#AUTISTIC MELTDOWN ADULTS HOW TO#
#AUTISTIC MELTDOWN ADULTS TRIAL#

There are many resources out there for autistic people and parents/carers to learn about meltdown recovery.When everything around us becomes a bit too much to handle, we all have ways of reacting to it. Try different tactics and see which one works best.

#AUTISTIC MELTDOWN ADULTS TRIAL#

There are occasions where this won’t work, but choosing a method of meltdown recovery is about trial and error. In doing something they enjoy, they may feel able to gradually take their minds off the meltdown and its cause. Allowing them to do something they enjoy, be it gaming, listening to music, drawing or any other hobby, can be quite therapeutic. For any parents or carers reading this post, my advice would be to try different ways of helping your child return to normal. What works for one autistic person won’t always suffice for another. This doesn’t always work, because you can never be sure if such a thing exists! Other ways I have of trying to recover from a meltdown are doing something I enjoy and playing with a stim toy, such as a tangle toy. When this isn’t possible, I try to retreat to the quietest part of an open space or building. Removing all sensory stimuli helps to calm my senses. One tried-and-tested method is to go into my bedroom, turn all the lights off and just lie down on my back, looking at the ceiling. I find that there are some ways of calming myself down that work far better than others. From an autistic perspectiveįrom personal experience, recovering from meltdowns isn’t the most pleasant experience.

Also, you shouldn’t try and use physical force to stop them it can only make things worse. Don’t try to tell them to stop having a meltdown. A response might not come straight away, but in showing that you care, they won’t feel aloneĪs a carer/parent, you should also know about what not to say. You could offer to ask others in the surrounding area to leave, turn the lights off or turn off whatever’s making noise Ask them if they need anything changing.Offer to hug them or hold their hand if they are fond of Deep Pressure therapy Reassure them that everything is going to be okay.Any parent or carer who’s wondering what to say would be best to do the following: Words mean a lot when talking to someone in a meltdown. Whatever you do must be reassuring, empathetic and, ultimately, calming. Treading carefully is a must, as you don’t want to risk saying or doing something that makes things worse for your autistic relative. If there’s nothing you can do about the meltdown cause, give the person time and leave them be. If a room is too bright, turn the lights off or move to a part of a building that has a more neutral decor. In a busy crowd, move somewhere quieter and less heaving. If you get an answer, see if you can stop it. If you are wondering what is causing a meltdown, the thing to do is ask politely. Carers and parents should consider trying the softly-softly approach to try and avoid upsetting an autistic relative further.

Sometimes, it can take a few minutes, whereas others can take hours or even days to return to their pre-meltdown state. Speaking of recovery, this can vary depending on how big (or small) a meltdown is. Rather than intervening straight away, which could make things worse, doing so can help them to eventually come round when they’re ready. Once something triggers a meltdown, the best way to approach someone in the middle of one is to give them space.

Any imbalance in the way someone on the brink of a meltdown moves – dizziness and so on.

Indicators of anxiety – pacing, twitching, shaking, talking more quickly or more loudly than usual.

Irrespective of their cause, there are many different signs to look out for, including: Some of the most common causes include extreme stress, sensory overload, being given unreasonable demands at school, home or work and too much happening at the same time. Meltdowns happen as a result of many things.

#AUTISTIC MELTDOWN ADULTS HOW TO#

When it comes to returning to normal following a meltdown, what is involved and what should carers know? This blog post takes a look at common causes of meltdowns, what recovery entails and how to aid a recovery in a sensitive, caring way. Whether they occur at home or in public, recovering from a meltdown can sometimes take a while.īy nature, meltdowns vary in intensity and time, as do recoveries. Meltdowns are a tricky subject to talk about, but for many autistic people, knowing what to do when they happen is equally tough to approach. They happen for a variety of reasons and in many different settings.

Autistic meltdown adults