• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 83 subscribers
  • Views 1384 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Coping with intense negative emotions

Emily

Hi everyone Blush

so obviously part of being autistic is feeling emotions really intensely. This is something I love about being autistic when it relates to positive emotions, but how do you cope with feeling negative emotions so intensely?

Today I found a job I really wanted, but because its part time I can't afford to take the salary cut. I feel like most neurotypical people would be able to shrug thus off, but this has sent me into complete meltdown with uncontrollable tears. 

How do other people manage their emotions? I wish I could just brush these things off.

Parents

  • It's not nice and is one of the big downsides of being autistic. I hope that it passes soon.

    I had a huge meltdown yesterday, with uncontrollable tears for several hours. Once the initial response has died down I tend to retreat somewhere quiet and try and absorb myself in one of my interests if possible. Meltdowns like that leave me exhausted and often with a headache or migraine. Thankfully I've calmed down overnight.

    I try and avoid things that I know are likely to trigger me. Don't take that as advice, as avoidance isn't always the best strategy and it depends on the situation. Some triggers can be outside of our control and impossible to avoid.

    One thing I would say is try not to intensify the negative emotions, by blaming yourself, for feeling and reacting that way. It is due to being autistic and not your fault. That's a hard habit to break sometimes, particularly if you have been diagnosed as an adult.

  • in reply to Autonomistic

    Thank you for the reassurance. I do tend to close off after a meltdown, once the tears eventually subside. It can be really difficult to take that time though, for example today the meltdown happened while I was working (from home thankfully!) and I've been really struggling with executive dysfunction all day now and haven't been able to focus on work at all as I'm still exhausted from this morning's meltdown. I'm just thinking of when I finish work for the weekend and can crash and recover properly! I'm sure working through it will make it worse in the long run, but sometimes you just can't avoid it. 

Reply
  • in reply to Autonomistic

    Thank you for the reassurance. I do tend to close off after a meltdown, once the tears eventually subside. It can be really difficult to take that time though, for example today the meltdown happened while I was working (from home thankfully!) and I've been really struggling with executive dysfunction all day now and haven't been able to focus on work at all as I'm still exhausted from this morning's meltdown. I'm just thinking of when I finish work for the weekend and can crash and recover properly! I'm sure working through it will make it worse in the long run, but sometimes you just can't avoid it. 

Children
No Data