What qualifies as a meltdown and what doesn't?

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So, I keep reading the word 'meltdown' yet I am still not sure what it means.

I remember a situation that was extreme, my cousin graduated and my father organized a dinner and lend her the house for the day (she's like a daughter to him) the only problem was that she invited her friends what means she brought the church group mob, people I had dealt with 6 months ago for over a year and really did not plan to have to deal with ever again, so here's what I did: I hid bellow my bed till they left... I was 16 years old back then...

I'm not sure, but I think it might depend on how you behaved while you were hiding. If you were nonchalant about and just passed the time reading with a flashlight or sleeping, maybe not a meltdown. If you were freaked the whole time, then meltdown. I think NTs would do essentially the same thing, but maybe in a more sophisticated way: like just stay in their room with headphones on, or go take a walk in the park, or, I guess avoid them in a way that gave themselves a pleasant experience too. It's OK to make choices about who you want to socialize with and who avoid.

You are unable to take in any more input and you lose it. Not to be confused with a breakdown.

it does not sound like a meltdown,as someone in a meltdown state is not going to be able to be that quiet and think that well,it sounds like were avoiding something do not want,and chose to do it,whereas if were in a meltdown then,would not be able to have that sort of freedom.

meltdowns are sharp-obvious to others-outbursts because the body cannot cope-the autist has no control over it,meltdowns are more physical outburst related-or might be very strong verbally,eg,headbanging on something and punching and kicking self is an example of the physical type,whilst screaming/shouting is an example often given of the verbal type.

it is more possible had a shutdown under the bed,as shutdowns are inner attacking, the body cannot cope so instead of going into fight mode,decides to shut off to all outside input instead.
have a read of this and see if it sounds like what have/have had: http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1707940

am used to get under the bed to,to hide from certain staff,for pressure and sensory reasons,but then they replaced the bed with a solid divan one and drilled it to the wall so cannot be go under,only mattress can.

So, then, what is the difference between a meltdown and a breakdown?

To add, it's an emotional outburst that's out of proportion to the trigger (i.e., it's not a "normal" response). It can be due to a certain noise (sensory), a certain demand [that the individual can't do], a break in a routine/ritual, etcetera.

A "breakdown" happens when mental illness first presents itself in an overwhelming fashion; ASDs can induce this too when one can't cope anymore. This usually requires hospitalization.

Thanks for that link KingdomofRats, I had the same question a while ago and it never really got answered.

I think that is what I do, the shut-down or partial shut-down thing. I was trying to figure out if it was a melt-down or not.

I have 4 kids and a lot of other stress piling on, every once in a while it just starts to really get to me, I normally end up with a "yell" type thing and have to try to not curl up in a ball, then all the sudden everything seems really far from me (or that I am really far from everything else) and I feel absolutely no stress. My voice goes monotone (not normal for me) and I just keep doing what I was trying to do before, like I just keep washing the dishes and subconsciously respond to the children and get them glasses of milk or food. Kind of like an "auto-pilot" - "zoning" type thing.

That sounds more like the shutdown thing than the melt-down. I am also really tired when it ends too, but I have been able to stay in that "mode" until it's safe for me to come out and then normally just fall asleep.

A meltdown is unmistakable for anything else, in my experience. When you have one, you'll know. These experiences are nothing if not unequivocal.

OK, you've given me a bit to think about. I've two extremely well known examples of something like this as a teenager. I normally keep my cool, and that's what people were concerned about. Tho not concerned enough to actually care, only concerned about their own well being...

You mention this as an emotional outburst, I cannot remember the trigger for possible MD #1, but that one involved me screaming my head off and punching a solid wall multiple times-no pain there. The affect was felt later tho, knuckles on my hand are deformed to this day, a year after my pinkie knuckle would lock up on me, tho that doesn't happen anymore.

The second one involved my mother refusing to let me borrow an alarm clock of hers, this was basically the tip of the iceberg for me... I stabbed her winebox about a hundred times with a knife in the kitchen sink, shredded the thing. Knife blade was flexible or something, as it didn't break off for a good while, but it eventually did.

I've had a few other things, I don't think qualify, but I must add that I've never ever felt the urge to hurt anybody around me. In fact, before I went crazy on my mother's wine box, I was yelling and screaming and she was being a ret*d and tried to "strangle" me (pathetic attempt), I didn't harm her in any way, it seems I deliberately avoided this, even when she was in possible harm's way.

Do these "qualify" or what? My emotions are usually on keel, and these two things are pretty crazy coming from me, but I've heard far worse, and I'm thinking these don't fit as they aren't "sensory" related...

This whole shutdown stuff is interesting, perhaps too interesting, I think I have experienced those. ouch.

Anybody on that post there?

BTW, Vexcaliber-that movie you've got in your av was absolutely awesome.

Interesting.. I wonder if my melt downs as teenager and adult were really meltdowns or breakdowns. As a child I would scream, cry, swear my head off, jump on my dolls head until it broke off but I was never violent to any one. Only dolls and teddies.

I wish there was an authorative source on these sorts of things...

Gonna look for one right now, maybe post up a link for those wondering like me and you. Perhaps a table, or bullet point list.

JR I dont understand.

Am looking for a source that will spell out exactly what an Asperger's/autism "meltdown" is, so that I may compare what I've done to it. I'm under the impression that meltdowns are caused by break in routine, or sensory issues, if that be the case then what I've done might not qualify. I basically want to know if "frustration" has anything to do with these "MDs." and hear it from a qualified source.

Frustration every thing to do with it. Im sure