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Melt down vs burn out

Kayla55

Well-Known Member
From what I understand a melt down is from temporary sensory overload so its different from a burn out as in long term exposure to sensory or things one has to do that they don't like.
The mid-life burnout was described as just also being very busy and exhaustion.

I find from years of suppressing my need to escape by hobbies that I have another burn out. But it's also similar to ABA where one is limited in expression of happiness. Over the years I noticed a lingering feeling of unhappiness with my life but it heads to depression where lack motivation to do anything. I'd like to define this as something more than depression. Not sure that others agree.

So I'm writing another book but decided to make this one a movie script about the damage of war, invasion leading to homelessness. All the pre-events that lead to revolutions and losses of colonies. The character to express my feelings is Spider-Girl but she resembles Ralph Schumacher sister....and has these amazing green eyes that she never wishes to share.
This movie lets me express my autistic discontent about what historical events contribute to making of a good person. For example composing Mozart and having revolutions that don't accomodate needs of those in dire straits (contemporary) it is about how others watch suffering and turn around and copy what they do not understand.
When I finish this script I hope to have cleared my triggers about 'benefits to consumer rights' I'm all for good service, but service industry is niche and copy cat does benefit consumers, but grief it was an extra service we made.
 
Call it what you will, but "autistic burnout", "mental exhaustion", etc. is often the precursor to "meltdowns" or "shutdowns". Basically, we to try to maintain some semblance of composure, often via masking and repressing emotions, even words. Put enough pressure upon someone and the stress builds and builds. It becomes increasingly more difficult, and people begin to show their "true colors". If you're autistic, then all your signs and symptoms, your sensory issues become amplified. Now, if you are good at self-regulation, you recognize the signals and you find a low sensory space to deal with it, if you can't, then you to tend to go into a "shutdown" to manage that stress. A common thing we see is going mute/non-verbal, very withdrawn, and exhibiting "self-protective" behaviors. In other situations, the stress builds up too quickly, and then, instead of internalizing (shutdown) to externalize (meltdown). Children tend to have poor self-management skills, so you will see meltdowns happen more often with them. As adults, we're much better at internalizing, but certainly when a meltdown does occur, it can be quite a violent, uncontrollable situation for a bit. I find them quite upsetting and scary because I have lost all control and almost feel I am outside of my own body. It's really quite disturbing to me.
 
I have had many meltdowns in my life. Angry, irrational, cruel lashing out of all my pent up frustrations over some period of time. It is usually followed by a deep depression, and blaming myself for such bad behavior. I try to recognize the symptoms of this now, and take time, and stim, and do things to relax before it gets to this point.
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I've also burnt out. I haven't worked in the last 10 years, I've barely left the house. I'm finally getting to the point where I might be able to do more, again. But it will be on my terms. I'm not going through this again, if I can help it.
 

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