Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm sure I can't be the only one but I really feel like I am.
For reference I've always had them. As a kid I was punished for them and prior to diagnosis I thought I was 'mad' and would be sectioned if I told anyone about them. I hid in toilets thru school and work so no-one saw. It was only when I realized I was autistic that they made any kind of sense at all.
Whilst I understand meltdowns are normal for us I can't forgive myself for them. No details but I hurt myself a good deal, never anyone else. I contain everything I can until I burst, and when I know I can't avoid it I run so no-one sees.
Does anyone have any tips for accepting this part of being autistic?
Thanks in advance folks
I understand why you are feeling this, but there is no reason for us to feel bad or guilty about melt down, albeit often others do not get it and make us feel bad.
You might find Luke Beardon makes sense with this. He has a simple equation: Autism + environment = outcome
Truth is our neurologies overload and need to purge. They must purge irrespective of any conscious intent on our part. Result: meltdown. There is NOTHING you or anyone else can do "manage' them, other than find a safe space (the toilette?) and let them happen.
That said their occurance is NOT inevivtable. They key to minimising the frequency of their occurrence is to identify what is overloading you and triggering them in the first place and then conscript the help of others to mitigate or eliminate those factors from your environment.
But you are NOT to blame.