School Meltdowns, Rough and Tumbles- How do you Deal?

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For all here who attend a school, weather it be public, private, charter, even homeschooling with siblings ((although, even if this is more targeted towards public and private, you are free to place in your two cents.)) There are several of you who have had breakdowns that causes some strange things. What are some of your stories? The things that lead up to your breakdown? What you did? Consequences? Share them, give advice, really, what has happened during these times?

I will give one example that actually happened today, during Gym Class ((which tends to be the focus point of stress, before coming to Highschool, I had gone without Physical Education for two years, so although my figure and weight is fine, I'm a mite bent out of shape, OK, a lot, can't run without hyperventilating, what have you.)) To start things out, we were playing a game, doesn't really matter what it was, but there were two captains to pick teams, I was picked last, go figure, I know someone has to be, but every time we play something that chooses teams, I am picked last. Moving on, that rather scorched what ego I had for that day ((I tend to have a different amount of ego each day, sometimes I wake up with a little sometimes a lot, it just depends.)) So, during this game, I started as jailguard, and everyone who tried to, did indeed get past me to free everyone else. OK, that in itself would be discouraging, but fine, however, what was worse was they would just grin up in my face when they did that. Then when i tried a different guard, three boys were constantly crossing the line only to go back in when I made a move to catch them, again, it would be OK if it happened once or twice and nothing was said, however, they did this many times, with malice intent, laughing in my face this time. By this point, I was getting quite furious, and promptly cursed them ((in what little I know of German, not in English, or I would be in quite a bit of trouble.)) So, moving on after that...

...Onto English class, now, one thing I suppose you could call a type of 'stim' is my singing, any chance I get, I will sing, outside, I sing loud, inside, I sing quietly, not many of my other teachers have any problem with this, my English teacher does, now, English follows after Gym, so everything from that class boiles over. Anyway, my teacher asked me to stop singing, which I did, the next thing, I don't know, I've heard singing releases dopamine in the brain, sort of a natural happy drug, explains why I'm always doing it, but she asked me to stop, I stopped, and suddenly, I don't know how, I don't entirely know why, a few seconds after I did, I just broke down, completely crying, not much noise, a few squeaks, I guess, but curled into a ball on my chair for the world to see. She threatened to send me to the office, but I told her I couldn't miss anymore school ((I have the grades to afford to skip school every once in awhile, but I'd rather not.)) So she didn't send me down.

That was the most recent one on my mind anyway. So, what are some of your meltdown stories?

Never went to school with my siblings. So all I can say is to take a deep breath and relax. It may not be the best help but its a start ok.

Age 14 was a tough year for me. I didn't get picked on (by my peers), but there was one class where my eyes would just start watering out of nowhere until tears were just pouring all over my science book while I tried to stare nonchalantly (don't know who I thought I was fooling) at the ceiling. Since I was very emotionally shut off at that age, this is probably as close to a break down as I would get. And it happened more than once.

Singing is indeed a great way to make yourself feel better. I'm studying voice in college, and sometimes I get too depressed to even practice some days- but if you have the ability to do so, by all means keep it up.

Some teachers are less tolerant than others, and I can understand why your English teacher might think singing in the classroom is distracting. Your writing seems more than fine for your age, so while it's understandable that you don't want to miss school- perhaps you could set up a system through a school counselor that allows you to step outside the room for a five minute breather, if you think you need it? You might find it less overwhelming just to know you have that option.

A counselor of mine tried to set up a system like that at my high school for me, but that wasn't until nearly my senior year when I was past the point of being able to try and function within that system. It might've proved helpful though, if it had been instigated while I was younger.

Everytime, I have a meltdown teachers threaten to send me to see the school social worker. When I go see her, I feel like I am in trouble for having AS. Sometimes, after seeing her I feel worse. She dosen't seem to understand AS. Othertimes, when I think that she will be mad at me, she isn't.

Do I see what you're talking about there.... I have always had counselors at my school like that, I always get sent to them, and it's, in a word, horrible.... But yes, you should try to find somewhere else to go, like I used to hide out in the Nurse's office back in Jr. High. She wasn't so knowledgable with neurological/mental/emotional/etc. issues, she knew physical, but she let me hang around and rest on the cots until I felt better. In the Counselor's office, there were hard chairs and rooms where you could hear all the noise from the other rooms. So yes, try to see if there's anywhere else you can go in your school to keep away from the Social Worker's office, and perhaps have someone educate her about AS, and why downgrading you or whatever it is she does to make you feel bad is not a good option, it may work for other kids, but not on you, someone needs to tell her this.

I yell & have arguments for hours, & eventually calm down...........


EDIT: Oh, & I cry.

I'm at university now, but when I was in school I used to always bottle it up.

I would sit there and get either really upset or really angry, and either way people would start making comments and sniggering, and that would make me just want to explode in their face, so I would have to leave the room and go calm down somewhere.

The teachers never really minded, even though they didn't know I was AS at the time (neither did I, got diagnosed at 17) but they never said anything, I think they were just glad I didn't start screaming at people, as I occasionally would.

No harm in doing that, I suppose .

Well, when I was younger, I frequently experienced panic attacks due to social anxiety. On one particularily rough day, I started to freak out during my math class and I straight up left the class and left the school without saying a word. I walked to a park near the school, set my ass in some wet grass and proceeded to slice my wrist up with one of those metal measuring compasses ( it was the only thing sharp enough to get the job done at the time ).

I haven't really done anything like that in a few years. I'm proud to say that nothing stresses me out anymore... I won't allow anything in my control to effect me in a negative way.

Other students saybtht she makes them feel bad, too. I tried going to the other social worker at my school, who a lot of students like. She told me that I wasn't allowed to see him.

When I get emotional meltdowns in school, I usually hang out in the bathroom, run laps, and bang my head against the wall. Strange I know, but it works.

I go to an alternative school that is part of my public school district. One time, I got mad and I threw all the chairs and desks in the room into one big pile. Another time I ripped open one of those paper towel holders and spread paper towels everywhere. Another time, I ran to the library and knocked over all the bookshelves and busted some storage containers, and in the latter story, the cops were called and they gave me a f*****g (I really hate to cuss but that's the best word I can think of right now) ticket and sometime soon I'm going to have to go to the damn court.

In grades 10-11, which was not too long ago (two years), I was picked on alot. Called all kinds of names, and people would push me around alot. So, in grade 11, I completed stopped talking to everyone. I reduced my friends to relatively 0, compared to what I had in grade 10. In grade 9 , everyone was my friend because it was the Introduction to highschool. Then after everyone learned about what I do on the computer, don't ask, they all started making fun of me. In grade 10, I also went through a car accident, which caused even more emotional pain for me. And the funny thing is, everyone made fun of me for that car accident. It was ridiculous. First I got hit by a car, after going to an arcade across the street from my school. We would go to this arcade usually at lunch time. People were making fun of me then, but I still remained friends with them, because I had little confidence in getting new friends. Plus, I thought the other kids wouldn't relate to me as much.
Then, after that people were telling how surprised they were at my survival. My friend was telling everyone loudly that I was the guy that got hit by the car. Everyone came up to me except this one girl. I didn't understand. She looked at me, like something bad was going to happen. Or, like I was being screwed. I had no idea what my 'close' friend was going to do with me. I thought he just wanted to applaud my surival, but I was too naive. After a while, people started making fun of me regarding the car accident. I didn't understand what was so funny. My sister even thought it was funny. I really should have died. Then we would see what was so funny. I guess people felt it was their duty to make fun of me. Going into Grade 12 from Grade 11, I completely shut off everyone. Even my close friend. He would call my name in the halls constantly, and I would just ignore. Even when I was walking with my friends and his stupid voice was a little distracting, I would keep walking, like he wasn't even human. Because really, someone like that isn't human. He was the person who allowed everyone to make fun of me from late grade 9 all the way to early grade 11. It has affected my life right now totally. I can't even converse with people properly anymore. I am totally paranoid, when I have relationships with others. I know people in university, aren't so stupid. But still, that type of punishment is implanted, and I am reacting to people in certain ways because of it. His father died in grade 11, and everyone was so sad for him. He came up to me and said 'Do you know my father's dead?', and I'm like 'Yes'. Then I just walked off. I actually liked the fact that the father was dead after a while. Then I realized, it's not worth a fool.

I had a thing against people looking through my backpack... If they got too close I would freak out. Well one day in 7th grade, science class (which was the first class of the day) this kid who sat behind me would always get a kick out of pushing my desk as far forward as possible blocking the isle and making the whole class pissed at ME because of this jerk off... anyway this particular day was sucking from the beginning and this kid wasnt helping. I was in an argument with one of the kids in the row next to me and my teacher called me to the front of the room. So now I'm scared that I'm in trouble.. well the teacher only wanted me to take the attendance list to the office. Regardless I was still getting over the shock of being called to the front of the room and having all the attention suddenly on me (cause the room got very quiet when the teacher spoke) and i see this kid (not the one who pushes my desk but a different jerk off) reaching for my backpack and I just kind of lost it and ran toward him full force and flipped his desk over on its side while he was still sitting in it and then ran out of the room crying.

EDIT

The post before me reminded me that I once just mentioned what the "Intranet" was in English class and everybody who was in that class still makes fun of me because of it.

A few years when I was in junior high I was overwhelmed by bullying and my mother's strict rules that I have perfect grades and conduct, and anything would set me off to screaming, yelling, cursing, or just falling on the floor and begging. My family and I didn't know what it was, my parents thought I was just being a whiney brat, and my teachers and Dad all had solemn parent teacher conferences.

Now when I feel like I'm going to have a meltdown (anxious, things are too loud, can't block anything, thinking about crying and screaming "I can't take it anymore!") I go to the library and cool off. If I can't help it and can't leave, my meltdowns are mostly internal now so I just sit there and try to deal with feeling like I'll be ripped from my body because of his anxious energy. I often write or scribble.