Meltdowns

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It's a common myth that people with [[Asperger syndrome]] don't feel emotions. This is untrue. Many times, people with Asperger's report that they feel things too much -- but they have trouble expressing those emotions in a way that others can understand.

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People with [[Asperger syndrome]] can also have trouble recognizing their own feelings, and they may not realize that a strong emotion like anger is building up inside of them. Those feelings can build until they cause an outburst.

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Authors Brenda Smith Myles and Jack Southwick, who wrote ''[[Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage and Meltdowns]]'' use the phrase "rage cycle" to describe what happens when a person with Asperger's gets mad. They break down the "rage cycle" into three steps:

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*'''Rumbling''': You can tell that something's wrong, and is about to blow. The child shows a buildup of emotions with words (screaming, nonsense noises), stereotyped behavior (fidgeting, rocking), and movement (pacing, walking in circles).

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*'''Rage''': The child loses control. He may start screaming, destroying things, hurting others, or hitting himself.

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*'''Recovery''': After the explosion, the child retreats. He may go off by himself, go to sleep, pretend that nothing happened, or even feel guilt and apoligize.

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These 3 stages also exist in adults, but the "rumbling" and "rage" are often more internalized. "Recovery" is much the same.

[[Category:Features of Asperger syndrome]]

Changes: Meltdowns

Revision as of 22:20, 3 August 2011

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-It's a common myth that people with [[Asperger syndrome]] don't feel emotions. This is untrue. Many times, people with Asperger's report that they feel things too much -- but they have trouble expressing those emotions in a way that others can understand.
-People with [[Asperger syndrome]] can also have trouble recognizing their own feelings, and they may not realize that a strong emotion like anger is building up inside of them. Those feelings can build until they cause an outburst.
-Authors Brenda Smith Myles and Jack Southwick, who wrote ''[[Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage and Meltdowns]]'' use the phrase "rage cycle" to describe what happens when a person with Asperger's gets mad. They break down the "rage cycle" into three steps:
-*'''Rumbling''': You can tell that something's wrong, and is about to blow. The child shows a buildup of emotions with words (screaming, nonsense noises), stereotyped behavior (fidgeting, rocking), and movement (pacing, walking in circles).
-*'''Rage''': The child loses control. He may start screaming, destroying things, hurting others, or hitting himself.
-*'''Recovery''': After the explosion, the child retreats. He may go off by himself, go to sleep, pretend that nothing happened, or even feel guilt and apoligize.
-These 3 stages also exist in adults, but the "rumbling" and "rage" are often more internalized.  "Recovery" is much the same.
 [[Category:Features of Asperger syndrome]]