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Understanding Autistic Meltdowns from Both Sides
This piece originated as a response to a friend struggling with her son’s rejection during a morning meltdown. As an autistic mom to an autistic child, I’ve experienced the challenging dynamics of meltdowns from both sides. Both sides suck. Trauma taught me to postpone my own meltdowns to assist my child, who, fortunately, knew about their autism from an early age.
Childhood Realities
Reflecting on my own childhood, my parents were loving but ignorant of my differences. They always told me to stop crying when I was having a meltdown, not recognizing my autistic traits. While my mom remained unaware, my dad unknowingly shared the same neurodivergent identity, and he died without coming to that realization.
The Overwhelming Storm
It’s scary when your emotions are on overload but you can’t understand why, so you don’t know what you need, and you push away the people who often help you the most. Even with awareness, control remains elusive until the meltdown naturally subsides. Acknowledging it as a meltdown can bring solace, reassuring that normalcy will return. It WILL end. Your world WILL make sense again. And you WILL regain control of your brain and your body. But it has to play itself out
