What is Meltdown?

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i dont understand what is meltdown if i had it or not?

An autistic meltdown occurs when a person is overwhelmed by sensory input, plus is (usually) irritated by something else.

It can manifest itself in many ways. A person in a meltdown can throw objects, can hit people, can self-abuse, or can hold his/her breath. Many possible scenarios.

Usually, I've been told that it's best not to try to calm the person down directly during a meltdown, but to let the person go through it, and rise out of it on his/her own. To let the person go into another room to calm down on his/her own, rather than placing the person in the other room.

There are times when, I believe, a person has to be restrained during a meltdown--such as when a person is about to punch somebody. But when a person isn't harming anybody or his/her self, I would just let the meltdown run its course, and allow the person to calm down from it.

Kraftie--I see you on here often. I've been wondering this VERY thing. My son will have a meltdown over something that I think is so minor. I usually just let him go in his room and cry and scream. It usually lasts about 10-15 minutes. I feel like I'm doing the wrong thing just letting him go. Almost as if I don't care. I've found, though, that if I try and talk to him and reason with him while he's in a meltdown that it makes it worse. Thanks for saying that. I finally feel like maybe I am doing something right. It's so hard to know the right course of action.

For me it is best to just leave me alone. I vary between hitting myself and going mute. It's like i'm so overwhelmed at that moment that any sensory input makes it worse.

Tinky2--Thanks for sharing. That's how it seems with my son.

I hold my breath and breathing stuff like shouting its I scare dogs out the way people on the footpath hear me yelling stuff I was swearing at my mum and my sisters telling F off go away like thAt it makes them nervous and I don't care in that time and I got worst and I don't hit my mum but I used to when I was teenager only when she hits me I hit her back and got anger worst when she hits me and I'm really stupid person i didn't understand my routine is changed I don't like it makes me uncomfortable its part my special interest weather station on internet I was happier on Internet for weather readings and stuff I was tell her I hate you much I walk off and I couldn't feel anything my sensory input on my skin and I fell over baby gate I didn't know it was there and I didn't feel it when I fell over it I went my room i slammed my door I grap my pillow and scream and cried and threw my pilliow and I lay down my bed trying calm my self down with no people coming in my room I knew I scare my mum I didn't help it I went out of control and I felt embarrassed by strangers looking at me walking past our door I made it more uncomfortable so I move away hide it is this meltdown or tantrum? My mum is upset

Yes that is the right thing to do. Being talked to just means more sensory input when already overloaded. A cookie afterwords is nice though If I feel like eating that is.

when im out of control i start saying i hate you and starting crying and walked off i cannot feel anything touching me i hurt my leg i didnt know there is baby gate before out of control i know it was there is that meltdown or tantrum?