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Autistic Shutdown

Cinnabar_wing

Hey, so I was having my assessment a few days ago, and I got so stressed from trying to talk about myself that I shutdown (probably also coupled with stress of starting a new job and not sleeping well).  I hadn't experienced anything as bad as that before, and I did manage to push through (though I was given the choice to stop and we stuck to easier things to talk about as it was near the end anyway). I managed to pull out of it at the very end and was okay.

I guess I just wanted to ask other people's experience of shutdown for reassurance? I just kind of broke like a rubber band stretched till it snapped and went still and zoned out.

Parents

  • Hi  

    When I started therapy probably for the first 7 of 8 months, I used to really struggle talking about myself. I would start to stare at something and then just slip into this state where I felt almost floaty as if I'd had a few drinks, like I wasn't fully there. I would have real difficulty pulling myself out of it. Some of the sessions would pass without very much progress.

    My therapist is very patient and eventually offered to walk and talk with me. It transformed things I felt so much more relaxed.

    Hope your assessment gives you the answers you are looking for.(⁠•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

  • in reply to Lonehare12

    Thank you, they didn't want me to stress out waiting for the report so let me know to expect an asd diagnosis.  So guess I'm in the right place anyway!  

    I've had moments of blanking when stressed, and have experienced situational mutism, but I'm 41 and hadn't had such a complete power-down moment.  Floaty is a good description, I'm lucky I managed to find my voice to say the camera wasn't broken, though it didn't feel like it was coming out of me. Just feeling a little weird after finding out that it can happen to me, so thank you for sharing!

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  • in reply to Lonehare12

    Thank you, they didn't want me to stress out waiting for the report so let me know to expect an asd diagnosis.  So guess I'm in the right place anyway!  

    I've had moments of blanking when stressed, and have experienced situational mutism, but I'm 41 and hadn't had such a complete power-down moment.  Floaty is a good description, I'm lucky I managed to find my voice to say the camera wasn't broken, though it didn't feel like it was coming out of me. Just feeling a little weird after finding out that it can happen to me, so thank you for sharing!

Children