Published on 12, July, 2020
I can't stand it...I think it's such an invalidating term, and as a 21-year-old woman I hate it when it's applied to me and my behaviour because it sounds like people are referring to a toddler tantrum: 'meltdown' sounds too frivolous a term for what is such a distressing experience for many people. However, most autistic people I've spoken to don't seem to mind it and freely apply it to themselves, so I'd be really interested to hear what people on here think.
Anyway...I hope you've all had a lovely bank holiday and that you have a good week. :)
I don't like 'meltdown' either both because it sounds like a childish strop and also because it doesn't really describe my personal experience. Overload is good but for me is half the story, overload of stress or fear is usually followed by implosion not explosion in my case. Once that has occurred then I withdraw and depending on the severity I will stay in hermit mode until it passes which can be anything from hours to years. This has been my pattern since I was about 5 years old, it sucks but I guess I just have to live with it.