How much can you actually hear under a meltdown??

Ahh, thank you again for responses.

So it is what I initially thought, back to every ASD individual is different mantra. How true is this statement!

Also, even with with little Cousin's parents being convinced she's totally dissociated, I wouldn't be so sure myself - as when bugged during one of her 'moods', she would yell out, “no!”.

Regarding my meltdowns, I seem to rarely get driven into one, but if I am… That's when it gets nasty. ‘Rare but intense’ is best way to describe it. I've not had one for several weeks now, thanks goodness.

I semi-cope by keeping myself occupied with something I like if I sense I'm near one - works most of the time. I've been to lot more near-meltdown states than under actual meltdowns I believe (but then again impossible to keep stats).

With battling self-harm, that's much worse. I don't think the ice cube thing would work as I'd most likely just chuck them away. I found that if I manage to attack my legs, less harm is caused. But very bad if I'm holding something in my hand at that moment, as I've whacked myself to blood with a booklet before on my second-last meltdown.

Anyway, thanks all for your interesting input.

people who can take advantage of your altered state.

When she dissociates she can self harm in a meltdown or she can freeze. At least with a meltdown it's clear she's distressed. The freeze form can be missed and that along with her propensity to not seek help we usually only hear about problems when they are big.

I'm guessing also things change over time because she's shown shifts in her stimming behaviour too.

So back to your question: in your case you can hear when in a meltdown. You may also intensify your self harming if ridiculed as your uncle did. 

Whatever is going on, working with someone to help you develop self management strategies to deal with meltdowns is important, particularly because you inflict physical harm on yourself and a public meltdown like this could land you in a police cell.

1) You need to carry ID that explains you have autism

2) You will have ideas how you can deescalate a meltdown either before it starts up or in the early phases... having that thought through and being unafraid to implement it despite what those around you might say is important. Working with self harmers, I've been told squeezing ice cubes gives the pain sensation without damage, so that might be possible sometimes.

3) With trusted supporters you let them help you. I have audio sensitivity with my DCD and my partner takes me out of crowded spaces to a quiet area he will have found for me every hour for 10 minutes if we have a busy social event. He can spot the signs I'm getting exhausted and frustrated with verbal tracking in an adverse environment.

Alisha,  you seem to be asking if you can have a meltdown without dissociation. The simplest answer I can give is ASD is hugely variable and I believe that both are possible.

My step daughter dissociates a lot. She will do so at the first sign of conflict around her. It was a useful coping strategy when younger because she could avoid the arguments and trauma. Problem is at 16 dissociation is risky. It makes you vulnerable to

Hi Alisha.

I can hear absolutely fine, but its like I am paralyzed inside a bubble thats short circuiting my brain. I can talk as well, though I tend not to make much sense. My 4 year old son hits his head on things, but we are pretty sure he can hear as when he does this we start calmy counting something out loud in calm voices and most times (Though not all) he will calm down and join in, a bit like a buddhist mantra.

The main thing to remember is that everyone with Aspergers is as individual as anyone who isn't. There can be similar traits, but there are no 'one size fits all' descriptions

I am able to hear just fine. That's not where the problem is. The brain interprets what it heats and reacts as it sees fit. That's where the scrambling happens. I hear something different than actually happened because my brain got confused. I may have heard it right, and I think I am reacting accordingly yet the signals are scrambled and I'm being in appropriate.

Oh, I'm not new, posted here before.

In the last couple of months I've gained a lot of understanding of my ASD and I think I know my main strengths and weaknesses by now. Such as the one about false accusations……

Thanks for the responses, but I'm not sure if anyone has quite captured what I was asking for, which was simply - are you able to hear when you're in a meltdown state and not? Or perhaps I should ask, understand the words/noise said to you?

In simplification, yes or no. (Yea quite guilty of black&white thinking in my perception of issues).

That's really what I was trying to find out about.

I don't think that meltdown is really a precise term. For some people a meltdown is an attack of red mist, a complete loss of temper, losing control. For other people it may be much more like an epileptic seizure, i.e. a much more profound and serious thing.

Equally, people think of their autism differently, for me it is there 100% of the time. It affects my ability to make sense of and to make sense to other people. I do get waves of increased sensory issues and I do get passing moods that affect my interactions even more profoundly but the autism bit is a constant underlying and immovable thing.

Hi Alisha, welcome to the forrum. I'm new to this would myself. A month ago I had no idea what autism or Asperger's was. As soon as I stumbled across Asperger's LOTS of little previously unconnected things suddenly fit. I'm 44. I'm still processing it. I see it as a good thing, it's like a layer of self awareness that most don't have. I've just started the process for an official diagnosis. I already know the results.

In terms of how much I hear I'd look at it differently. I describe my Asperger's as a force I've never seen before that steps forward under certain stimulii. It controls my action, reactions, what makes sense and what doesn't. I hear everything, but understand different. Things that make sense normally may not at those times. The desire to communicate is still there but I don't comprehend the same, not make myself understood. This just fuels the engine. I wonder if that's why the general advice of "talk with them". It could also explain the "bring them back to safe knowledge". I'd look at this as trying to calm the storm so you can regain control.

If literal understanding is a thing, being told to harm yourself is something that's gonna make sense when you're not in control.