What are Autistic Meltdowns & Shutdowns?

Today, I want to share with you what autistic meltdowns and shutdowns are and what the difference is. I really hope this helps you with some understanding about meltdowns and shutdowns in people with autism and asperger's.

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[TheYangnyin]

My meltdowns and shutdowns are similar to yours. Explosive upset - sobbing, screaming, etc or a mini depression where I have no energy to do much of anything, whether it's responding to others or doing things I enjoy - just empty.

[lysagreen]

For me, I don’t always know why they happen but usually, I feel a lot of pressure building inside my body. Usually, I just become very quiet and withdrawn only focusing on what I have to do at that time (especially at work).. If people leave me alone, usually, I get it together fairly quickly. If not, I explode! Shouting cursing and not able to shut up or stop shaking or tapping my legs or fingers. I am always totally ashamed for people to see that in me, because, at 59, it doesn’t seem very age appropriate.

[annalisaslibrary]

This gives a lot of clarity to a meltdown I had a year ago. It's nice to have it reaffirmed that I really don't have control over it.

[metaronin]

I think I've walked out of one or two jobs because of this when I was younger. It's like having your back to the wall and you can't go any further and it feels like your head is going to "pop". Tried explaining this sensation to my parents but they didn't get it at all, like the idea is you're just supposed to "be tough" or something. I've just learned to manage my life so I don't ever get near this point ever, but that's also a lot of work and making sure I don't end up in certain situations where I don't have an "escape" if I feel that moment getting closer. Getting older helps in terms of self control and better planning but I've had a moment or two where I was almost not in control of the words I was saying because I was pushed too far and felt like I had to leave an apartment, job, friendship etc. because a line had been crossed and I couldn't react or process the situation anymore so I had to hit the "ejector seat".

[cyborgpunkmonk]

I usually always have a shutdown. Altho I have had short outbursts of anger or long moments of irritability when in these states.
But when I have the choice and ability, I always aim for shutdown over meltdown. It creates the least amount of stress for me.

But I think this is one reason people think I'm not on the spectrum.
Recently got told by someone they didn't believe I was, so I'm binging videos on these topics again. I was already stressed by multiple unexpected changes, so I shut down when they still didn't believe me after I explained there's different levels of severity and we're not all the same. And with the few examples I managed to start explaining, they said it sounds like them (the usual "I do that. You're normal" thing).
My brain was racing and froze at the same time. I couldn't think properly on what to say next or bring myself to move my mouth to speak on anything anyway. But I felt very overwhelmed, like screaming and crying, running into a wall/hitting myself, or collapsing to the floor to feel the gravity & imagine the earth rotating. But I was frozen, so I didn't move. Until I managed the energy to just walk away and be alone.
I've starting rewriting things down in list form so I can better explain to them later. After I go over it a couple hundred times. XD

[violetl]

for me it's an outburst of crying or involuntarily hurting myself in some way. I implode rather than explode

[tsetse]

Finally a video that gives examples! Other meltdown videos: only talk about what causes meltdowns and how to go about them, but they don't give examples. So this one is way more in depth.

[CIII]

I am actually a very reserved and patient person but I have high functioning ASD. My biggest triggers are sight-based and sound-based sensory overload, though I experience them all regularly. When I become overwhelmed, I generally have an outward meltdown first and then I retreat inward and have a shutdown. Then it feels like all of my energy is drained and I can’t real speak to anyone, no matter how much I’d want to explain myself. I wouldn’t have the mental capability at that moment to do so, and that’s frustrating for everyone.

Before I knew I was autistic, I seriously thought I was throwing fits and tantrums. I was so embarrassed and ashamed, because I’m a young man. I felt that I was beyond that. But then I realized how awful I used to feel afterwards, and that I never had these lashing out moments because I wanted something specific. It just felt like my brain was a volcano whose magma had finally erupted after a long, grueling build-up, and now it couldn’t be controlled. I still feel ashamed whenever I have these episodes, especially in front of people. I feel as if they think I’m doing it for attention or that I’m a weirdo or crazy person with a bad attitude.

[guitarmama]

When my kids were little, I had more shutdowns than meltdowns. One shutdown that was really bad, happened at church. I literally could not move, and I could only stare straight ahead. Another mom rushed over to me to try to help 'snap me out of it', all I could giver her was one word sentences. It didn't help at all. Her voice was muffled to boot, like I was under water. If someone had lead me to a dark, quiet room, I might have 'snapped' out of it sooner, but nobody ever did or even thought of that, so I don't know if it would have even worked. But those shutdowns were awful, especially in the social setting of church.

[isabellascoolchannel]

An autism meltdown for me is when I get upset and cry and become angry and feel like to throw something or do something that is bad and be sad.

[mireillepoirier]

When I was a kid I used to hide in a tiny closet and I even did that at university living in residence with a room mate. I find the darkness and the small space helps me to calm down. I rarely have violent meltdowns, but I do have a history of screaming and crying. Although, now in my forties, I find I shutdown more than meltdown. If I have a meltdown, I can usually muster up enough self control to only do it once I am safely alone.

[tiffinistallings]

As a parent this really helps me better understand my 17 year old as continues to leave more and more about her Aspergers/Autistic shutdowns. I thought she was just ignoring me. Thanks!

[aylen]

I had a wrong understanding of what a meltdown was and until now I wasn't sure I was autistic because I thought I never had a meltdown and I can bear being in public transport, although it always stressed me out a little bit despite being a special interest of mine. Now I understand I've actually had hundreds of meltdowns, one really intense and prolonged being yesterday, from which I'm barely starting to feel better, and it was caused by the bus being too noisy followed by being sorrounded by too many people for several hours, and worsened by bright lights. After a whole day in the dark, silence and constantly stimming, I still can barely form a sentence if I have to talk to someone in real life, if at all.

My suspition that I could be on the autistic spectrum is growing.

[haleyhowell]

Thank you for being here and sharing your experiences. I am pursuing a diagnosis (about to turn 23) and it is reassuring to hear from someone so like myself! I don't have meltdowns and shutdowns now (although I know when and how to take myself out of situations where that would happen-- although I am certain there are still things that I could not predict that would lead to it) but I had multiple meltdowns as a kid when I felt like my perfect grades were at stake or when I felt like things were out of control.

[prosaicprose]

Thank you so much for this video. I was starting to think I was alone in Autistic group.

[MykeWinters]

I call it “going into myself” when I have shutdown and usually any anger is directed at myself, but not always (I spend 95% alone) and start to talk to myself, berate myself - others sometimes, get very frustrated, etc. when I have any shutdowns around people, I go quiet and it’s worse when people start to ask “are you ok” “anything wrong”, I feel the pressure build up because I feel I’m being forced to interact when all I’d like is to be left alone and I can’t really vocalise it. My thoughts are racing in my head and I know it will come out at hundred miles an hour and I don’t want people thinking I’m a weirdo. Strange sensation. Meltdowns happen when I am forced to interact and I can’t really cope with that situation, again the mind is racing at a hundred miles an hour and it comes out and I go off on tangents and I then overthink about what they may be thinking about when I’m in that state, in fact both states. It get extremely stressful when I overthink

[thevirtualjim]

I tend more toward shutdowns - and often i can play it off as being 'tired' or 'worn out' meltdowns are rare and when they do happen they are usually just a sudden short outburst - unless someone tells me to stop or something and that makes it worse and last longer.

[karinadelberg]

Love your channel.Most informative, very thorough, your extremely eloquent and your sweet voice is a joy to both Aspies and Neurological

[JoshuaTheTransitProdigy]

I had a minor meltdown today because here we go:
I'm the Assistant Manager for Sonic Drive-In. It was more so mental by the way. Anyways, corporate came to our store to make sure everything was being done correctly and even though both the owners, HR and the GM came to assist me on my shift (I was the opening manager), I felt the pressure. It went great however, suffered a headache afterwards. If you had a meltdown today to everybody who's watching this, I'm autistic too, it happens to me too, you're loved and Stephanie and I'm here for you.

[Eccentric_Villain]

Christmas 2019, I nearly had a meltdown... the pressure of having so many people (Immediate family) over Our house (my son shut himself in his room and stayed there, he too is Autistic). Social gatherings are not our strong suits.