how can i prevent naked meltdowns?

[callmeriver]

up until i was 14 i would take of my clothes during meltdowns and would refuse to put my clothes back on until i calmed down.

yesterday while i was working for the first time since i was 14 i had a meltdown where i took of my clothes and spent about 45 minutes crying on the floor, luckily i work at home so none of my coworkers saw it. the meltdown was caused by sensory overload which was caused by my dress because it was uncomfortable.

i am honestly scared it might happen again and i was wondering if there were ways to prevent meltdowns where i take off my clothes because i am scared it will happen again

 

[Butterfly88]

That sounds really difficult. All I can think to suggest is perhaps making your clothes harder to get off. If it's not too much sensory-wise maybe wearing a belt to hold up your pants would be better or wear a shirt with a zipper or snaps.

 

[Aspychata]

Just work at home only. Just to stay safe. Because stripping down to birthday suit outside of home is an arrest record for the rest of your life. Also work on what triggered you. Examine what it took to send you there. Once you identify the root cause then you can prepare for it. Reward yourself by not going there, until you change your response, (kinda of like a lab rat).

 

[OkRad]

I subscribe to Evolutionary Psychology and have started to look at "aberrant behavior" merely as evolutionary glitches.

That said, clothes are not natural. They are used for a variety of reasons which secure(d) our survival as a race. So it is very natural that some have trouble with them. There are certain clothes I simply CANNOT wear and some that I do wear are not socially acceptable to all. I have kept them on, though. But I never learned to eat the way we are "supposed" to eat, so I get that it's not so easy to go against an evolutionary glitch.

I can't give a lot of advice but maybe wear insanely comfortable underwear so that if it happened, you'll be covered in some way? But if it happens a lot, maybe a Dr can get a note that you really NEED to work from home all the time?

Also, try to imagine what will happen and where they might take you if you do it in public. Keep those thoughts in your head as an impediment.

It is sad that we need clothes, but we do...............

 

[VictorR]

Dr. Tony Attwood cites a story in The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome Dr. Liane Holliday Willey's story of removing her clothes when uncomfortable, even in public places.

In her memoir is Pretending to be Normal, Dr. Willey mentions having basically a set of clothes that she knew she was comfortable with and sticking to that.

I think here on this forum there are a number of us who will buy several of the same article to ensure we have a rotation of it.

 

[Hylian]

I don't think I've ever had an issue removing clothes during meltdowns or in public, but when I was a little kid and I got home from school I'd remove most of my clothes because I hated how the clothes I wore felt. lmao

Now I just wear baggier clothes of a certain texture so I don't feel so "restrained" by them. I also do the thing where I get multiples of the same article of clothing and it's useful.

 

[SusanLR]

I tried to find why 'tis the law that we must wear clothes in public and about all I could find was it
boiled down to nudity might infringe upon other's morals or make them feel uncomfortable.
Well, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. There are other things that aren't against the law that
could cause an "OH, My" sensation in others. Like F bombs or other cursings and crude labels,
yet they aren't against the laws.
There was one state that made foul language a true legal offense.

Clothes aren't the natural state of being except for protection when needed, warmth or as a vesture
in a societal hierarchy. And yet here it is, 'tis the law.
Well, they can't do anything about it inside your house. So if I have a meltdown at home, I'm usually
already in that state anyway.
I get very hot and sweaty during a meltdown, so of course I don't want clothes at that time.
In public, I just have to keep it in my mind the consequences of that nude law because I don't want
a fine or jail.

There are many things that I consider silly laws, but, that would be going off on another tangent.
But, with so many people thinking nudity is so awful, all I would ask is to truly ask yourself
WHY do you feel ashamed? You'll find the root core comes from something taught, because
you weren't born that way.

Anywho...just remember to keep them on in public unless you are in a designated nudist
area, or pay the price.

 

[Tom]

Change your career to Himalayan Herdsperson. It might still happen, but only once.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

I blame the dress. I used to like wearing tights, but they all got worn out. These days i wear long underwear top and bottoms. I have few clothing choices. I wear quilted bib overalls on the out side, and hoodies. where i live it is never over 60 inside, usually cooler. Ask for help in buying clothes? People like helping people. People here might help you....

 

[callmeriver]

I blame the dress. I used to like wearing tights, but they all got worn out. These days i wear long underwear top and bottoms. I have few clothing choices. I wear quilted bib overalls on the out side, and hoodies. where i live it is never over 60 inside, usually cooler. Ask for help in buying clothes? People like helping people. People here might help you....

i find that dresses are actually more comfortable than pants or shorts because they are way too restricting for me.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

My all time favorite for flompering about and adventure epispdes is longjohn btms, with cargo shorts ,dress belt and hiking sneakers with dif kinds of socks. Then i have lotsa pockets. Doesnt hurt as much as denim and a heavy belt. Then if i have to go out, i put on the quilted bib overalls right over it. I use irrigation boots(wellies??[UK]) alot. Its cold and muddy but i like being outside alot, so i have "outer wear" that i put on and off when i go in and out. Its hard to keep a clean house here.
Up top, i often wear lots of layers and sometimes an oversize vest. Thats the trick to layering is the outer wear is oversized. Then i have a beautiful american made boot dryer, from 'peet' that is the finest gift i ever got.
Have you ever tried ['ghee'] tops?
They are som of my favorites too, its like for kids karate class tops they wear

 

[Skittlebisquit]

Maybe you do a new post on fashion? You may find if u ask ppl for help that u r measuring wrong, its dif 4 mel and fem. Then we could go shopping! There must be clothes avail online? U could post your tastes and sizes, then we could all try and find fun links for you to see??. It might be really fun for some folks to do with you.
(I honestly cant see anything but a yellow smeary dot, idk why,old i guess)

 

[Gift2humanity]

up until i was 14 i would take of my clothes during meltdowns and would refuse to put my clothes back on until i calmed down.

yesterday while i was working for the first time since i was 14 i had a meltdown where i took of my clothes and spent about 45 minutes crying on the floor, luckily i work at home so none of my coworkers saw it. the meltdown was caused by sensory overload which was caused by my dress because it was uncomfortable.

i am honestly scared it might happen again and i was wondering if there were ways to prevent meltdowns where i take off my clothes because i am scared it will happen again

You are not alone in fact you have provided A space for me to share something. My severity of meltdowns depends on the level of stress and starting in 2014 I found that I pulled my pants down during a meltdown, luckily I was on my own. I still have high stress levels and I worry about this.
I feel self hatred When I make stupid mistakes and I feel I deserve humiliation I’m not better way to humiliate myself and pull my pants down, sometimes I feel like cutting my fringe or bangs if you are American so short that I give myself a humiliating haircut because I feel so stupid sometimes.
Important, I am not I repeat not saying that you are stupid. Clearly different people meltdown for different things and it sounds like your Dress was causing sensory overload.

 

[SDRSpark]

I think the best thing you can do, honestly, is figure out what is so uncomfortable about your clothing and address that. This might be harder than it sounds, but it's probably going to be more effective than trying to psych yourself out of being uncomfortable. Maybe try buying different types of clothes at a thrift store so you can find out what's comfortable before you spend a bunch of money on a new wardrobe.

Also, are other sensory or environmental issues making you more sensitive? For example, if you're overwhelmed or stressed due to work, does that cause your sensory sensitivities to skyrocket? If so, you need to address those issues as well. Knowing what they are is half the battle. Once you figure that out, when you feel yourself start to get overwhelmed, you can (hopefully) remedy the situation BEFORE you hit meltdown.

Neither of these things are a particularly easy process, but they will serve you well in the long run.

Also, I have personally found that CBD cuts my sensory issues way down and I have very few meltdowns now, even though I am still extremely stressed out currently. (I was having them regularly when I was stressed before, now I have maybe 1-2 a year and the severity is reduced, and that's even with the higher stress level I'm now experiencing.) If it's an option for you, it might be worth a try.