Why Can't I Start Tasks? The Science of Autistic Inertia Explained
You want to shower. You can visualize every step. But you can't move. Hours pass. You're not depressed. You're not unmotivated. You're experiencing autistic inertia—and psychiatry has no idea what that means.
In this episode, I examine the groundbreaking 2021 research showing autistic adults identify inertia as their MOST DISABLING experience, yet the DSM-5 doesn't mention it even once.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Cold Open: The Physics Problem
02:00 - What the Research Actually Shows
08:00 - The Phenomenology of Being Stuck
16:00 - Why Psychiatry Keeps Getting This Wrong
22:00 - Working With Your Physics: Evidence-Based Strategies
28:30 - The Questions This Raises
30:00 - Outro & Resources
🔬 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- What autistic inertia actually is (rest inertia vs. motion inertia)
- Why 32 autistic adults called it more disabling than sensory or social differences
- The neuroscience: predictive coding, interoception, and monotropic attention theory
- Why your functioning is unpredictably variable day-to-day
- Evidence-based strategies: body doubling, environmental modifications, interoceptive training
- How to educate clinicians who've never heard of this phenomenon
- Why productivity culture pathologizes neurological difference
- Critical gaps in research (no cross-cultural studies, no Spanish-language research)
📚 KEY RESEARCH CITED:
- Dr. Dora Raymaker & Dr. Michelle Mowbray (2021) - Frontiers in Psychology
- Monotropism theory (Murray, Lesser, Lawson)
- Predictive coding and autism (Van de Cruys et al.)
- Interoception research (Brewer, Cook, Bird)
- Critical disability studies (Garland-Thomson, Davis)
🎯 THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF:
✅ You can't start tasks despite desperately wanting to
✅ You hyperfocus until 2 AM despite needing sleep
✅ Your functioning varies unpredictably day-to-day
✅ Therapists have called you "lazy" or misdiagnosed you with depression
✅ You're late-diagnosed autistic seeking to understand yourself
✅ You're a clinician wanting to better serve autistic clients
✅ You're supporting a neurodivergent partner/family member
📖 FULL SHOW NOTES & CITATIONS:
All peer-reviewed references, academic citations, and additional resources:
👉 https://neurorebelpodcast.com/episode22
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💬 SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE:
Have you experienced autistic inertia? How do you explain it to others? Share in the comments—your insights help build collective understanding.
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ABOUT NEUROREBEL:
NeuroRebel is a bilingual (English/Spanish) podcast examining neurodivergence and autism through evidence-based research and unapologetic lived experience. Hosted by Anita—retired tenured law professor, Fulbright scholar, and late-diagnosed autistic researcher based in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
DISCLAIMER:
This content provides educational information about autistic experiences and emerging research. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult qualified healthcare providers regarding medical or mental health conditions.
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Citation for clinical use:
NeuroRebel Podcast (2025). Beyond Burnout: The Physics of Autistic Inertia [Audio podcast episode]. Retrieved from https://neurorebelpodcast.com
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⚡ KEY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:
"The DSM-5 has zero mentions of autistic inertia—the experience thirty-two autistic adults identified as their most disabling trait."
"You're not lazy. You're operating according to different physics—and the world's failure to accommodate that says everything about the world and nothing about your worth."
"When autistic adults say 'I'm not lazy, I'm experiencing inertia,' and clinicians respond 'Have you tried making a schedule?' we see exactly how observational bias fails."
© 2025 NeuroRebel. Educational content. Non-commercial educational use permitted with attribution.
