What is a shutdown

For me shutdown is literally that - shutting down. I stop moving, speaking and thinking, I just exist and stare in to space. You can't snap out of it, you slowly come out of it but in your own time when you're good and ready. Usually for me they are caused by sensory overload or exhaustion from too much masking, it's happened twice this month already which isn't surprising what with it being so loud and busy outside at the moment.

Another good explanatory article:

https://speakingofautismcom.wordpress.com/2019/11/11/understanding-shutdowns-and-autism/

I find they are more common at this time of year due to being overloaded. You can't make or expect someone snap out of it. Allow them space to be who they need to be and do what they need to soothe themselves.

There's a useful article here on what a shutdown looks like and what other people can do to help.

https://www.authenticallyemily.uk/blog/autistic-shutdowns

The person experiencing a shutdown needs a quiet place, space and time to recover. You cannot get them to 'snap out of it' and any attempts to do so will likely overwhelm them and make the situation much worse. There are no rules on how long they last.

The best thing you can do is retreat and allow him to communicate when he is ready and able to do so. 

It's like a trance. A waking coma. You just literally "shutdown".

I’m most probably older, I rarely have meltdowns, they would have been treated as bad behaviour when I was younger. 
I do have shutdowns, for me it is becoming non verbal, needing time alone and going into a very deep state of thought plus self loathing.
I wouldn’t ask a person having a meltdown to ‘ snap out of it’, it’s the same with a shutdown. A relationship is often learning from each other and sometimes tying to explain how things affect you. It’s also just giving the other person space when it’s needed.

I dont think its possible to snap out of it, and i think saying this is unhelpful to the person. I think its when someone is so physically and mentally exhausted and overwhelmed when many things seem impossible to do. I think the only thing that helps is rest. Someone please correct me if im wrong x

I sometimes suffer shutdowns when I am overwhelmed. Usually this means I become non-verbal  and stare into space. This can last minutes, or in the case of last weekend, a couple of days. They also vary in severity - sometimes I can speak but it takes a huge effort and sometimes I just can’t.

I think meltdowns and shutdowns have similar origins but as we get older meltdowns often happen less frequently and shutdowns become more frequent, possibly because meltdowns are so socially unacceptable.