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Shutdowns - how many is too many?

Con

I recently self diagnosed as Autistic and have been learning a lot about myself because of it.

One of the parts of it I'm not sure on is the regularity of my shutdowns and if it is normal or too much.

I'll tend to have at a minimum a couple everyday. Usually one when I get in from work and one around bed time. The severity of these can range, most of the time I'll at least want to just be left alone but I can also become non verbal with my sensory sensitivities also heightened, among other things.

I'll have two at a minimum though. Depending on the day I'm having, maybe stress, sensory sensitivities, masking etc. I may also have more.

Is this a normal amount? I'm 30 years old and have only in the last couple of months realised I'm Autistic so I think I've just gotten used to a constant level of stress/dealing with symptoms so not really sure what my normal should feel like!

Any advice or similar stories would be helpful! I'm also still trying to understand a lot of my sensitivities and what I can do to help myself. 

Parents

  • It really is different for all of us and we have our own descriptions for how we feel at any one time. For example, I wouldn’t say I experience shut down when I get in from work, but I do tend not to speak, and just go about my business in the routine I have and keep things low key. I need that time to de stress. 
    So, if I look at thing like you, then yes, I might have more than one a day. But for me, I would say when I completely withdraw from others and cannot speak, that’s my shut down. 

    My advice would be to try and not make comparisons, as we are all different. But, see if there’s anything you can do to lighten the load for yourself, so you don’t feel the need to shutdown as much. I know you can’t help it occurring, but you might be able to work out what triggers them. It’s worth saying if you have recently realised you are autistic, you are going to be in quite a heightened state still, with lots to think about and lots of the last to go over. This is a stressful time. 

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  • It really is different for all of us and we have our own descriptions for how we feel at any one time. For example, I wouldn’t say I experience shut down when I get in from work, but I do tend not to speak, and just go about my business in the routine I have and keep things low key. I need that time to de stress. 
    So, if I look at thing like you, then yes, I might have more than one a day. But for me, I would say when I completely withdraw from others and cannot speak, that’s my shut down. 

    My advice would be to try and not make comparisons, as we are all different. But, see if there’s anything you can do to lighten the load for yourself, so you don’t feel the need to shutdown as much. I know you can’t help it occurring, but you might be able to work out what triggers them. It’s worth saying if you have recently realised you are autistic, you are going to be in quite a heightened state still, with lots to think about and lots of the last to go over. This is a stressful time. 

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