![]() In the case of an autistic meltdown, this refers to the point where our minds stop trying to struggle against the uncertain and, to return to the computer comparison, reboot themselves in the most natural state: during which adrenaline levels are raised significantly and we lose all sense of control, as our fail-safe tells us to get the hell out of there – via whatever method possible.įight mode: Potentially the most challenging outcome out of the fight or flight response, many autistic people can become extremely hostile during a meltdown as our bodies wake up, ready to do battle – unaware that the problem is not physical. ![]() ![]() Interestingly, although most people see autistic meltdowns as explosive, unpredictable and, in some cases, abnormal, the basic premise of these destructive-day-ruiners actually goes back to one of the most common principles across all species: the ‘flight or fight’ response. While I’m not particularly fond of comparing autistic people to machines, I have seen the beginning of an autistic meltdown quite accurately likened to how most people react to something going wrong with a computer – where instead of letting the computer/the problem calm down, a person/the autistic mind will continue to put in demands: throwing everything they know at it in the hope that they will miraculously fix it.Īs most know by now, this usually has the opposite effect as, during this build up (also known as the rumble phase), things go from ‘uh-oh’ to ‘oh-no’ in a split second. This is the reason autistic people can often come across as obsessive/highly informed, however, this fantastic mind also comes with a catch.ĭue to what can only be described as the ultimate thirst for knowledge, autistic people are a lot more likely to become overwhelmed than those without the condition as, when put in a position where information conflicts with the tightly linked understanding that our brains have built up, we become uncertain, lost and subsequently panicked. Whereas non-autistic people are great at making little connections across a range of different topics, the autistic mind loves to dig deep and discover everything it can about one specific subject. Let it be known that the autistic mind is a fantastic place. What Happens in the Lead-up to an Autistic Meltdown? However, while this usually makes me believe that the less time spent speaking about autistic meltdowns the better, one of my recent meltdowns had me thinking: ‘ What exactly is an autistic meltdown and, do people really understand what they feel like for the autistic person – you know besides that they suck?’ **Yes, this is a warning that some of the wording featured in this article may seem a tad offensive** They suck for the autistic person having the meltdown they suck for anyone witnessing the meltdown even the terminology surrounding autistic meltdowns suck. Let’s get one thing straight: autistic meltdowns suck.
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