Does every autistic experience meltdowns/shutdowns?

[LoneWolf]

I don't think I ever experienced that even while I got very stressed. Worst case scenario I became a little more aggressive, yelled at people or cried. I never had any reason to think that was abnormal though, except maybe for people thinking I was exaggerating. Do autistic people ever experience it like that or is it something else? (I also have depression.)

 

[Aspychata]

I fall into crying jags. Because l feel it helps me release. This is a my personal meltdown.

 

[Darkkin]

I go completely nonverbal. I will put my headphones in and turn the music up to the point of pain, drowning out all other stimuli. I have to make sure I also take my glasses off and put them out of reach because they are a convenient target to mangle. It does no harm to another living thing; it's mine and I can make it less. Just as I make myself less.

I ditch my dog and technology, san my ancient iPod, and find the nearest swing and just fling myself into the air uncaring that I raise blisters on my hands from the ferocity of the motion. They're blisters and bruises around my upper arm, the pain a relief from the overwhelm of my screaming nervous system.

I will not let that swing stop until I know I cannot stand. I push until I know my systems will crash and I let them, damning the consequences. I straight up do not care.

The pain doesn't matter because it is of my doing. Just as I don't matter. Rational people don't react like this so why do I?

This is the litany that is running through my head when I am in meltdown mode. All I want it to do is stop. And I hate it.

Most of the time I can get ahead of it and redirect to a constructive outlet.

There are rare occasions when something will trigger a meltdown that I cannot control, so I disappear. The only way to do that is force the shutdown.

Bloodsugar, hydration, breathing, cardiac function all of it. Not a smart coping mechanism, but I refuse to expose those I love to my lack of control. No one needs to endure that. It is not fair to ask them to.

 

[Alexej]

I dont think that I experience shutdowns, but there are times where I cant function properly if I have had too intense a discussion especially about emotional topics. I have recently learnt that I need then to take a break from that conversation and have a time out.

 

[tree]

Shutdowns/Meltdowns---What are they? Do all adults with ASD have them?

Am I the Only One Who's NEVER Had Meltdowns or Shutdowns?

 

[Tom]

I doubt there is anything that all autistics experience in exactly the same way. Way too many complexities involved. Among the hundred or so genetic variations so far identified as being associated with autism (if you subscribe to the prevelant theory) there is no universal single variation we all have. The number of potential combinations is huge and these are just a small fraction of the genome. All told, the potential possible combinations that make us who we are is astronomical. And that is just the nature side. There is still nurture and it's effects.

 

[Fino]

If you're autistic then your question has been answered!

 

[LoneWolf]

Turns out I actually experience shutdowns. I thought these were dissociations.