Is this is meltdown? - Shaking, stammering

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I have noticed that whenever I become very distressed or panicky, I tend to shake a lot, stammer, and sometimes cry...I had the shaking and stammering today when I discovered that my debit card account was hacked when I got back from studying abroad for a month; but not to worry, that's pretty much been taken care of now) but it calmed down once I started solving the problem with my mom, and finally got ahold of a bank representative. That is, the shaking and stammering stopped...I was still able to function beforehand, just at the bare minimum due to the shaking and anxiety.

My question is, is this a meltdown? I have noticed the same symptoms other times when I've been under a lot of stress or anxiety...there's no rage involved, just intense fear or paranoia...

And on other occasions, when I'm dreading something, I sometimes get this "light" feeling....not lightheaded, but light...like my stomach is filling up with air, or my body feels like it's floating...but there's no peacefulness with the floating sensation, just the fear I mentioned. I may not even be describing it right; you'd have to actually be in my body as I'm experiencing it in order to fully understand.

Does this happen to anyone else? And is the severe shaking and stammering (and sometimes crying) part of a meltdown?

SOunds like either a meltdown or an anxiety/panic attack. I get the shakes like that and my whole body just starts shivering and I can't stop my teeth from chattering, sometimes if I am really freaked out ~worried, anxious, or scared. I attributed it mostly to anxiety. A meltdown, for me, usually includes a lot more & usually includes fits of rage bc I just can't get my point across.

This sounds more in line with a panic attack than a meltdown. When I feel a panic attack coming on, I usually feel a little faint or get shaky.

This is my main meltdown trigger, too. Wonder how common of a trigger this is.

KimG0123 and FishStickNick, I sort of suspected the same thing...I just always thought that panic attacks were more like feeling you were having a heart attack, being unable to breathe, etc, not just shaking...but I could be wrong, I don't know much about panic attacks. I actually think you guys are right; cuz I certainly felt like I was panicking at the time.

Yes, there are different types of meltdowns.

- Tantrum style
- Rages
- Throwing/breaking/hitting/kicking (basically violently acting out.)
- Rants
- Fuming mostly quietly
- Emotional with crying and/or shaking, and can include speaking trouble including stammering. This one is usually also a panic attack.

They can also be tied to panic attacks. The unpleasant lightness feeling sounds like a panic attack without the melt down.

Try to take some slow, deep breathes to calm yourself. Get yourself away from the situation if possible. Sit down with a cup of peppermint tea. The smell is very soothing to most people.

Hope this helps.

This is interesting. Several of the things you listed wouldn't have occurred to me as meltdowns at all. E.g. rants. I rant about things all the time, but I actually quite enjoy it even though the people I'm ranting at are probably hoping I'll just shut up. There again, I don't rant at people because I'm angry with them personally (too much of a wimp), I do "third party" rants about other people or stupid bureaucracies or the stupid human species etc.

I also fume quietly a lot. Nearly every day in fact, on my 20 minute walk to work and then again on my 20 minute walk home. The topic has been pretty much consistent for over a year and it's to do with an unresolved injustice at work which I just cannot get past. I ruminate continuously on that. Is this what you mean?

I also react excessively emotionally to the most basic stupid things, but it feels like a purely physiological response and logically I'm shouting at myself for being so pathetic as to turn on the waterworks over something so minor (like, say, a cartoon character dying in a film). It drives me nuts and yet, to the outside world I have a reputation as being strong and fiercely independent. It hurts a lot on those occasions when people see the odd crack appear in my facade, but it doesn't happen often.

Please describe further. As indicated by my signature, I'm in limbo at present. Definitely BAP, but no idea if I might just about qualify as Aspie. One of the main reasons is that I assumed I almost never melt down so my issues seem quite mild compared with others, but perhaps you've just move the goal posts a bit where I'm concerned.

Thank you, questor!

Hi. i'v had this shaky thing happen sumtimes wen i'm really emotionally or stressed. i start shaking and hav trouble breathin and am really anxious this thing doesnt happen alot but wen it does its not pleasant. happened wen i first went down the superbowl at aquasplash. spent ten minutes shaking. wot sets it off is either a big shock or a huge anxiety jolt.
ps this is my first wp post! xx

I think my fiance is missing his twin in England somewhere.