Triggers for Meltdowns

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What actually tends to trigger meltdowns? It's going to be different in every case, probably, but what are the general things?

I have meltdowns when I feel that I've done something wrong, after someone raises their voice at me, or gets angry at me, and that happens both online and in real life.

Birthdays

And the dentist.

Last edited by monsterland on 08 Jan 2010, 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

people lying, dishonest behavior. I can't stand it.

...

Last edited by Willard on 11 Jan 2010, 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

rapid change (argghhh!) too much of anything---stimulation, emotions, people, crowds, blah blah blah. having to make sense of a new set of social rules (and being punished for not doing well.)

invalidation of things that seem both obvious and important (intellectual, emotional meltdown.)

too much of anything. too much of anything. too much of anything.

Losing repeatedly at video games has always been a trigger for me. My OCD doesn't let me just put down the controller so I play until I have a meltdown. Also, plans going wrong, my routine being disrupted by things beyond my control, and smoke detectors. If I turn off the smoke detector early it's fine, but if I'm unable to get it to stop beeping, I'll go into a meltdown.

My computer playing up.

Feeling scrutinized, being rushed, having something change w/o warning, confrontation, socializing for an extended period of time...

It's weird though, any of these can be repressed....but if I'm constantly bombarded with them, I'll break. Other times, I can't repress it and I'll freak out.

I don't always meltdown either, sometimes these things result in a shutdown.

Crowds mostly. Also sudden changes in routine can get me super-confused.

People not backing down and leaving me alone when I start feeling stressed.
Computer issues
Last minute changes (Like if all set and ready to go to Wal-Mart, then I'm told I can't go.)
Little things building up
PMsing + and dealing with life while suffering through it. Basicily feeling stressed over nothing/irratated and then something tiny happens and I lose it
Noises that will not stop
Being hurried or rushed
Being yelled/fussed at.

feeling rushed
feeling pressured
being accused unjustly
the sound of someone eating tortilla chips
the sound of someone turning magazine pages printed on coated stock
shrieking or screaming children
being touched when I'm hypersensitive due to exposure to any of the above

Being treated unfairly, finding out I've been lied to and being shouted at all provoke an extremely ugly reaction from me. I'm quite scared of my own temper.

I have sensory issues but none to the extent that they make me meltdown.

This pretty much sums up my reasons too. My worst meltdowns came when my wife accused me of causing a problem. Whether or not I was really the cause of the problem didn't matter. It always ended up into a 1 to 4 hour argument. My hand still has not healed properly after punching a cement wall during such a meltdown over 3 years ago. I hoped it would remind me not to lose my cool anymore, but it doesn’t. Also at that time I didn’t know I had Aspergers.

The direct trigger can be anything; but a pre-requisite for anything to trigger at all is a pre-existing high stress level.

Think of it this way: The trigger is only the fuse. If it's not attached to a bomb, then all you'll get will be a few sparks and no explosion.

Things not going well with girls.