How full is your cup?
Get it off your chest.
For autistic adults, diagnosed or self-identified. Notice your energy, sensory load and masking, and what you need, before you hit overload.
Which best describes you?
This changes a few questions and which support lines come first. You can change it any time.
Everything you enter stays on this phone. Nothing is sent to your employer, your doctor or anyone else. Unladen Sense is a prototype. It is not a medical or emergency service and is not connected to any health service, employer or government agency. · Give feedback
Take a moment.
Reduce input if you can: quieter, darker, fewer people. You don't have to talk or explain right now.
Breathe with this, if it helps
What you might be feeling
- Sounds, lights or touch feel too much
- Hard to find words, or to speak at all
- Needing to move, rock or stim
- Wanting to escape, or freezing
This is your nervous system telling you it's overloaded. It passes with less input and rest.
If you're in meltdown or shutdown
Get to somewhere quieter if you can. Stimming is OK. You can use text, a note or a card instead of speaking. If you or someone else is in danger, call 000.
Ground yourself
Look around. Name them, out loud or in your head.
Call someone now
Add someone you trust in so they're here when you need them.
Not sure who to tell?
If talking on the phone is too much right now, many services have text or web chat. Or write down what happened, just for you.
What helps after
Check your energy
A few minutes at the end of the day. Notice what used up your energy and what you need to recover.
Please talk to someone now
You said you've had thoughts of harming yourself or not wanting to be here. Please call one of these now. If you're in immediate danger, call 000.
Light load
This phone isn't letting the page save. Your result shows here but won't be kept.
Watch for burnout
Burnout signs are worth taking seriously. Reduce demands where you can, protect your recovery time, and talk to your GP if it keeps going.
Your safety
You said you didn't feel fully safe. That matters. Talk to someone you trust. If you're in danger, call 000.
Low battery
You said you've got very little energy left. Cut what you can from tonight and tomorrow, reduce input, and rest. You don't have to push through.
What might help
People you can call
This isn't a medical assessment. It's a way to notice how you're going over time.
How it's been going
Last 14 days
Check-ins
This phone isn't letting the page save, so check-ins won't be kept.
Privacy & your data
Add a PIN, download what you've entered, or delete everything from this phone.
Your brain, your needs
Ideas that many autistic people find useful. Take what fits and leave the rest. Tap a heading to open it.
Sensory overload
- Reduce input: headphones or earplugs, sunglasses or dim light, a hood, a quieter room.
- Leaving early is allowed.
- Keep a small kit with you: earplugs, sunglasses, a comfort object, a snack, water.
- Notice your early signs of overload so you can act sooner.
Meltdown and shutdown
- A meltdown or shutdown is your nervous system reaching its limit. It isn't a choice and it isn't bad behaviour.
- Get to somewhere quieter and safer if you can. Less talking, less light, less touch.
- Stimming is OK. Do what helps your body settle.
- Afterwards, rest. You may need hours or a day to recover.
Masking
- Masking means hiding or changing your natural ways of being to fit in. It uses a lot of energy.
- Plan recovery time after days with a lot of masking.
- Find people and places where you can unmask.
Autistic burnout
- Burnout can mean deep exhaustion, losing skills you usually have, and being less able to cope with sensory input or change.
- It usually builds up from too much masking, change and demand over a long time.
- Recovery means cutting demands where you can and resting more. It can take weeks or months.
- Talk to your GP if it's affecting work, study or daily life.
Changes of plan
- It's reasonable to ask for warning, written plans or an agenda.
- Build in a buffer between activities.
- When plans change suddenly, give yourself time to adjust before you decide anything.
Social overload
- Social time can be good and still be tiring.
- Plan alone time afterwards.
- Text or written messages are a valid way to communicate.
Being misunderstood or excluded
- Being autistic isn't the problem. Being misunderstood is hard.
- At work or study, you can ask for reasonable adjustments. JobAccess (1800 464 800) gives free advice.
- Write down what happened in your private record if you might raise it later.
- Autism Connect (1300 308 699) can help with information and advice.
Interests and joy
- Time with your interests is not a waste. For many autistic people it's how they recharge.
- Protect time for it, especially after hard days.
Signs you're carrying too much
- More meltdowns or shutdowns than usual
- Losing words, or skills you usually have
- Sound, light or touch harder to tolerate
- Exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix
- Pulling away from things you usually enjoy
These are signs to reduce demands and rest. They're not a personal failing.
When to get more help
If you've been struggling for two weeks or more, talk to your GP. You can ask for a psychologist who is neuro-affirming and experienced with autistic adults. Autism Connect (1300 308 699) can help you find services.
People to call
Save the ones that apply to you. They stay on this phone and show up on the Help now screen.
Support lines
Support that understands
Support from people who understand autism, by phone, text or chat. You choose what to do, and when.
From your organisation
An autism service, workplace or support group can add its own numbers here.
People who can help
- Autism Connect. National autism helpline by phone, email or webchat, 1300 308 699.
- Autistic peers. Autistic-led groups and online communities.
- A neuro-affirming psychologist. Ask about their experience with autistic adults.
- JobAccess. Free advice about adjustments at work, 1800 464 800.
- Your GP. Can refer you on, including for assessment if you're self-identified.
Text or chat instead of calling
For when talking out loud isn't possible, or feels like too much.
For particular situations
Many services offer text, email or web chat if calling is hard.
Spiritual and religious support
Some people find strength in prayer, ritual or their faith or cultural community. Others find it in nature, music, their interests or quiet. Whatever gives you meaning counts.
A chaplain or spiritual care worker supports people of any faith or none.
Words to start with
The first sentence is often the hardest. You could say:
"I'm not ready to make a complaint. I just need to talk this through."
"Can this stay between us? Is there anything you'd have to pass on?"
"I'm autistic. It's easier for me to communicate in writing."
"I think I'm in burnout and I don't know what to do."
What happens if I tell someone?
- Counsellors, peer supporters and helplines keep what you say private. The main exception is if someone is at serious risk of harm. If you're unsure, ask at the start.
- Your doctor or psychologist keeps your health information confidential. You choose who else to tell.
- Your private record in this app stays on your phone unless you choose to share it.
Not ready to tell anyone?
That's OK. You can write down what happened, just for yourself, and decide later.
Numbers and services are for New South Wales and Australia-wide. Check with your organisation for its own services.
Write down what happened
It stays on this phone. It isn't a report, and nothing is sent anywhere. If you later decide to raise something, notes written at the time are easier to rely on than memory.
My entries
Entries can't be edited, so each one shows when it was written. To add something, write a new entry.
No entries yet.
If you decide to share it, you can download it or send it to yourself.
Your phone, your data
PIN lock
Ask for a PIN when the app opens, and after it has been in the background for a minute.
PIN is on.
The PIN stops someone else opening the app on your phone. It doesn't encrypt what's stored, so keep your phone locked too. If you forget it, you can delete everything and start again.
Hide the screen
Tap the eye button at the top of any screen to cover the app straight away, for example if someone is looking over your shoulder. Tap to come back, or enter your PIN if you've set one.
Download my data
Download everything you've entered (check-ins, private record and contacts) as a text file. You could keep a copy, or show it to your GP or counsellor.
Delete everything
Deletes your check-ins, private record, role, contacts and PIN from this phone.
Delete everything from this phone? This can't be undone.
About Unladen Sense
Unladen™ Sense is a prototype made by Co-Synthesist Pty Ltd, Newcastle NSW. Unladen™ is a trade mark of Co-Synthesist Pty Ltd. It isn't a medical or emergency service, and it isn't connected to any health service, employer or government agency. The questions haven't been clinically validated yet.
What's stored: your choices, check-ins, private record, saved contacts and settings, only in this phone's browser. Nothing is sent to anyone. There are no accounts, analytics or trackers.
Feedback: the feedback form is the only part of Unladen Sense that sends anything, and only when you press Send. It doesn't include anything else from the app.
Keep in mind: if you clear your browser data or remove the app, what you've entered goes too. Download a copy first if you want to keep it.
Version 0.1 prototype · October 2026