groups. There are four content modules included in DBT, and one of the core modules is emotion regulation.11
When working on emotional regulation skills, DBT therapists work with teens to identify and label emotions, as well as recognize how an event triggers thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. In addition, emotion regulation training encompasses self-care strategies. This is especially important for teens with ASD and ADHD, as the right self-care techniques for social fatigue can significantly improve their quality of life and ability to manage daily demands. For example, learning how to focus on proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise can help adolescents protect themselves against becoming more vulnerable to social fatigue and burnout.11
Now that you know how social exhaustion impacts neurodivergent teens and the therapeutic options available, the next thing to understand is the difference professional support can make. Mission Prep offers specialized treatment options designed specifically for neurodivergent adolescents.
Mission Prep: Supporting Mental Health in Neurodivergent Teens
If you believe that your child is experiencing symptoms of social exhaustion or other mental health concerns, Mission Prep is here to help. We offer an extensive range of treatment options tailored to meet your child’s needs, including outpatient therapy, residential treatment, and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). Our clinicians have specialized training in working with neurodivergent adolescents and understand the unique challenges they face.
Call us today to speak to a member of our team. We can answer any questions you may have about the Mission Prep programs and begin the process of setting up an initial appointment for your teen.
References
- Pickard, H., Hirsch, C., Simonoff, E., & Happé, F. (2020). Exploring the cognitive, emotional, and sensory correlates of social anxiety in autistic and neurotypical adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(12), 1317–1327. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13214
- Øverland, E., Hauge, Å. L., Orm, S., Øie, M. G., Skogli, E. W., Pellicano, E., & Andersen, P. N. (2024). “I have to charge my social battery”: Perspectives from autistic young adults on quality of life. Autism, 28(6), 1369–1381. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241245578
- Oakley, B. F., Tillmann, J., Ahmad, J., Crawley, D., San José Cáceres, A., Holt, R., Charman, T., Banaschewski, T., Buitelaar, J., Simonoff, E., Murphy, D., & Loth, E. (2020). How do core autism traits and associated symptoms relate to quality of life? Findings from the Longitudinal European Autism Project. Autism, 25(2), 389–404. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320959959
- Sutton, B. M., Webster, A. A., & Westerveld, M. F. (2019). A systematic review of school-based interventions targeting social communication behaviors for students with autism. Autism, 23(2), 274–286. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361317753564
- Pearson, A., & Rose, K. (2021). A conceptual analysis of autistic masking: Understanding the narrative of stigma and the illusion of choice. Autism in Adulthood, 3(1), 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0043
- Mantzalas, J., Richdale, A. L., & Dissanayake, C. (2022). A conceptual model of risk and protective factors for autistic burnout. Autism Research, 15(6), 976–987. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2722
- Capp, S., De Burca, A., Aydin, Ü., Agnew-Blais, J., Lautarescu, A., Ronald, A., … & McLoughlin, G. (2025). Depression and anxiety are increased in autism and ADHD: Evidence from a young adult community-based sample. JCPP Advances, 5(4), e70003. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.70003
- Bemmer, E. R., Boulton, K. A., Thomas, E. E., Larke, B., Lah, S., Hickie, I. B., & Guastella, A. J. (2021). Modified CBT for social anxiety and social functioning in young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Molecular Autism, 12(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-021-00418-w
- Dağdelen, F. (2021). Decreased theory of mind abilities and increased emotional dysregulation in adolescents with ASD and ADHD. Alpha Psychiatry, 22(2), 100. https://doi.org/10.5455/apd.135050
- Hanai, F., Narama, M., & Tamakoshi, K. (2021). The self of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A qualitative study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(5), 1668–1677. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04653-7
- Hartmann, K., Urbano, M., Manser, K., & Okwara, L. (2012). Modified dialectical behavior therapy to improve emotion regulation in autism spectrum disorders. In Autism spectrum disorders (pp. 41–72). Nova Science Publishers.
