Episode 2 - Melted down, burnt out, shut down

Part 1
In this episode, we start a conversation about the differences between autistic presentations of stress.  We talk about how we personally experience meltdowns and start a discussion on what we can do to help de-escalate the situation. Join us next week as we dive more into how we handle these situations, and how they differ from other types of autistic stress responses like burnout and shutdowns. 

This episode is the start of a multi-part series.

Terms
CPTSD - Complex post-traumatic stress disorder
PDA - Pathological demand avoidance
DBT - Dialectical behavior therapy

Useful Products mentioned:

Blackout masks - https://amzn.to/3Un247i
Weighted blankets - https://amzn.to/4e2qV7e
Jenn's Noise Cancelling Headphones
Soundcore Q45 Headphones - https://amzn.to/3NEoM7e
 
Fidget toys -https://amzn.to/3BVTOVj
Magic Putty - https://amzn.to/3C7G21W
Coloring Books - https://amzn.to/3UotmtZ

DBT Book - https://amzn.to/48gJm70

Jenn's Personal Calm Down Playlist - https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/calm-down/pl.u-jV89b1pIdxKy8pd

Jenn & Bethany deep dive into the topic of Explanation Vs. Excuse- what it is, how we personally draw the lines, and how that affected our past- and our future. 

A note: In this episode Bethany and I talk about about our choice to not have children. We want to be clear that these are our personal opinions that take into account our varying diagnoses and other details that we don't go into in the podcast. We know that there are many neurodivergent parents out there doing a PHENOMENAL job, and we hope to interview some in the future. There are tons of resources out there that help neurodivergent parents (and their often neurodivergent children) succeed every day. If talking about not having kids because of the negative symptoms associated with certain illnesses upsets you, you may want to skip this episode. 

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, you can send us an email at [email protected]