I have not been professionally diagnosed as autistic, though I am awaiting the diagnostic process. I am wondering a bit about (what I think are) my autistic meltdowns, as they are almost the same as (what I think are) my panic attacks. People often call them panic attacks as well, also with no panic involved. In both cases I am shaking, hyperventilating, sweating more and some other things. As far as I remember my latest panic attack, I don’t think I was really craving having as few stimuli as possible and wasn’t crying either (both usually being the case with the autistic meltdowns).

So: how are your meltdowns like? How are they different from panic attacks for you?

  • Dante@lemmy.world
    1·
    5 months ago

    I too am in the process of getting a diagnosis. As for my meltdowns, I have two phases: Muting myself, or cussing everyone out loud, while I try to internalize the feeling of crying.

  • Kichae@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    Difficulty speaking, severe tension running through my shoulders, neck, and jaw. Fist clenching. A lot of rocking with some spastic shaking. Very similar to what you’ve described, save for the sweating.

    Sometimes, I’m actually able to dissociate myself from them, so I can sit there and mentally call play-by-play while my body remains locked up and over-stimulated. That’s a bit of a wild ride.

  • thestereobus@lemmy.world
    1·
    5 months ago

    I feel like there is electricity on my skin. I have visuals of flashing in my mind’s eye like lots of christmas lights. My hearing “throbs”. My muscles tense and I clench my fists. Everything becomes super irritating. Sometimes I hit myself and other times I completely dissociate and can’t move, staring into nothing. I often have a hard time responding to people. If I am in public I need to escape immediately. Sometimes I run away. Sometimes I start walking until I am exhausted.