How Would You Like People to Treat You During/After a Meltdown?

[donsakers]

I have a number of Aspie or Aspie-like friends, and occasionally one of them has a meltdown (don't we all?). I'm never sure how to treat them. As I think about it, I'm not exactly sure how I want to be treated during or after a meltdown

Comments

[old_cutter_john]

I'd like people to leave me alone and make like it didn't happen.

[fabfemmeboy]

Me too. I already feel stupid enough about the fact that it happened and would likely be beating myself up forever because someone saw me like that, I certainly don't want to "talk it out" afterward.

[urocyon_c]

Same here. Just ignoring it and giving me plenty of space until/unless I bring it up myself is usually best. Possibly the worst response: follow me when I try to go somewhere to be alone, crowd in close, touch me, and try to make me talk about it right then (or, worse, loudly berate me and try to get an argument going). That turned ugly on more than a few occasions when I was growing up, and nobody had any idea what was causing the meltdowns in the first place.

[azalynn]

Yeah. The best bosses I've had have reacted in exactly that way -- a really awesome one in particular would just continue talking about engineering stuff right *through* a meltdown. And that helped way, way more than any attempt to "comfort" me would have.

[concrete_stare]

Me too.