How do you control meltdowns?

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I try to get away from people when I feel the melt-down coming on. If it's due to some disagreement then I'll beg the other party to desist, but they usually see that as avoidance of the issue rather than the fact I'm trying to spare everyone the fallout from my melt-down.

As I deteriorate, I've in the past been threatened with the police, shouted at and have the those around me go hysterical. Any such interference only exacerbates my condition. I've begged and pleaded but usually nobody will help give me the space I desperately need

Anger before a meltdown can be intensely strong. What about trying a physical stunt that would exert energy and drain the anger? Some suggestions? Wall push ups; sit with legs crossed and put your hands on the floor and try to lift your body off the floor; do a plank (lie down don your stomach and rise up with your elbows and forearms and palms of your hands on the ground supporting you. Your legs should be stiff and you should have your toes pointing downwards and firm. See if you can hold that for 30 sec. and then ultimately try to keep increasing your time to maybe 1 or 2 minutes. Can't lie down? Do leg squats, or go for the even harder one, do a one legged squat!

These physical feats should release a lot of frustration and anger but you won't know if it helps you unless you try it!

i used to see a red fog. once, as a child, another girl was provoking me and then i lost it, didnt know what i was doing, didnt feel anything. and then i came back and the girl was holding her arm and gasping and everyone said, "you pinched her", which i dont remember doing, but apparently i had, and very hard. you should've seen her arm...
i was moving from one apartment to another and walked with a heavy suitcase in my hand, and two drunken men came toward me. one shoved his hand under my shirt while the other laughed. they walked away and i came after them, blocked their way and went for the man's temple with the suitcase. he went under, but if he didn't, he would've been dead. very heavy suitcase... they walked away then.
i took sick feral cats to the vets and helped strangers that needed help, but when i'm being provoked... anyway, i went to kickboxing class and the trainer explained when you punch the bag when you're NOT angry, and then make yourself stop, you learn self control this way.
i hammered the bag like a lunatic and the windows rattled and heads turned. (i'm a tiny little thing). finaly, i learned to control my rage. it helped a lot. i haven't had a meltdown in a very, very long time.
maybe if that doesn't work, you should punch the bag while making yourself angry by thinking about all the things that made you angry in the past, build up your rage, and then stop when told, or when the alarm clock goes off (set it up first, five minutes from the time you start). do it over and over again and you'll learn self control.

Same. I literally had them beaten out of me. Some small things turned into freak rages that ended up very physical. I kind of self contain it now. I hurt myself a bit, or punch something (cabinet has cracks in it ) Or try to breath, and focus on something else. Holding my snake helps a lot. Most of all I just get away. Lock myself in the bathroom and take a shower, or sit in my room for a while.
I still am not sure if I have "meltdowns". I may just be a severe b***h (although I didn't do them for attention, or because I hated the other person)... But I think I might have. I haven't had a severe one in a very long time. I had them more when I was a younger teenager. I didn't really have them when I was a kid in America. Maybe it's because our house was big, and we had a large yard, and I wasn't forced into close proximity with my family like I am now.

Go into another room from the person triggering it. Sit alone. Rock if I have to.

If playing music is an option, loud music close to my ears wearing headphones.

Unfortunately, sometimes there is someone who always wants to play mediator that comes along and then they end up siding with the instigator making it alot harder for you to control your meltdowns. That had happened to me and the other people had no idea I was about to have a meltdown. Instead I remained as calm as I could then starting crying.

I used to have bad tantrums where I'd throw things but I no longer do. That was when I was a child and teen. I sit there and think "You guys are lucky that you didn't meet me in those times or you would freak out!"

They lack understanding and cannot put themselves in my shoes. If they could experience it for themselves then they would know it took alot for me to stay calm.

I had to learn to control my meltdowns- I'm a teacher and you just can't have a meltdown in front of 30 young kids!
I can hold it in for a couple of hours until I'm on my own in the classroom, then I curl up in a corner on the floor and sob. If it's lunchtime, I'll have a nap too- that helps when I feel a meltdown coming on.
My TA (teaching assistant) is great as she just leaves me to it, brings me a cup of coffee, then goes out to get the kids from the playground while I get sorted out.

Generally, I try to distract myself by throwing myself into work and talking to the kids- that kind of helps as generally my work meltdowns are caused by the adults! If that doesn't work, I put on my favourite music, ask children to work as quietly as possible and try to calm myself down listening to the music.

I'm also lucky in that I don't get meltdowns that often, but have shutdowns instead- sometimes difficult though when the first 2 things to disappear are the ability to speak coherently and to understand what other people are saying to me.

I watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer! She makes me feel content! The sound of her voice calms me down! Also I hang out with my Buffy doll and talk to her! I'm always with her no matter how I'm feeling!

Last edited by BuffyFan4Life on 03 Jul 2012, 4:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

I've learned to have better awareness of my body, because my meltdowns, and the feelings leading up to them, have physical symptoms associated with them, which are usually bodily tension, headaches, a racing heart, and a horrible tightness in my chest . Mine are usually caused by anxiety and over thinking about an idea to the point where I drive myself crazy.

To prevent a potential meltdown when the symptoms are there, I have to get into a state of relaxation where I will 1) recognise that there is tension present 2) find out where in my body it is 3) be mindful of the tension, being kind to it and myself. This usually slows me right down. If I have the time, I may also write about my feelings, or run a bath and put on my meditation tracks.

To prevent tension from building up over time, I now make it a point to practice yoga and mindfullness meditation regularly so that when anxiety is present, I am able to pinpoint it and get myself out of it easier.

I also take my medication at regular times and try to get on a regular sleep schedule. Any imbalances with either of these can throw me off very easily and quickly escalate to a pre-meltdown tension state. During the times I do get thrown off, I'll take my meds as soon as I can, or have a nap.

I can't remember the last time I've had a meltdown, but I do remember many recent times where I've been in a volatile state and prevented one.

I leave the situation or do breathing exercises if I can't leave the situation. I just hold it all in. I used to have them more often at work at my last job and I would run and hide but I can't do it at my current job so I suffer through it and deal with it and it's painful. I even feel I am having a panic attack. But other than that I don't really hold it in if I am at home and I throw things. Sadly my son learned to throw things too and my parents had to unteach him. I still haven't figured out yet how not to have one. I know only way to not have one is if I am in control and if things go my way and if I don't ever have to face anything that would cause them. My husband doesn't do a thing to cause any but he has told me it's very hard and stressful for him when he has to do that for me. So he stays in our room most of the time for that reason. But as I say, I tend to leave situations that would cause them. It's like all or nothing.

once I can recognize that I am getting all worked up or if its past that point and it already happened, I put my head under a pillow, cover my ears, and just breathe and try to relax

Hey, this is a little off topic, but what exactly is a meltdown? How does it feel? Maybe I had one and just don't know...

I've found this:

http://www.autismems.net/57801/82012.html