Meltdown vs. Shutdown

Two autistic crisis responses to overwhelm. Meltdown: external explosion (fight/flight). Shutdown: internal collapse (freeze). Both involuntary.

AutismEmotional RegulationSensory Processing
Layer 2: Validated
Clinical Recognition
Not DSM terms but widely used in autism clinical practice. Mapped to polyvagal states and autonomic nervous system responses. Distinct from tantrums and depression.
Community Validation
Universal recognition in autistic communities. Critical distinction: these are involuntary nervous system responses, not behavioral choices.
Published
17 December 2025 by Team Heumans

Meltdown is an external explosion when overwhelm exceeds capacity. Crying, screaming, thrashing, breaking things, aggression. It looks like a loss of control because it IS—the nervous system is in fight-or-flight and rational brain is offline.

Shutdown is an internal collapse when overwhelm exceeds capacity. Non-verbal, can't move, can't process, need to escape and hide. It looks like depression or dissociation but it's freeze response—the nervous system protecting itself by powering down.

Both are involuntary. Both are responses to sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload. Both are NOT tantrums, manipulation, or "bad behavior."

Related Patterns

Sensory OverloadMaskingAutistic BurnoutFight-Flight-Freeze

This term is part of Heumans' Living Lexicon—a community-driven documentation of neurodivergent language that often precedes clinical recognition.

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