Autistic meltdown

An autistic meltdown is an intense and uncontrollable response to an overwhelming situation in some people on the autism spectrum. Meltdown manifests itself as an intense emotional outburst and may include crying, shouting, aggressiveness, or self-harm. Meltdown results from distress that unexpected changes may cause, certain social situations, or sensory overload. While the intensity and frequency of meltdowns can vary, understanding the triggers and implementing coping strategies can help manage and ease the lives of autistic people and their environment.^[1][2][3]

Autism,^[4] or the autistic spectrum is a neurological variation^[5][6] caused by a combination of hereditary and genetic.^[7] This is a clinical syndrome characterized by various difficulties in interpersonal relationships, in the social, linguistic, and communicative areas. Other characteristics that usually appear in autistic people are stereotypic and repetitive behavior, narrow areas of interest, and problems with sensory regulation and emotional regulation.^[8]

Autistic people may behave in a way that does not always seem utterly related to the difference in sensory stimulation, although excess stimulation is the main cause of the behavior. A person with difficulty processing sensory information may experience sensory overload, so too many stimuli may cause stress, anxiety, and even physical pain. The sensory overload may cause signs of distress, inability to communicate, and even a meltdown.^[9]

Autistic shutdown, like a meltdown, is another type of response to over-sensitivity. A temporary withdrawal from social interaction characterizes the shutdown and includes a decrease in communicative and cognitive abilities. In contrast to a meltdown, which often manifests as an intense emotional outburst, a shutdown manifests as an inward withdrawal, when the individual becomes non-communicative and seems detached. The shutdown is usually caused by sensory overload, social exhaustion, or emotional distress. It is used as a coping mechanism for autistic people with the pain they feel due to being overwhelmed. During the shutdown, the person may have difficulty processing information, making decisions, or communicating with others. The shutdown may vary in duration and intensity, and last from a few minutes to several hours.^[10][11][12]

Unlike a tantrum, a meltdown is involuntary. Tantrums often have manipulative motives, when the child learns that he can get what he wants if he cries or screams. In contrast, an autistic meltdown is not manipulative and arises from distress.^[13]

Social interactions and mass events can be exhausting for autistic people, and lead to sensory overload or meltdown or shutdown reactions. Therefore, making sure that the person is alone is important to the sense of well-being of many autistic people.^[14]