When I have a meltdown, I just need people to leave me alone, not talk to me unless it's absolutely necessary, and when they do talk, don't ask if I'm OK...
I dunno about you, though, so... *shrug*
"When I have a meltdown, I just need people to leave me alone, not talk to me unless it's absolutely necessary, and when they do talk, don't ask if I'm OK..."
yes with me asking me if i'm okay usually makes everything worse. especially if there are alot of people around all asking it repeatidly.
i've found that 1 i cant talk easly in meltdown and 2 that adults that i dont know asking am i okay or trying to get me to talk after word and repeating it even when i say i 'm fine, annoys me quet a bit.
I agree with the others... I just need to be alone and calm myself down. Anyone trying to talk to me or touch me (which is the first thing most people try to do) just makes it significantly worse. Being in a private area like a bathroom helps.
Pikajedi4, that's an original idea.
Though if it was me, I'd probably get stressed out from people standing over me trying to read the cards...
My first thought to the question was simply; "Shut up and Leave!" but I'd add "Shut up (take everybody with you) and Leave me Alone!"
Wow I know how you feel Moo, I have meltdowns too, both from sensory issues and social overstiumliation. Normally I just run out of the building or go and someplace an hide. I don't know how to explain that I'm all jumpy and overstimed. My Fiancee is very helpful he has taken me out of some nasty circumstances.
parents suck though they think I can control my pantic attacks and meltdowns
Depending on the cause, my S.O. either sends me to bed for a nap or gets me out of the heat/crowd/whatever. If we need to stay in a crowd, he walks in front of me as a shield to deal with people who want to talk. In one case, he pinned me against a wall with his back. The compression from his body was comforting and felt like a safe hiding place. Sometimes he discretely hooks a finger into my waistband or pocket, giving a tug to let me know he's "got me". But most commonly, he grabs my wrists. I've read that some other spectrum people also find pressure around the wrists to be settling. If the meltdown is a dither because I'm overwhelmed by tasks, he tells me what to do, one step at a time.
Those things would not be okay for a stranger. I hate a stranger touching me.
Whats an "S.O."
My best buddy "Significant Other". I was trying to shorten the post :-)
I wish I'd thought to have a card when I had the meltdowns on the plane a couple of years ago. If people only knew that I do calm down fairly quickly as long as nobody tries to reason with me and I'm moved away from the stressor (usually somebody making loud noise), it would be very helpful.
They also need to know I wouldn't hurt them if they did happen to touch me.
I'm not sure if a meltdown is anything similar to extreme feelings of fatigue, fatigue attacks, human hard drive crashing---
Please Reboot Me.... Kick Me.
Yes, although that could also be known as a shut down.
I don't have that much of a reaction but hate it when people try to reason with me and say I can't have what I want.
Last Friday, I could feel a meltdown coming on because some people at work were talking to me as if I were stupid but I just kept doing what I thought right regardless.
It was a near miss though.
Best thing to do when I'm having a meltdown: Just back off and leave me alone. Asking me to talk about it or trying to physically comfort me won't have an effect; it'll make it worse. And yelling at me is completely counterproductive.
I don't mind if people ask me what I'd like them to do as long as they aren't all talking at once but I do NOT want to be reasoned with or lectured as that would be like pouring petrol on a bonfire. It has happened before and is not pretty. If somebody leads me away to a quiet spot and maybe offers a cool drink or cup of tea, I usually calm down within a few minutes and can then discuss matters more rationally.