Published on 12, July, 2020
Good morning,
I am new here.
I am 42 and on route to be assessed. I believe I have just realised for the very first time in my life that I had a meltdown yesterday. I have had that feeling of being lost and sucked in my emotions many times for various reasons but was never able to give it a name.
Yesterday I was overwhelmed by some information that was given to me and I felt like being in a whirlpool of emotions I could not recognise. I could not work properly, I was in autopilot mode as I had to look after my boys and my dear friend who was here with her children for a playdate. All I wanted to do was disappear and I could not control what I was saying or how much I was saying. It all passed once I managed to calm down but it took lots of talking and some tears to regain some inner peace. All that was left was me feeling tired and drained.
Now, I wonder if that is what a meltdown could be? I know we are all different and that I do not need to be autistic to feel overwhelmed but maybe that could explain the way I feel sometimes?!
Apologies if some that I have written doesn't make sense. English is not my first language.
Thank you for your help.
Nana
Meltdowns are so scary, and it takes me awhile to feel "right" again. I usually only feel better once I go to be and wake up again the next morning. I prefer to be isolated and in a small, dark, safe place while I'm experiencing a meltdown. Music sometimes helps. It helps if my cat or dog is their to keep me company, and sometimes it's okay for my husband to be there as well (as long as he is quiet). Honestly, the thing that helped the most is simply understanding what is going on (I'm having a meltdown) and why (because I'm autistic). Once I understood and accepted those two things, meltdowns got less scary and more bearable.
Hi, I’m new on here and seen this message about meltdowns. It also takes me some time to feel back on an even keel, and I think, like you, that understanding what’s going on helps me a bit more to cope with it, even though it’s awful.I try to do things that settle me as much as possible while the feeling is going on too, and both understanding what’s going on and finding things that do that have been a game changer for me. I definitely need isolation and darkness to recover, so liked your description! It’s already a relief to come across others who speak in a language that mirrors some of my experiences.