When talking to Spouse about meltdownsyesterday, I used the example of allergies. When someone is violently allergic to peanuts you don& #39;t tell them "just pull yourself together and stop having anaphylaxis!"
Meltdowns are like an allergic reaction in your nervous system.

Meltdowns LOOK like a psychological reaction, & I think that& #39;s partly why they are so easily misunderstood & not treated as what they are: a neurophysiological reaction.
People think we are reacting with an *emotion*, but in fact our nervous system is experiencing a crash cycle.

I am good in emergencies. My Spouse had a grand mal siezure at 6am last summer and I snapped awake, called 911, went to the hospital with him, and even remembered to grab money and spare clothes for him!
BUT:
An emergency that involves loud alarms and flashing lights? *CRASH*

It& #39;s not the *emergency* that& #39;s the problem for me. I& #39;m not & #39;scared& #39; or & #39;panicking& #39; when I meltdown and freeze to the floor when faced with a loud, piercing fire alarm and multiple flashing lights. There& #39;s no *emotional response*, only a nervous-system & #39;allergic reaction& #39;.

But people don& #39;t understand this. They think I just need to pull myself together and *try harder*. "Don& #39;t panic", "there& #39;s no need to be scared" - I& #39;M NOT. I& #39;m actually highly capable, knowledgable, and kinda badass. My nervous system just can& #39;t handle sensory overload.

Edit: Spouse *NEVER* says any of those things. I was talking with him about how other people respond to my shutdowns/meltdowns.