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Meltdown?

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yondoloki
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18 May 2012, 6:24 am

The feeling that you can't handle anymore, the last straw, too much, too many thoughts, overload?


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McAnulty
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18 May 2012, 8:00 am

I'm NT and I sometimes have meltdowns like that. I think the difference is how far I need to be pushed to have one. I think it takes me longer to get into that state than most people with AS, but if pushed hard enough I can exhibit the same behaviors. I think what makes it different is I have learned ways to deal with things other than having meltdowns, it is easier for me to control my response to extreme stress, and I don't experience extreme stress often. I think meltdowns aren't limited to people with AS, but rather people with AS are more prone to stress and anxiety and have a harder time controlling extreme emotions and so this results in more meltdowns. The meltdown process can happen to NT's when they reach this level of stress.



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18 May 2012, 8:23 am

I should add that when I have meltdowns I wouldn't dare do it in front of other people, and I think most NT's who might have them are the same, which is why they don't appear to have them. It's often in private
Of course some NT's don't have them at all, just like some people with AS don't either



rebbieh
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18 May 2012, 12:04 pm

McAnulty wrote:
I'm NT and I sometimes have meltdowns like that. I think the difference is how far I need to be pushed to have one. I think it takes me longer to get into that state than most people with AS, but if pushed hard enough I can exhibit the same behaviors. I think what makes it different is I have learned ways to deal with things other than having meltdowns, it is easier for me to control my response to extreme stress, and I don't experience extreme stress often. I think meltdowns aren't limited to people with AS, but rather people with AS are more prone to stress and anxiety and have a harder time controlling extreme emotions and so this results in more meltdowns. The meltdown process can happen to NT's when they reach this level of stress.


I experience anxiety and stress very often. Daily. But I don't have meltdowns daily. I very often bottle up all the anxiety and stress I feel every day until I can't take it anymore and then there's one thing (like feeling misunderstood like I did yesterday) that triggers a meltdown. Anyone else doing this?



Last edited by rebbieh on 19 May 2012, 1:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

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18 May 2012, 2:56 pm

When i have a meltdown i'm starting to stutter a lot and i become very incoherent. Sometimes i'm shaking if the fighting is going too far.
One thing really hate is that usually i have this stupid impulse to justify myself so the arguing keeps going on and on and on.
Maybe it would have been better if i would have been born blind and mute, i got tired to hear all the bullshits people throw at me and try to be convincing that im OK.


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rebbieh
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19 May 2012, 1:25 am

How often do you have meltdowns?

I've got major meltdowns maybe once every two months or so. I have minor ones quite often but then I usually go into shutdowns instead. I get "deadlocked" in certain thoughts, get very anxious, can't stand anyone touching me and just want to be left alone. I sort of stop functioning properly so I sit in silence and just stare out the window or something. I often need to sleep it off.



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19 May 2012, 1:31 am

AnotherKind wrote:
When i have a meltdown i'm starting to stutter a lot and i become very incoherent. Sometimes i'm shaking if the fighting is going too far.

I know I'm close to a meltdown or shutdown when I have the urge to flee the room. It's either that or I completely lose it.

Quote:
One thing really hate is that usually i have this stupid impulse to justify myself so the arguing keeps going on and on and on. .

Yeah, I have this trait too.



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19 May 2012, 3:42 am

rebbieh wrote:
How often do you have meltdowns?


I must admit these are pretty frequent in the last time. Maybe once a week but there are weeks when i have meltdowns everyday.
It depends on the people around me - if they don't disturb me too much, i'm ok and i can be really calm.


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Sainrith
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19 May 2012, 12:37 pm

I have found that if I exercise regularly, I have fewer meltdowns. It's like the workouts diminish the accumulated stress of the various triggers for me.


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Senath
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19 May 2012, 6:28 pm

McAnulty wrote:
I'm NT and I sometimes have meltdowns like that. I think the difference is how far I need to be pushed to have one. I think it takes me longer to get into that state than most people with AS, but if pushed hard enough I can exhibit the same behaviors. I think what makes it different is I have learned ways to deal with things other than having meltdowns, it is easier for me to control my response to extreme stress, and I don't experience extreme stress often. I think meltdowns aren't limited to people with AS, but rather people with AS are more prone to stress and anxiety and have a harder time controlling extreme emotions and so this results in more meltdowns. The meltdown process can happen to NT's when they reach this level of stress.


I guess that makes sense. I was also wondering about the difference. I definitely get to a point where I can't take "it" and usually I have no more functional ability and I have to sleep it off too.

My boyfriend sometimes teases me that I'm going into an "autism rage" when I start to get worked up (he just does it to try to relieve tension with humor but it's still irritating, especially if he's contributing to the problem and not understanding how upset I'm getting because of it). He has seen instances of my flipping out (that were probably due in part to anxieties from Asperger's) that I guess would be "meltdowns".



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19 May 2012, 6:29 pm

I also agree that regular bouts of intense daily exercise (such as a 10 mile bike ride) helps immensely to relieve some stress.