#shutdowns

[theorahsart]

Here's a comic I made a few years ago, explaining autistic meltdowns and shutdowns in detail! They can be pretty different to what you might expect- I didnt even realise I was experiencing them for years. I thought they were panic attacks that just happened to last much longer than an average person's, or that I was very sensitive- newsflash, it was actually autism lol

#autismacceptancemonth #autismacceptance2024 #autism acceptance #autism #actually autistic #autism comic #autism comics #actuallyautistic #autistic meltdown #autistic shutdown #meltdowns #shutdowns #comic #web comic #info graphic #autism info graphic

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Meltdowns & Shutdowns

I Can Network Ltd

#meltdowns #shutdowns #neurodiversity #how to handle meltdowns & shutdowns #source: i can network ltd (facebook) #feel free to share/reblog #tw bright colors #tw eye strain

[askanautistic]

Meltdown/shutdown resource.

I wrote this years ago, and thought I'd repost it as a standalone post instead of an answer to a question. I've included a few updates. This can be used to create your own 'pick 'n' mix' of instructions, to help you notice or to help others to notice signs that you are beginning to get overwhelmed, the reasons why you might be becoming overwhelmed, or that you are in a state of shutdown/meltdown, and to know what to do and what not to do. Some suggestions might be repeated and seem contradictory (because one person might need to be left alone when becoming overwhelmed and someone else might need reassurance). You can also add in anything else you think of if creating your own resource, as this isn't an exhaustive list.

I might struggle with: - being too hot/cold. - noisy environments. - sudden noises. - bright lights. - too much visual input or movement (busy/chaotic environments). - too much social interaction. - unexpected events. - changes to plans. - Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria.

Signs to look out for: - I may become irritable. - I may become withdrawn/quieter than usual. - I may stim more or less than usual, or differently [you could be specific about this, explainng the exact stims to look out for if any]. - I may become (more) aversive to touch (than usual). - I may seem ‘sulky’ or ‘whiney’. - I may act more ‘childish’ (than usual). - I may become restless or more fidgety (than usual). - I may ‘huff’ and sigh a lot. - I may become uncooperative. - I may cover my ears/close my eyes/turn away. - I might become physically aggressive. - I might become verbally aggressive. - I might scream/shout/cry. - I might become nonspeaking (or less able to speak). - I might not be able to move independently. - I may seem anxious/panicked. - I may exhibit a flat effect. - I might bolt. - I might keep going to the toilet.

Don’t: - Panic, or get angry or upset. - Touch me. - Leave me by myself. - Talk too loudly. - Talk to me. - Ask open questions. - Stop me from stimming or stop my sensory seeking behaviours. - Prevent me from avoiding sensory stimulus. - Involve other people. - Box me in/block exits.

Do:  - Keep me safe. - Talk to me. - Reassure me. - Leave me alone. - Offer a quiet and private space. - Give me something to drink and a snack (without asking). - Explain where we are going (or what you are going to do). - Ask closed questions (questions requiring yes or no answers, or give me limited options to choose from). - Gently guide me away from crowded or noisy areas. - Remind me to use/Give me my headphones/earplugs/sunglasses. - Remind me to use my/give me my stim tools. - Help me to keep warm or to cool down. - (Ask if I would like you to) hold my hand tightly/hug me tightly (apply deep pressure). - Use AAC (use specifics: tell them what kind of communication you prefer and if you need them to find an app on your phone, tell them which one - you could even include the icon for it). I hope this is helpful to people. Ben Tip jar.

#meltdowns #shutdowns #actually autistic #resources #meltdown resource #shutdown resource #askanautistic

[ametistapp]

Meltdowns aren't tantrums.

Burnout isn't procrastination.

Stims aren't pointless.

Shutdowns aren't just lack of attention.

Verbal shutdowns aren't a "silence treatment".

Hyperfixations aren't useless.

Special interests are more than obsessions.

Phobias aren't regular fears.

Panic attacks aren't controllable.

Self-harm isn't a trend.

#neurodivergence #autism #adhd #anxiety #depression #burnout #meltdowns #shutdowns #hyperfixation #special interest #verbal shutdown #panic attack #phobia

[itsaspectrumcomic]

if you don’t mind answering for me, how would you describe a shutdown? for comparison to my own experiences

like i think i sometimes could be having a shutdown but when i look up the terminology it seems a lot more extreme than what i experience and i can’t tell if im just minimizing my experiences.

like suddenly stuff will be too loud and/or bright and ill zone out and i wont [want to] talk to anybody around me until im out of the situation because people talking + everything else just confuses me more. typically i can calm myself down by blasting my own playlist in my ears, i consider it a controllable variable so i think it works.

For me a shutdown feels like my whole body is really heavy and I find it hard to put coherent thoughts or sentences together.

Here's what the National Autistic Society says about shutdowns:

'A shutdown appears less intense to the outside world [than a meltdown] but can be equally debilitating. Shutdowns are also a response to being overwhelmed, but may appear more passive - eg an autistic person going quiet or 'switching off'. One autistic woman described having a shutdown as: 'just as frustrating as a meltdown, because of not being able to figure out how to react how I want to, or not being able to react at all; there isn’t any ‘figuring out’ because the mind feels like it is past a state of being able to interpret.'

So your description of zoning out and being confused does sound similar to a shutdown!

Shutdowns can look similar to disassociating, which is also a response to high stress but is more feeling like things aren't real or you're not connected to your body.

I'm glad you found the resources helpful! ☺️

#ask #anon ask #shutdowns #autism #autistic #advice #its a spectrum #disassociation

[sicksadstar]

When you say you accept and support autistics you have to support us at all times

when:

• we're semi/nonverbal

• when we need AACs

• when we're having a meltdown

• when we're having a shutdown

• when we need help with hygiene

• we are overstimulated

• we are underestimated

• we are unmasking

• we act "more autistic"

• we stim a lot

• we have intense stims

• we have a tone issues

• we have low/fluctuating empathy

• we vocal/verbal stim

• we stim loudly

• we don't understand something

• we have a hard time relating

#group post #autism spectrum disorder #autism spectrum #autistic spectrum #autism #asd #autie #autistic #semiverbal #nonverbal #semispeaking #nonspeaking #aac #aacs #aac user #augmentative and alternative communication #meltdown #shutdowns #meltdowns #shutdown #overstimulated #understimulated #overstimulation #underestimation #mid support needs #middle support needs #high support needs #support needs #stim #stimming

[five-pillows]

I have a question for autistics that know more about meltdowns than I do

I’ve had a couple episodes (I refer to them as episodes for lack of a better term) although they weren’t particularly loud, and I didn’t make many involuntary movements. I had always thought they were panic attacks because I had the staple shallow breathing, shakiness, and pit in my stomach, but now I’m not quite sure. Every time this happened I was in a social situation and felt extremely uncomfortable but was able to mask how I was feeling with a lot of difficulty. I stumbled over my speech and buffered quite a lot but anyone looking at me would likely just think I was nervous. I also felt stronger urges to stim but refrained from big movements.

Since every instance was in a public setting where I was responsible for something I was required to contain myself to some extent for the sake of my dignity if nothing else. Not saying that meltdowns aren’t justified or give autistics a bad reputation, I just hadn’t done nearly as much research or made accommodations for myself at those times so I felt as if I could be less Big Emotion if I just let myself feel so terrible and use exposure as a tool rather than escape the situation

I’m just curious whether this would qualify as some sort of meltdown, even if it’s far less severe than what I’ve heard them described as.

Most meltdown symptoms I see discussed are yelling, crying, hitting, stimming, and running away, and the symptoms are always described as involuntary but I can’t find anything about how it feels in the body, or if less severe meltdowns are possible

Sorry if this is a stupid theory I just don’t want to assume it’s panic attacks since exposure hasn’t helped at all

#autistic #autistic problems #self diagnosed autism #audhd #autism #actually autistic #neurodivergent #autistic experiences #autistic meltdown #autistic meltdowns #meltdowns #shutdowns #autistic shutdown #panic attack #panic attacks

[donniesexceptionalmind]

Side note: I’m sorry for giving you so many asks

I am very close to having a meltdown/shutdown at the moment. I’ve lost one of my huge comfort items; my noise-canceling earbuds.. or at least the case. That’s the worst part. I set it down on my bed and went to eat dinner. Haven’t seen it since. After an hour of searching, I’m trying to ignore the fact that it’s lost and pretend that it’s still in my bag because I am still wearing the actual earbuds. It’s not working too well.

Is there something to help with loosing comfort items? and if you don’t mind answering another question, what do you find is the most helpful thing to do when you’re having a meltdown or shutdown (especially in social situations- ones where there isn’t a place to escape)?

again, sorry to bother you

I'm sorry to hear you lost your comfort item. Given the information you provided, it could be that you just misplaced it, which I dearly hope turns out to be the truth. /g 💜

I immediately panic when I believe I misplaced or lost a very loved comfort item.

This is not the greatest strategy for coping & it messes a lot with me because it usually means I'll have a meltdown.

If you truly lost a dear comfort item: grieve it properly & don't let anyone call you childish or extreme for being upset about it.

The answer to your second question isn't simple because if I am in a situation where I am not safe or I am not able to have a meltdown for any other reason, I dissociate.

Dissociation is a mental process of disconnecting from one's thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity.

It's a survival technique to overcome traumatic/painful/frightening/dangerous situations.

I learned to cope via dissociation at a very young age & it's involuntary. I can't control it. And to all you angst lovers: no, I can not tell you the reason. This coping mechanism is the truth for many autistic people who are able to mask/camouflage their autistic traits or were forced to hide their traits.

The best solution would be to leave the situation that caused/causes the meltdown, even if you think you can't leave because socialising is involved. You need to have this meltdown or shutdown. If you bottle it up, it will come back later, more intense. Trust me, I have done this a lot.

Your safety & wellbeing are more important than any social situation.

It is also helpful to know the triggers of your meltdowns & shutdowns to prevent them. Prevention as a form of self-care (yes, you got that right), is the key, but don't let it fool you: even if you do everything in your power to prevent them, you will still melt down or shut down. Keep in mind that this is not your failure.

Also, if you have a person you trust, tell them about your struggles & maybe you can make up a sign that you need support & they can provide it by speaking up for you (it even can be an excuse for you to leave temporarily).

E.g. Nardo & me communicate via ASL in such cases.

I hope I was able to provide some advice!

#donnie answers #donnies exceptional mind #turtle net #donatello infodumps #donnie speaks #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #autistic spectrum #autism #neurodivergency #actually autistic #comfort items #meltdowns #shutdowns #autism awareness #autism community

[h34vybottom]

This post and everything under it are about service shutdowns for 2024. This is by no means a conclusive post nor will I be able to find everything myself. If you notice anything I've missed, feel free to shoot me an ask about it.

#tech #technology #services #shutdowns

[catgirl-catboy]

A lot of autistic people talk about feeling stressed or scared or worried when overstimulated.

Not me. My default emotion was always pissed. Before my parents told me about my diagnosis, it was pissed but I didn't know why or how to stop it.

Public school before they let me bring headphones was fun.

#I spent most of my life thinking I was a bitch with anger issues #I am kinda still one but much less than I initially thought #actuallyautistic #sensory overload #meltdowns #shutdowns #sensory issues #overstimulation #autism

[wat-you-get-is-wat-you-see]

I think something has to be said about Leo’s response to the ‘Wipe that grin off your face!’ bit in the movie. For myself, an Autistic adult, it is the first time I can recall seeing such a reaction like, and, while it has hit me hard, it has taken a month to actually figure out what it is about this scene that makes me keep watching it.

It’s a SHUTDOWN.

Leo is having what I would recognise in myself as a shutdown. No vocalisations while crying, the fact that he just curls in on himself almost loosely but is still tense, his mouth/face is not all screwed up but is also almost sort of slack. There’s also a very brief point when he’s hurtling through the void before it cuts to the close up, and you can see him open his eyes but they’re only half open and kind of dazed (I dare say the fact that he still has the photo in his hand means he didn’t lose consciousness).

And the absolutely wild thing about it that the ultimate cause of it was Krang getting pissed over an emotional display he was displeased with.  And that happens to far too many of us and often it over something we can’t control like being overwhelmed by mundane things or having a meltdown.

Even if this is not what the crew and animators had in mind in making this scene it I want to thank them anyway because being able to see and relate to that sort of response kind of makes me in a way, feel seen.

#rottmnt #rottmnt movie #shutdowns #meltdowns #actually autistic #autism #tmnt

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Hi everyone,

I found some nice information about shutdowns and meltdown. According to this source:

Meltdowns

Meltdowns are often the result of situations which are highly stimulating or create high levels of anxiety which feel like they can't be escaped. When someone is in this situation their reaction is either flight, fight or freeze. If the person cannot escape that leaves two options: either fight or freeze.

Meltdowns are similar to the fight response.

When an autistic person is having a meltdown they often have increased levels of anxiety and distress which are often interpreted as frustration, a 'tantrum' or an aggressive panic attack.

It's important to understand that meltdowns are not 'temper tantrums'. They are a reaction to a highly distressing situation or environment.

While in a meltdown a person can be injurious to others or themselves because of the extreme state of anxiety their body is in. That's why it's really important to minimise the risk of this happening - both for the person and those around them.

Meltdowns are very physically tiring and emotionally draining for the individual. This is because the person has been in a distressing situation and has had a highly adrenalised and emotionalised response.

Shutdowns

If meltdowns are equivalent to the fight response, then shutdowns are similar to the freeze response.

They are often the result of situations with high demand in one or a few of the following areas:

social situations

situations that require a lot of thinking

lack of sleep

very emotional situations

situations that are very active or physical.

An analogy for a shutdown is like a computer trying to turn on but it can't because there isn't enough power to do so. In a shutdown an autistic person might not seem themselves because they're so overwhelmed that their focus has shifted to the basic functions. As they are at a reduced ability to process what is going on they may struggle to communicate as they normally do, which can mean they are mute or have a lot of difficult forming coherent sentences.

I apologize for the long excerpts, but I found them useful and I hope you so do too. The article will be below, as it also goes over on how to prevent meltdowns and shutdowns.

Meltdowns

Shutdowns

#meltdowns #shutdowns #autism #actually autistic #meltdowns are NOT tantrums #how to handle meltdowns & shutdowns #if you’re neurodivergent feel free to reblog

[zhong-leigh]

Inspired by a tiktok vid, I made a little list of how to notice an autistic meltdown/shutdown/overstimulation in my notebook.

I decided to share it with you all, maybe someone who's also undiagnosed/late diagnosed might find it useful, but please note that this is only my own experience, this does not apply to everyone's experiences with meltdowns/shutdowns/overstimulation.

Obviously trigger warning if this topic is triggering for you, please don't read!

SIGNS (that I've noticed in myself):

Increased irritation, frustration, anger

Really, really BAD thoughts. Like insulting people, things, whatever is causing the overstimulation/meltdown in my head

Wanting to hurt whatever/whoever is the cause

Wanting to scream, shout, run away

Intrusive thoughts: "xyz doesn't love me", "they definitely talk shit about me", "I fucked up" etc

Increased sensory sensitivities: noise sensitivity (things seem to be louder than what they probably are), auditory problems (which adds to the frustration), sensitivity to clothes (I start feeling every single fibre in my damn bra and it hurts to wear it)

Being extra snappy at people who might not even deserve it

Wanting to cry or straight up starting to cry (usually crying is the point of no return for me)

Increased stimming (if I'm already in a meltdown, I tend to scratch myself, hit/slap my thighs, grab my own hair)

When shutdown occurs, or when it's near, it becomes harder and harder to speak and function. I express myself less and less, and don't speak where it's not absolutely necessary

Please do note that shutdowns, meltdowns and overstimulation are not the same things. I made the same list for all three because because in my personal experience, the signs are pretty much the same for all.

Shutdown can occur before and after a meltdown for me, but sometimes I don't shut down after a meltdown, it's really a 50-50 chance in my experience.

Overstimulation can lead to either a shutdown, a meltdown or both. But everyone is different.

Feel free to use this list, add your own things, etc.

And again, these are only MY experiences, not everyone will experience the same things.:)

#autism #autistic #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #actually autistic #asd #autistic meltdown #meltdowns #shutdowns #autistic shutdown #overstimulation tw #tw meltdown #tw shutdown

[tinaah113]

Shutdown is not the silent treatment

#psa #shutdown #shutdowns #trauma #ptsd #cptsd #complex ptsd #autistic #freeze #survival mode #nervous system #central nervous system

[notabled-noodle]

Hey was just wondering whether it’s possible to be autistic but not have meltdowns?

yes. some autistic people have shutdowns* rather than meltdowns, some autistic people have meltdowns super rarely, and some autistic people have none of the above.

a meltdown is only one possible expression of autism-related stress (sensory overload, changed plans, etc). we all react to stress in different ways, so we’re not all going to end up having meltdowns even in identical situations

*a shutdown is basically an internalised meltdown — your brain slows down, you’re screaming internally, and everything feels like you’re a computer that needs rebooting

#asks #autism #shutdowns #meltdowns

[dollhousedaydream]

I hate when I can’t figure out which need is not being met and why I’m suddenly in a shutdown

#actually audhd #actually autistic #neurodivergent #neurospicy #shutdowns #burn out #overwhelm