Meltdowns

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I seem to hear a lot from u guys about sensory overload which leads to a meltdown. For me, Ive never had a sensory overload meltdown before that I can remember. I will get emotional meltdowns, where I will breakdown and start crying, like from emotional overload. This really varies based on my depression levels and how my lifes going. 3 years ago, I used to get meltdowns 3x a week. Now I have meltdowns maybe once every 2 months. My meltdown history is kinda weird cause I dont remember having them too often until I went to college. I went thru this year and half period when I was 18,19 where I got them frequently, then I learned how to cope better with my surroundings and then they lessened drastically. What kinda things triggers your meltdowns?

I also have emotional meltdowns, like the ones that you have. I get emotional overload as well, and I take everything to heart. I think in emotions. I was also diagnosed with Depression, in my early 20s.

I have emotional and sensory meltdowns. Lately all my meltdowns turn into shutdowns if I don't find a way to head them off, though.

Not really sure what triggers it or how to describe it at all. Sometimes my brain just gets overloaded and I cant use it, cant think. Im just confused and try to make a sense of things. I used to have meltdowns and the distance between them became longer on the way out of my depression. Last year I experienced it maybe 2 times, and I guess Im getting rid of it. The brain overload issue is what I need to get a grip on. I have been thinking that it could be the cause of a meltdown, and that I just have learned to handle it better. But since Im not getting to a meltdown, Im trapped in the confusion and it can take a long time. One way out is to shut out everybody and consentrate on myself, and this is especially hard if the people around me force me into their situation. By the way; people dont even notice when it happens and I just had somebody tell me it looked like I had fun like everybody else...

i usually just get overload, when i meat the one person i fell in love with, who is very emotionally intense. Then there happens something strange: i can't look her into the eyes, just on the left or right side of her face. And i have overload when she talks to me at the same time.

Anyone else who has exactly this?

anton

so u get a meltdown while ur interacting with her? Hmm I've never gotten that. I can become emotionally obsessed with someone quite easily, but I have never gotten a meltdown around them unless they've done something mean to me. Most of the time I wont meltdown until later, after the initial incident.

So do any of u guys actually get meltdowns in public. I would think as adults we woulda learned to control this by now. If I feel a meltdown coming on, I leave. It doesnt happen too often tho.

If I feel something coming on, I find a private place.

Are your meltdowns verbal or non-verbal?

Because mine are very verbal. In fact, throughout the whole meltdown I am using up my whole energy shouting and screaming how I feel about whatever has triggered off the meltdown. My parents get so worn out and tired from listening to my meltdowns, and they wish more that my meltdowns were non-verbal.
Also, other people being calm helps stop my meltdowns, or helps me get over them quick. If somebody tries to cuddle me, I immediately calm down, and let them cuddle me. If somebody tries to make me laugh or talk about the meltdown, I immediately tell them how I'm feeling in a calmer way, or try to laugh at their humour they are using to calm me down. The more I am left alone, the more I cry and cry for ages.

Mostly emotional for me, and some sensory.
An emotional meltdown can kick off from a single word said to me in the "wrong" way, but it usually results from someone getting heated about the way I behave/behaved in a situation and lashing out at me verbally. The "Why don't you ever ..." and "You always do ..." accusative type stuff. I just tear up and feel incredibly vulnerable, and then try to find a darkish secluded place to curl up in. Not necessarily a physical location, but they're best.
The sensory stuff is mostly bright lights, sudden/loud noises and noisy/jostling crowds. I just start feeling very anxious, and that always seems to turn up the intensity of whatever it is that's bombarding me. If I can't get out of it quickly enough then I start shutting down. I got caught out horribly by the lights in a supermarket once, and ended up standing completely still while staring very hard at something on display for a good 15 minutes to pull myself out of it, and then left immediately - without my shopping: that was left abandoned in the trolley.

Nonverbal, I just sorta shutdown and start crying. If I try to talk, I cant. I swear there was this 1 time this lady was accusing me of this stuff and I bursted out crying. I was so choked up I couldnt speak when I tried to. The words were in my head, i couldnt say them. I cant talk in the middle of a meltdown.