How common are meltdowns with aspies?

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I've only had one shutdown in recent memory (the past 5 years). The only two times that I've come close to a "meltdown" was when I was working overnight at McDonalds.

Largest orders, slowest food, rudest customers. Maintenance people in your way. You get the picture.

But even then, I would have considered them FUNCTIONAL meltdowns. I still did everything that was expected of me. I felt like I was going insane, and the smell of the food was starting to make me sick. I got really snappy at my co-workers. But I knew that it wouldn't have helped anything if I lost it completely.

Other than that, I'm a very chill person and I couldn't imagine having a meltdown or shutdown in anything but the most stressful situations.

You think that's bad, try working overnight at McDonald's 401 West, busiest restaurant in Canada, during a double bus and concert rush. We went through a box of reg meat in about an hour. Worst part was, we were working faster than when we were fully staffed during the day, and I was working grills because I was the fastest person in the store on grills at that time, and grills stresses me out more than cash, as it destroys me hands and the heat makes me sick, and the noise of working kitchen can be hell. I got home in the morning needing sleep and being unable to get a good qamount from that night's work.

By meltdowns do we mean full blown ones or just small ones? If small ones i have them 1 - 4 times a week, Big ones, i have one about every month

This I would not be able to handle. It's just one of those situations where there's so many distracting things AND you're under time pressure and people are talking in the background and all... O.o

I haven't had meltdowns lately.

My girlfriend seems to have found the cure to stopping 'em dead in their tracks:

I've got a lot of great ideas, but like most Aspies, my intense anxiety was killing my ability to use what I had.

Well, she gave me a relaxation CD; I listen to it almost every night before I go to bed.

It's gotten me so relaxed, my head is finally clear, and I can think.

And because I can think, I can also learn better. Upon learning better, I can find out what works and what doesn't.

One thing I learned was that we Aspies are a disaster at communicating our ideas verbally..but we're in heaven when it comes to written word.

I used to have a lot of bad fights with my room-mate...haven't had any really as of late, because I don't start screaming at him...I don't need to now, now that I know how to properly express myself, and it works.

And with a clear head, I'm able to truly unleash myself, and it's working great.

So lately, no meltdowns...and I'm loving it

I've never had any...

It depends on the situation. Used to be all of my meltdowns were at work. It depends on the work environment and the people I work with. I had an assembly job where I worked with a bunch of idiots. There was no structure as to when break was or when the shift ended. I used to melt down almost every day. I also worked in tax preparation with a set start and end time. in the three years I worked in tax preparation, I never had a meltdown (though a few of my clients did when they found out they owe money.)