Asperger Meltdowns

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Does anyone else have meltdowns? What happens when you have them? I have them really bad when I can't deal with emotions, or I feel like I've had a failed social attempted. I'm usually really cranky, cry uncontrollably, and just plain out frustrated.

Sometimes that's almost a daily occurrence. It actually sounds kind of mild when you describe it like that, but it never feels that way at the time, eh? My biggest frustration is people expecting me to be able to do everything as easily as they do and acting like I'm being intentionally difficult when I tell them I can't. They have no idea how hard some things are, like interacting with people. Its no wonder it makes a person tired and cranky, people are dense as bricks.

It's more severe than I can explain in words. lol I know what you mean about dense people. It's extremely annoying.

I do. Usually they're caused by sensory things or when I just can't take anymore stress. I'm the crying, screaming, knocking head against anything type.

I have meltdowns but they don't happen very often but when they do, I have to put some sort of warning sign "Warning: Having a meltdown, stand back or it would hurt you more than it would hurt me."

But obviously I didn't mean put the sign up but it would be the signal I would give and last meltdown was in an argument that I was in and it felt horrible but most of the times I would just shut down and say nothing.

I get them maybe once or twice a month. They're the kind where I yell at the offender and than I cry for 15 minutes.

I am curious... How do you differentiate these "meltdowns" to the ones that NTs have all the time?

The only AS type "meltdowns" I seem to have are those caused by senses hpyersensitivity. I do not go mad, but rather shut down, stim or do weird things like cover my ears or leave the room.

I usually meltdown in airports. Luckily my meltdowns are generally internal. But I hate airports - the crowds, the security, the constant announcements, the unpredictability, etc. I can't tell you how many times they've lost my luggage. Anyway, three years ago during Christmas break at school, I was flying from Boston to Cincinnati to be with my family over the holidays. There was a terrible snow storm. We sat on the plane for EIGHT HOURS. All they gave us was a package of crackers and a small bottle of water. Eventually, they told us the flight was cancelled and we all had to spend the night in the airport. I didn't sleep at all that night. I got a new ticket for an early flight the next day and ran to the bathroom. I'm surprised I held my meltdown in that long, really. But I locked myself in a stall and started listening to my iPod. I bit the collar of my hoodie and silently screamed for a while. It was great because I was on a different floor of the airport than most of the other people so no one came in while I was in there.

Ah, that sucks. That happens to me in crowed places too espically school!

I had one today when I was trying to get a flat tire to a gas station.

First I would like to ask what an NT is cause I have never heard of that before.

Second I have meltdowns frequently and they can be about nothing at all, at least nothing important to anyone else like going outside for gym.

Haven't had one since I started taking low doses of antidepressants. But sometimes they're caused by me remembering a traumatic event from my past. Other times they're usually a combination of sensory overload and something that makes me frustrated such as a bad social interaction or situational thing. I used to be more prone to self-injurious behaviors but now I just go somewhere and cry.

I am very similar to you. although I rarely cry. My wife calls them fits, but it is like I go into a blind anger/frustration that I can't control. When I was younger I would throw things, kick, hit things, etc., but as I have gotten older, it is more of a mental state and not physically acting out, if that makes any sense. It feels like at that moment the meltdown is the only thing in my world. My wife did a lot of reading and found the best thing to do is just leave me alone until the meltdown passes.

When an NT gets mad and scream a lot that is not a meltdown. A meltdown is caused when people can't control their emotions. NT's can have more control over their emotions. There is an actual defect in the Limbic system that doesn't regulate our emotions. I don't like it how the media uses the word so much these days. A person that insults a shop assistant isn't having a meltdown, well, unless they're autistic.
A meltdown is not a tantrum. We don't have them because we want to get our own way. We can't block out sensory stimuli and we can't control our emotions. Well some might be able too. We're all different.

Huh? Are you sure this is Aspergers and not depression that can often follow the Aspergers? I feel I have amazing control of my emotions.. Almost too much control in fact.

Read the last two sentences. People experience symptoms in different ways. It could be a more ADHD thing. I'm sick to death about people saying I have depression. I think I'd know if I have depression. I'm the opposite of depression. People that know me are probably sick of my positive attitude trying to get them to feel better about themselves.
If people can't control their emotions they usually have a meltdown. How else would you explain the the differences in severity of meltdowns?
Now there are some people that don't show much emotion. I wouldn't call this control though. But everyone with autism/AS is affected differently. So you can control your emotions? That's great. I can't. And I'm pretty sure there are other autistics that can't as well.