Verdandi wrote:
I find meltdowns and panic attacks to be quite distinct from one another, but both are emotionally intense.
I usually don't worry about the possibility of imminent death with a meltdown, and I can't usually defuse a meltdown with mindfulness.
I have both, and find them distinct also. Panic attacks seem to me to be a physiological event with an adrenalin rush and all the physical symptoms of flight-or-fight. Fear and the need to run or escape are the foremost thoughts. There is a vicious cycle of thoughts, physical symptoms (sweating, heart-rate, etc), emotions and behaviour - the "hot-cross bun" model - which can be controlled to some extent, especially with practice.
Meltdowns seem to me to be a sensory overload, where the sheer volume of sensory information causes an intense reaction without any particular thoughts (except "switch it off!") and there is possibly a neurological limit that can not be modified with therapy or exercise.
Panic and meltdowns can both be triggered by similar circumstances, and are both more common when tired, anxious, etc.