#AskingAutistics – do you have any tips for avoiding meltdowns / shutdowns?
Published by
Lyric Holmans
Lyric Rivera (they/them), from Neurodivergent Consulting, is a late-identified Autistic and ADHD adult. Lyric is the author of the best-selling business ethics book, Workplace Neurodiversity Rising (which was praised in Forbes as “an excellent ‘how to manual’ based on lived experience and professional competence”). Other titles Lyric has worked on include collaborating with Rebecca Duffus on the U.S. version of the popular children's workbook Autism, Identity, and Me (adult version coming worldwide fall 2026), and Neurodivergent Rebel's The Weight of Normal. Lyric is also the creator of #AskingAutistics, a hashtag that connects Autistic people and allies around the globe. The philosophy of Neurodivergent Consulting is to support the creation of accessible workplaces and other spaces (via universal design) that enable Neurodivergent (and all) people to fully realize their unique talents and fresh perspectives through care and support of the whole person. This allows us to bring our full selves to the spaces we enter. View all posts by Lyric Holmans
Thank you for posting that. I have become more aware of impending meltdowns or shutdowns, but it’s usually too late and they take over me anyway. So basically, I know it’s coming but I’m powerless to stop it. In time hopefully I’ll learn how to.
From the perspective of a dad to a son with autism, I’d love to know the answer to this as well. He has lots of options for stimming and his meltdowns have decreased as he’s gotten older. We usually just let him remove himself from whatever situation has caused the issue, and he’s generally calmed after a walk and to clear his mind a bit. Music is his go-to, and if there’s a swing nearby, he’s gonna seek it out.