*Autistic Shutdowns collection* - Do you experience these ?

Hi... I don't really know if these are shutdowns as I am not really sure what that term means but I have a range of experiences where my processing and my ability to interact with the world around me seems to shutdown ranging from self elected temporary 'time outs' through to pretty significant and destructive periods of my life. 

The shutdowns that I have and still do experience on a daily basis include:

• aged 5 I used to hide in my coat and pretend to be asleep during break times and lunchtimes at infant school. 
• Now I can often find myself just stuck not thinking or doing anything. This tends to happen when I have driven home after work and I have stopped the car and I will simply stay sat in it for up to 45mins. Or after having a shower I will often just stand in my towel again for up to 45mins.
• Laying on my bed not doing anything... These last up to 2 hours. I live during the week by myself so it doesn't really impact on anyone.

The more pervasive shutdowns I have experienced have included severly restricting the types of food I eat, and isolating myself from any none essential contact with others. This has happened twice in my life. The first time for a couple of years and the second probably about 8 months. 

I have also experienced on a couple of occassions literally not being able to talk. When I have tried to talk random words that make no sense have come out of my mouth. I have had to completely isolate myself from all sensory input in order to get over these. Thankfully the longest that this has happened to me has only been half a day.

The big ones have been triggered by significant shifts in social demands (teenage years and early adulthood). The day to day one's generally are triggered from too much interaction with other people either socially (not that often as I don't socialise very much) or when I have been caught up in social interactions at work...work place banter is particularly exhausting for me. 

I find that regular exercise, engaging in calming interests (drawing), eating good nutritious food and having a relaxing routine to help me get better sleep on a daily basis helps.

Hope this helps others... I am always slightly cautious of putting out into the world the really tricky stuff that I have experienced. I wouldn't want people to think that autism means that these things have to happen. 

Hi... I don't really know if these are shutdowns as I am not really sure what that term means but I have a range of experiences where my processing and my ability to interact with the world around me seems to shutdown ranging from self elected temporary 'time outs' through to pretty significant and destructive periods of my life. 

The shutdowns that I have and still do experience on a daily basis include:

• aged 5 I used to hide in my coat and pretend to be asleep during break times and lunchtimes at infant school. 
• Now I can often find myself just stuck not thinking or doing anything. This tends to happen when I have driven home after work and I have stopped the car and I will simply stay sat in it for up to 45mins. Or after having a shower I will often just stand in my towel again for up to 45mins.
• Laying on my bed not doing anything... These last up to 2 hours. I live during the week by myself so it doesn't really impact on anyone.

The more pervasive shutdowns I have experienced have included severly restricting the types of food I eat, and isolating myself from any none essential contact with others. This has happened twice in my life. The first time for a couple of years and the second probably about 8 months. 

I have also experienced on a couple of occassions literally not being able to talk. When I have tried to talk random words that make no sense have come out of my mouth. I have had to completely isolate myself from all sensory input in order to get over these. Thankfully the longest that this has happened to me has only been half a day.

The big ones have been triggered by significant shifts in social demands (teenage years and early adulthood). The day to day one's generally are triggered from too much interaction with other people either socially (not that often as I don't socialise very much) or when I have been caught up in social interactions at work...work place banter is particularly exhausting for me. 

I find that regular exercise, engaging in calming interests (drawing), eating good nutritious food and having a relaxing routine to help me get better sleep on a daily basis helps.

Hope this helps others... I am always slightly cautious of putting out into the world the really tricky stuff that I have experienced. I wouldn't want people to think that autism means that these things have to happen. 

no this is a great account.  you get these everyday wow that is quite a lot. going to the country side would lower your anxiety so keep doing that :)

thanks for this detailed account with added prevention tips !

Oh and I forgot to mention the most restoratative thing that helps and avoids shutdowns which is to spend time in natural environments particularly woodlands...