Explain "meltdowns" to me:

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This is one of those things on here where it seems that everyone knows what is meant by the term, but I don't. Are we talking about emotional meltdowns? If so, how is that specific to AS? Everyone I've ever known (NT, AS, etc.) experiences meltdowns at different times in life. I've had two or three that I can remember.

Can someone elaborate on this for me?

I think it refers to extreme sensory overload/stress and can result in catatonic state or uncontrollable 'aggressive' reaction (mine is the catatonia so don't know much about the aggressive reaction)
I think it is really extreme version of someone loosing their temper, there is no thought process going on like when you are mad and shouting about a certain thing.

I think everyone has it happen differently. My child loses it. Becomes solitary and cries. Or will swat if anyone comes near him.

A tempertantrum x 20 I like to call it.

Then he's fine like he never did it.

It's freezing up on the inside and melting down on the outside. The body tenses up like a spasm is taking hold of your brain, heart and muscles, breathing becomes really shallow and hard, blackness comes over like a cloud, panic sets in, hyperventilation might begin at some point, clenched fists, crying, going into fetal position, covering ears, screaming, repeating words, rolling around, rocking back and forth, breaking things, slamming doors repeatedly, intense feelings of impending doom.....

Apparently a meltdown is the most extreme reaction to stress, and the mental faculties kind of downshift, or threaten to. EXTERNALLY it can appear to be different things.

I could see someone becoming catatonic.

OBVIOUSLY, some here go "balistic", and it is like a temper tantrum.

I am kind of middle of the road. I have the anger of one that would throw a tantrum, but try to muddle through. Of course, the main cause is still there with me, so I won't work as fast or do as well.

To use an analogy.
Temper tantrum is an electrical thunderstorm. A meltdown is an earthquake with or without a tsunami.

Ok, I think I understand now. I guess I do have these "meltdowns" but I never scream, cry or break things.... I just completely shut off. If people don't leave me alone when I'm like this, I can say some very mean and nasty things. The interesting part is that I'm usually over these episodes later and feel completely fine again. The problem is that the people I was mean to are still upset and not willing to just "move on".

Think of the last time you just buried your head in your hands and wanted the world to go away.

Then multiply that by ten or twenty times.

Ed Almos

Everything is too loud, too bright, too hard to concentrate on, like your whole body is one raw nerve.
Combine this with anger and it's a rage that lasts for hours.
I took a rolled up newspaper and hit the counter-top for about 30 minutes until I caught my finger on the edge and sliced it open, then I got REAL ANGRY.

That sounds like what happens to me a lot, I didn't know they were any kinda meltdowns though.
I like literally shut down, I practically go into a coma and it hurts to move at all. If somebody bothers me while I'm like this I snap at them. Soon the intense crankiness turns to intense anger and it heals me, and eventually I feel pretty much normal again.

Meltdowns in terms of just plain losing total control of what I am doing no. Only a very few times in my entire life

But I do get anxious very easily in a stressful situation if I think I have run into a problem. Then you really cannot think straight or objectively because you are dwelling on it and it simply hangs over your head. Later on, you usually find out you misinterpreted the situation much worse than it really was. I don't "shut down" though. I will grit my teeth and bear it until it plays out to the end. It will pass. It always does.

Would I have a lot of anxiety compared to the average NT? Probably yes. On the other hand I have seen more hysterical behavior in many NTs.

I explain meltdowns as executive dyfunction when lose one loses their abilities to restrain their emotions. It usually happens to me in novel situations, changes in routines or loss or stressful situations.
Sometimes I may go into such meltdowns I have a seizure. I was taken to hospital in the ambulance just recently.

So what is the difference between a meltdown and a panic attack? Are they ever the same thing?

In stressful social situations, I get what I've always called "panic attacks". My whole body trembles, I feel numb, I hyperventilate and gasp for air, and I cry uncontrollably.

My mother (who might have AS) has temper tantrums. She just goes into a rage, screams, makes nonsensical noises, and bites her tongue. Her eyes bug out and her face turns red. Afterwards, she seems unaware that it happened.

Would either of these be considered a meltdown?

Out on a limb here - but who do you think takes over the body when a meltdown happens, because surely if we're not in control something or someone else is. Theories?

I think the key lies in the breathing patterns and freezing up inside. In a meltdown you go from cold, frozen, shallow breathing to rage and in a panic attack it's sheer fear without rage, more of a primal, infantile fear. In both cases it would seem that the soul leaves the body and hover above until the equalibrium is re-established. A panic attack is triggered by traumatic memory, a meltdown from frustration, not having coping mechanisms, filters or shielding.

Interesting. Thanks for explaining. I'm still not sure which category mine fall into because they're triggered by a combination of frustration and fear, but they don't include rage. In fact, I don't experience any emotions while one is happening; it's more of a physiological reaction. The image of the soul hovering above the body is a good analogy--it does fit my experiences.