How common is overload/meltdowns among aspies?

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I ask because I don't think I experience overstimulation meltdowns.

I can be very hyper active at times, and there are a few times I've lost my temper, but I don't think we're talking about the same thing, or are we?

I wonder the same thing. I have moments where I feel like I just have to leave a certain situation, but I can usually power through it. Is the fact that it doesn't cause me to completely shut down not indicative of it being an actual meltdown?

I don't know how common it is, but I definately experience shutdowns due to overload, they are impossible to "power though" my brain literally feels like it shuts down it's processing - I stop being able to process thought, sensory input etc. I am still not sure exactly what is classified as a meltdown, but if it is anything like ending up in an uncontrollable state, with yelling and what appears to be aggression etc. which I have little memory of or ability to control, then yes, I experience meltdows due to being overloaded, but this is very rare, shut down is my normal response.

I don't have meltdowns from overstimulation, as I don't have bad sensory problems, but I do meltdown easily from stress. If I just have too much going on (too many crises, responsibilities, and/or demands) and I don't have a safe, quiet place to retreat to, then I'll have a meltdown, although they are rarer as I get older.

I do still have a lot of shutdowns though... which ALWAYS result from either anticipating a stessful event that either I have no clue about or have no idea what the outcome will be, OR experiencing a major change in lifestyle with the future outcome uncertain.

Last edited by dyingofpoetry on 28 Jul 2012, 2:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'm not entirely sure. I think I have experienced "meltdown-like-symptoms" perhaps twice in recent memory. The first time my mom was yelling at me for something - as in legitimately screaming - and I totally lost it, flipped out and got hysterical, unable to think straight for at least an hour (at that point in time I was unaware of the possibility of my having AS and chalked the uncharacteristic burst of emotion up to what I thought was high sensitivity). The second time was at school, fortunately during a free period so I wasn't in class. I was stressing about my approaching graduation, and the large quantities of bizarre, out-of-the norm tasks I was being asked to complete (ordering cap and gown, filling out exit paperwork, checking off credit requirements, basically stuff no "ordinary" kid would think twice about). My friend was trying to help me organise everything, and the longer the list grew, the more panicked, frustrated and agitated I became until I basically yelled at her "I can't do this!" and ran (undoubtedly dramatically) out of the classroom and into the nearest bathroom where I hid until my teacher, whose room I had been occupying, came and found me. I guess the exact definition of "meltdown" is a little hard to describe. I've had school-related panic attacks before, but I'm not sure they're really the same thing. I don't ever remember having meltdowns when I was younger.

I have what I consider shutdowns or mild meltdowns as a result of sensory overstimulation, especially in public places like restaurants or the mall. Malls are the worst. You've got your crying babies and whiny kids, loud pop music, noisy food machines, etc. These places are always too warm, and people feel the need to walk two inches behind you.

I don't know if I'd consider this a real meltdown because it doesn't result in a "temper tantrum", but rather what feels like an angry, pessimistic, extremely bad mood. I often feel like I need to leave the store.

When I was younger......oh man. I was always the kid being carried out of the store, kicking and screaming.

I don't have meltdowns all that often, but I am prone to shutdowns, especially if I'm stressed out or upset about something. Shutdowns for me typically last a couple hours; sometimes I have to sleep them off.

You can sleep through shutdowns? Lucky you!

I can't sleep, drink, sit down, eat, or anything else aside from walking in a circle and counting, repeating a word, or chain smoking.

When I came here I was surprised how many people have meltdowns. I don't think I've ever really had one, at least not in the sense that other people would notice it. I get angry quite easily but I have a great deal of self-control and manage to restrain myself most of the time. Sometimes I feel the need to be alone when I'm in a busy place but after 10 to 15 minutes I usually feel fine again.

Sensory overload doesn't cause me to have outbursts. Usually overwhelming emotions cause outbursts, usually triggered by feelings of helplessness, causing frustration and stress. It becomes so bad that it gets to a point where I can't handle the situation, and irrationally think that screaming, cryinf and swearing will solve the situation, although I should be old enough to know that it won't, but at the time I can't see that. But anyway, I DO know that screaming, crying and swearing actually gets the anger and frustration out of me, so then I CAN deal with the situation better.

Everybody gets angry at times. Even those calm, relaxed, placid types of people, they still get angry sometimes, so getting angry is not an unusual thing. I know of some NTs who have broke things when having arguments with their spouse, or something uncontrollable happens to them what they don't feel happy about. And so when you have feelings of anger, frustration, panic, stress and anxiety all mixed into one, it is natural to act on it by doing some form of anger-related actions. But with me, as an Aspie, I get more angry frequently because someone or something ''pushes my buttons'', or I hear of something that always sends me into a panic, usually these things are what most NTs wouldn't get too angry about, so it looks abnormal to other people which then makes me more upset because nobody understands how I feel (lack of empathy), and so I just get worse and worse. When I'm getting angry over something what someone else is also angry over at the same degree, I can know how to prevent the outburst, simply because there is somebody else feeling the same way I'm feeling and so they're practically doing the yelling and swearing for me and all I can do is empathise.

It really depends on what your definition of a meltdown is. Currently, 1-2 times per month I will have a meltdown to the point that I hyperventilate. But when I was younger this often happened at least once if not twice per day.

How often depends on your environment. I live in a pretty quiet neighborhood, but I work at a middle school, so there are plenty of opportunities for me to be overstimulated. As for shutting down, I usually do that in response to not being able to explain something to someone, because (in my view) they wouldn't understand anyway and there's no point.

Maybe you are just lucky... or maybe you got better childhood than for example me, or better care?
Who knows


Luckily my meltdowns are really rare - less than one in year - which is really good, cause in such cases I can really hurt myself


Shutdowns are quite often for me - but they are usually mild, this condition does not harm anyone, and generally lasts for few minutes, so that's OK

I have never experienced what most people describe as a meltdown, but there have been several times i've had what could be called shutdowns. It's usually in situations where i'm VERY strssed and it's as if my brain just goes blank. When this happens, i usually go somewhere quiet to be alone for a while. There has been one or two times in which i've been so angry and upset that i start having trouble speaking.

For me I'll have emotions and series of environmental stressors, and unwanted results from what I'm trying to accomplish, a toxic trio that synergizes.

As it went yesterday; I was already stressed out about a big list of tasks I;m trying to juggle, my 5 other bikes in parts and the only runner giving me trouble, the bathroom faucet has been leaking for months (I've taken everything apart a dozen times already) . As I tackle that once again, doors are slamming, dogs are barking, a cat is screaming for food after he just ate, I'm looping the latest browbeating by my mother, my special interests are calling me and I'm behind on a client's job with a financial obstacle. You can probably conclude how I felt when I turned the water back on and the leak was worse for the additional 2 hours I wasted on it.

I cannot get away from all these triggers often, I end up perseverating on bad tasks due to not wanting to be a quitter. I am frequently mocked for losing it by the same people who do their share of driving me into those states

It would be more common if I didn't always be sure to have a means to combat overload nearby at all times.