Is "meltdown" a professional term?

Post Reply New Topic

Hi,

I am wondering if meltdown is a term used by psychiatrists etc, or is it just something made up by aspies themselves, or their families?

The reason I'm asking is because i mentioned meltdown to my psychiatrist, and he had not heard of it.

I have heard professionals use it. I think it is a colloquial term and provides a useful shorthand which is readily understood.

I'm extremely surprised that your psychiatrist hadn't heard the term. If he were a plumber or a accountant I would be less surprised, but a psychiatrist?!

Well, I was kind of disappointed that he had never heard of it. I'm sometimes wondering if he has enough knowledge about AS.

However I am not English, and I have no idea what the Norwegian translation would be...

I'm sure if you described it to him he'd know, if he has any experience with autism. If he doesn't, he might just think of it as a tantrum.

It is a term used in most English speaking countries, not just in relation to autism. Describe what happens to you and he should know what you're talking about. There may even be a Norwegian phrase that fits!

Yeah, I guess I should try to explain it

The word meltdown has become used to death by the media, used to describe everything from a two-year old's temper tantrum to a panic attack sufferer as they shake and writhe in the emotional and physical agony that only another sufferer can understand. It has no real clear or definite meaning, and I think it became popular in the nineties when the computers were all supposed to "meltdown" because of y2k.

I'm Swedish and this meltdown thing is totally ignored by Swedish experts so there is no word for it.

According to Acme Psychology, the proper terminology is "Meltus Downius."

I've not seen the term "meltdown" used in a clinical sense in anything I've read. It seems an informal term. Maybe pros would use a very precise word...something having to do with overload of the senses or something.

Lolz.

Next time I see the shrink I'm gonna bring this up. I wonder how much they do know.
The one I'm suppossed to be seeing (who is supossed to be an autism specialist) is 'quite busy' and I'm scheduled to see her assistant. I've met him. I get the impression I'm going to be teaching him a lot. Seeing if he's aware of the distinction between tantrum and meltdown might be just the thing to test him on.

I've searched for information on meltdowns and haven't been able to find much online except for personal experiences. I haven't read all the books on AS but don't remember seeing much about meltdowns there either. It seems to be an issue that the professional literature shies away from. (Maybe because it makes autistics look bad?) For a long time I didn't know or have any idea that meltdowns were related to autism, and I used to wonder why I had such a short and sudden fuse over what seemed like minor matters.

I remember reading a book years ago about an autistic woman, and the author said that she sometimes "snapped," but it wasn't clear what that meant. It even had a photo of her "snapping" but it just looked like she was startled. The author said that the woman was embarrassed about her "snapping" and originally didn't want it mentioned in the book at all. I don't know if this was about meltdowns or not, but it seems to be an oblique sort of reference to them. There seems to be some unspoken notion that meltdowns aren't really supposed to be talked about. That may be why your doctor doesn't know about them.

What is the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum?

Good thing to know, if I ever get to the point to be assessed for AS, since I'm Norwegian too.

My history of meltdowns is a key point to why I think I have AS, good to know I have to find another term or way of explaining it, if I ever get the chance...!

How was the process for you, btw..?

When I talked with my doctor about it he said it was a psychiatry matter, but when I asked a AS and autism expert online he said it was something kalled "habiliteringstjenesten" that specialised in ASD diagnosing and services, NOT psychologists and the like...

A meltdown is a protective disconnection from discomfort, and a person having a meltdown is insensitive to surrounding people and events. Recovery is slow.

A tantrum is a conscious emotional manipulation, and a person throwing a tantrum is acutely conscious of surrounding people. A tantrum ends instantly when it gets results.

(and obviously, because someone will say so, a specific event could have aspects of both tantrum and meltdown, lying somewhere between the two - but a child who wants an icecream is worth watching, to see pure tantrum being rewarded).

On here, a tantrum seems to be in relation to children (NT/AS/whatever) not getting what they want and a meltdown is AS (usually sensory) related, all ages.

Just a guess.