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Meltdown or crisis

M

I told a few friends that I'm autistic yesterday. One works as a SEN teacher and told me that it was derogatory to say an autistic person is having a meltdown and they say in crisis instead. 

I say having a meltdown. In crisis doesn't really describe what happens to me. I also mainly SHUT down and need to retreat. Still not a crisis though. 

Thoughts on this?

She also tried to teach me about the spectrum not being a line but a circle. At this point I sarcastically thanked her for teacher me about a condition that I actually have... very patronising. 

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  • i would would say you are having a shutdown --- meltdowns are  more losing control completely screaming and shouting. But i do agree that crisis is too vague  ----- to me shutdowns and meltdowns are traits displayed by autiistics. But I guess other mental conditions may have these traits as well

    i created a collection on shutdowns 

    community.autism.org.uk/.../150828

  • in reply to aidie

    No that's what I am saying, I see meltdowns and shutdowns as two different things and I say both. I wouldn't feel either is offensive and feel that saying crisis is better. Especially like today when I'm panicking because I feel suffocated by a mask and confused by the 1 way system in an unfamiliar shopping centre. Saying I'm in CRISIS over that seems a bit of an exaggeration.

  • in reply to M

    the spectrum can be a circle or a straight line. it doesn't matter. The straight line is easier to describe quickly. I have seen both. The straight line is more common..

    The word Crisis loses me as it is too vague. 

    using meltdowns and shutdowns is fine to me and is the original descriptors in the scientific journals. Maybe there is a change in terminology happening we dont know about. I'll have a poke around to see.

  • in reply to aidie

    Let me know. There is something a bit rude about telling someone who is autistic how they should identify though...

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