ASD: Sometimes there are bad days
Added 2022-06-10 11:57:56 +0000 UTCSometimes there are bad days, and it is totally okay.
Last week Monday was a meltdown day for me. These bad days can be totally random or unpredictable, and are often very sudden. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that it might also be because I sometimes struggle to read my own body's cues, often only realising something very late. For example, I often don't realise that I'm hungry until I'm on the brink of fainting.
What do I do when it's a meltdown day? Loads of self-soothing and self-care. For me, this looks like:
- putting on the comfiest and softest of clothing
- drawing curtains so it's slightly darker in my home
- ordering from Uber Eats so I don't have to worry about cooking and dishes
- nesting either on the couch or in my bed
- drinking loads of water
- drinking a cup of rooibos tea or hot cocoa
- watching cartoons with Felix curled up on me, or playing a game on Playstation
Basically, it entails me being as comfortable as possible and doing as little as possible. This helps me transition from being overwhelmed and overstimulated, to being perfectly neutral.
Meltdowns can happen for anyone, regardless of whether they're neurodivergent or not. And I'd advise that you do the same things for you as I do. Create a bubble of comfort and safety, free of adulting for a few hours. Know that it is totally okay for this to happen to you, and the most important thing to do is just to be gentle with yourself.
