Why is it OK to medicate Panic Attacks but not Meltdowns?

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I was thinking the other day that the sensory overload meltdowns that i get when i am exposed to too much sensory information and stress are very similar in nature to what neural typical people call Panic Attacks

I was reading up on how they treat Panic Attacks, and sure enough, there is a list of established medication that doctors are recommended to give to their patients for this disorder.

I was thinking that why can't the douche bag doctors give the same meds for people with autism spectrum disorder,
as if having a complex neurological condition that causes you to have high levels of anxiety on a daily basis
which is for some part impossible to treat with SSRI's or AntiPsychotics isn;t bad enough

but having sensory overload meltdowns as well, periodically does nothing for our social interaction or social status
i mean, if life wasn't hard enough to get a job, find friends, and engage in romantic relationships

but then we suffer from behavioural issues that from the outside make us look like real nobs and trouble makers
but we are not, instead we are suffering from an incurable neurological condition that makes us flip out (like when an electrical circuit flips out when too much current is passed through it, not a choice but a neurological reaction).

So, f me, these doctors, all so bloody arrogant and smug thinking they know it all but how many of them even
have a basic understanding of the condition

they are complete douche bags in my opinion
as bad as the nazi's
some of them probably would kills us if they were allowed to

but there ya go
makes me want to make them flip out 4 times a week
to get them to realise what a holes they are

but there ya go
any thoughts

OK. Here is a comparison for any MD's (GPs UK terminology) who may be on this board for research (like hell any of them do, that is why their so bloody useless!! !)...

Comparison between Neural Typical Panic Attacks and Autism Spectrum Disorder Sensory Overload Meltdown!

Firstly...
Neural Typical (or Neural typical, although when i write this i get spelling mistake red line) Panic Attacks!

Neural Typical people have normal functional brains, so generally have greater capacity for stress, have normal communication skills, normal conflict management skills and are able to pick up numerous therapies that apparently cure their psychological issues if that have any.

If for any reason a neural typical person needs medication, the good doctors will be happy to prescribe them with SSRI's, which are usually more effective than when treating anxiety in people with ASD.
And perhaps the doctors will also prescribe benzo's for occasional use if and when needed.

Now, for the ASD sensory overload meltdowns

sensory overload meltdowns present themselves in a very similar way to that of panic attack anxiety attacks
pretty much very similar symptoms

the main difference however is that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder have a lower capacity for stress,
and that people with ASD often have a higher level of generalised anxiety which can be caused by numerous reasons but especially, sensory impairment on the hypersensitive people with Autism Disorder.

I also note that not only do people with Autism Spectrum Disorder have a lower capacity for stress, but they also
have no capacity for conflict management due to lacking development in that area of the brain.
So when distressed have no way of coping.

In addition, as poor ability to communicate is also a core feature of the condition which is exacerbated
by stress (which makes communication even harder if not impossible), coupled with the low capacity for stress and the absence of conflict management coping skills, people with Autism Spectrum Disorder who suffer from sensory overload meltdowns experience a similar type of anxiety attack that people who experience panic attack styled anxiety attacks
but with out any positive solution to cure this condition.

So, if you think of both conditions and consider their similarities, I think it would be fair to say that both are similar but with ASD being worse as there is little hope for treating these meltdowns once they are triggered.

So, considering their similarities, you would have expected both conditions to be treated the same by MD's.

But guess what. Although both conditions are almost identical to the person experiencing them,
the neural typical patient gets lots of help in the form of therapies and medication.

The person with Autism Spectrum Disorder gets nothing and told to stop causing trouble!
I think that this fact is criminal, it really is. MD's and Psychiatrists to basically allow human beings to simple suffer
is criminal.

I also note, that people who have meltdowns aren't always violent, and some do not have meltdowns every day.
So do not need to be given anti-psychotics. As these really drain a person of their life and personality.
I think it is scandalous that doctors don't give people with autism spectrum disorder short lasting anti anxiety drugs
in cases where the likelihood of addiction is extremely low and the need for the drug is for occasional use.

Its all very naughty and perhaps unscrupulous!

So I am 100% positive I am an Aspi but have no medical diagnosis. If I were to get officially diagnosed, are there any treatments that help with meltdowns? Sounds here like docs in general do not prescribe anti-anxiety meds. Which is a bummer. Sounds like an option worth trying. Are there any treatments at all other than trying to help myself by trying to see it coming and step away?

I was out of work (again) for a while and now back at work a year and a half. And feel like I'm cracking under the strain. And the people around me have had more than enough of me already. But I don't want to give up and quit again. I want to push through somehow.

I know it's weird but I have this fantasy someone would develop some sort of electro-shock bracelet that would zap me if I'm starting to meltdown. I just don't think anything less drastic can work. I have WAY fewer full-on meltdowns than I did when I was young but I have a lot of mini-ones, and they are annoying enough to neurotypicals who don't understand that almost everyone at work totally shuns me now.

I can only explain from my perspective. To me, a panic attack is something I'm attempting to process based on what I believe the outcome will be. Like loss will mean X, or rejection will probably result in X...
A meltdown is something I am attempting to process based on what is happening. Neither are very fun, but if I were medicated for meltdowns, I would have no experience at coping when the next one came.

I really don't know where your getting the idea OP that docs put us on meds for anxiety & panic attacks but not meltdowns. Us autistics tend to have comorbid disorders like anxiety & panic attacks & lots of us are on psych meds to help with those things. Being on those meds can potentially help with meltdowns too. Some of us specifically get put on meds to help prevent our meltdowns or behavioral issues we have due to meltdowns. Some of the meds we may get put on are to treat specific causes of our meltdowns like us being put on anxiety meds or meds to help us reduce stress. Other times the meds are to specifically help control meltdowns or our behavioral issues that we have due to meltdowns & those meds could include antipsychotics & mood stabilizers. Those ladder two types of meds can sometimes potentially help with anxiety too but they're not a 1st line treatment for anxiety. Some antipsychotics are even FDA approved to treat certain behavioral problems related to autism & those behavioral issues could be meltdown related.

I have a history of panic attacks and meltdowns. I've been prescribed Zoloft, Celexa, and Wellbutrin over the years. SSRIs don't work for me, which is why Zoloft and Celexa weren't helpful. Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor. It has been the most effective, but I think it's important to note that medication won't make panic/anxiety/meltdowns go away, it just helps make them more manageable. I attend therapy in concurrence with my daily medication (which also includes Adderall). My therapist specializes in ASD. I went to "regular" therapists before but did not find them to be very helpful.

I think most people who have ASD constantly have a lot of cortisol and adrenaline being produced because we're always uncomfortable, whether it be around other people, in situations we aren't comfortable with, going to work, going to school, stressing about everyday things most people don't think twice about. We are in "fight or flight" mode basically all the time. Our brains are "wired" differently. I think because our central nervous system is activated all the time we learn to react to environmental stimuli, and not the other way around. That's why we have meltdowns.

It's possible to be exposed to stimuli without immediately reacting. It's really hard work to get there though, and most of us need a lot of help getting there. Unfortunately, there aren't enough community and health supports for adults with ASD, so getting this kind of therapy is not easy.

I've worked extensively to "train" my brain to let me think before I react, but it's been tough and I still have lots of moments where I react before I can think about it. It's just really tough to have a neurological disorder. Sometimes I feel like my body is a computer and when my brain goes haywire and starts opening and shutting programs and I'm hitting alt+ctrl+delete and nothing's happening and I feel helpless and want someone hit my off switch.

I also experience dissociation quite a lot.

Hello
Thanks for the advice from everyone. I believe that part of the problem is that i live on a small island just off of the UK.
And the UK are generally a lot behind the US when it comes to medication.

And to make things worse, the island that i live on is even more behind and has a limited prescribed medicine list.
With some of the meds that you have mentioned not being on the list, even though they are on the UK med list.
Such as Welbutin, which is apparently the go to SSRI for generalised anxiety problems.

I am on deluxotine (celexa), but that's it. And that only partially cures my problems. I am very high functioning,
although i have high anxiety and sensory hypersensitivity, as well as some meltdowns. But am not too keen about going on anti-psychotics. Nor does the psychiatrist that i saw once thinks it would help with the anxiety or the meltdowns.

So, i am stuck in a rut. And am not sure what to do, as the doctors on the island that i live appear to be generally completely clueless when it comes to ASD.

I just find it extremely strange, that the Psychiatrists are able to medicate a wide range of neurological conditions,
which include tourettes, epilepsy, stroke, and various mental health conditions but refuse to medicate the meltdowns in ASD in some because its a neurological condition that they don't understand. All a bit confusing. But not sure what to do apart from perhaps travel to a country where the psychiatrists have a lot of experience treating the condition. Not sure where.

You never know, people like Elon Musk are spending multi millions in developing all sorts of sophisticated tech to operate on the human brain. so you never know. Mr. Musk and others, appear to be making considerable breakthroughs in this area.

I also read that a neuro scientist had also recently been growing mini brains which he grew from stem cells and which he brought back to life (like Dr. Frankenstein) which he hoped would allow him to experiment on to solve some of the problems including how to cure Autism!

Do you mean Wellbutrin If so it's not an SSRI & is an atypical antidepressant. It can also make anxiety worse instead of helping it. I take Buspar/Buspirone for my anxiety & I had to increase it to the max dose after I started Wellbutrin. Incase you don't know Buspar is specially for anxiety & not an antidepressant or benzodiazepine. It's meant to be taken regularly long term. It's an older med so there's a chance your island might have it. It may only help with regular anxiety instead of sensory issues related anxiety. There's also BetaBlockers like Inderal/Propranolol which can sometimes help with anxiety. I read posts by a couple members on this forum who found Inderal also helped with their sensory issues. It's also an older med & it may be one of the most commonly used BetaBlockers. Buspar & Inderal can both be taken with lots of psych & other meds & can even be taken together. I'm on both but I'm on Inderal for a tremor disorder & I haven't noticed it helping with my anxiety but it helps some others. I wish you luck with your treatment.

Medications don't touch my meltdowns at all...

I found I started having less meltdowns after I got on psyche meds. I have some autism comorbid mental issues that the psych meds help with like anxiety, OCD, & depression & those things would contribute to me having meltdowns. Everybody can be different thou & what works for some people may not work for others.

Actually, Risperdal [risperidone] and Abilify [aripiprazole] are two atypical antipsychotics FDA approved for irritability [including meltdowns] in autistic people. Most of the atypical antipsychotics work in similar ways so if either of these doesn't work maybe another will. I myself take Clozaril [clozapine] and Abilify [aripiprazole] [however I also have prominent psychosis comorbid].

As far as SSRIs, they can treat the anxiety that can cause or worsen meltdowns. These are meds like Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, etc.

Benzodiazepines can quickly take the edge off the anxiety and potentially avoid a meltdown. They can also calm someone with a meltdown in progress. These are meds like Klonopin, Ativan, Valium, Xanax, Xanax XR. Personally I hate Xanax XR because I found it ineffective and it's not well suited to this purpose. Ativan and Valium are the fastest acting so would probably be the best for a meltdown situation [not medical advice].

The seizure drug gabapentin can help with anxiety but it's not a guarantee, either.

I can give more information once the OP responds to this post.