From Anxiety to Meltdown: How Individuals on the Autism Spectrum Deal with Anxiety, Experience Meltdowns, Manifest Tantrums, and How You Can Intervene Effectively

by Deborah Lipsky

Anxiety is the root cause of many of the difficulties experienced by people on the autism spectrum, and is often caused by things such as a change in routine, or sensory overload. Deborah Lipsky takes a practical look at what happens when things spiral out of control, exploring what leads to meltdowns and tantrums, and what can be done to help. Drawing on her own extensive personal experience and using real-life examples to explain how autistic people think, the author distinguishes between meltdowns and tantrums, showing how they are different, how each can begin, and most important, how to identify triggers and prevent outbursts from happening in the first place. Practical and simple solutions to avoiding anxiety are offered throughout, and these are accompanied by calming techniques and suggestions for dealing with tantrums when they occur. This book will be an essential read for those on the autism spectrum, their families and friends, professionals working with them, and anybody else with an interest in autism spectrum conditions.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Parenting, Mental Health, Psychology, Education

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Chanel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had some very good tips for those of us on the "other" side of a meltdown – what might be going through the person's mind, what isn't going through their mind. For example, what they appear like to other people, higher-order thoughts like recognizing how angry they feel. It's fight or flight, and needs really do reduce to basic survival instincts. Reading this in conjunction with Ido in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism's Silent Prison, both of which are part memoirs/part advice for caregivers, allowed me to cross-reference between both and add two perspectives of people with autism to my toolkit.

Also, I checked this book out of the library the first time, and I think I actually read the whole thing, but I couldn't remember if I did. So I checked it out again, and I got through like half the book thinking over and over: "I've read this part... the unread part must be just on the next page... Oh, no, I've read this part, let me just keep going..." so I've really read this twice through. Except I only remembered on the second time.

[Polly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative! This book not only gives strategies for avoiding meltdowns but also gives readers many reasons why they occur. The book helped me understand myself better and how I can make my own live easier. The only downside are the grammatical errors. I saw numerous punctuation errors which sometimes made it difficult to read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book before attending an autism/Asberger's conference for work. It was amazing to read about the experience of a person on the spectrum in first person. People on the spectrum have higher levels of adrenaline in their bodies, which puts them in a constant state of stress. They are visual learners and may have a hard time with auditory information especially when they are under stress. They have a clear plan for how they would like the day to go, and when the days goes "off script" they feel a lot of anxiety. I appreciated learning these things because it helps me have more empathy for people who are struggling. She addresses the difference between tantrums and meltdowns, which I found very helpful as well. The conference I went to (http://aepconnections.com/ ) was also excellent, and I highly recommend it if you work with people on the spectrum or have family members with these characteristics.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful but a tad repetitive

A lot of useful information here, but tends to repeat the same points a little too much. I also think it would be better if it were mentioned earlier the differences between a meltdown and a tantrum.

All in all, I think it's a great resource for neurotypicals who are new to interacting with us autistics people.

[Arthea J. Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish someone had given this to me years ago! Such clear instructions on how to help someone with autism instead of inflicting well-meaning harm. Being written by someone with autism makes all the difference in the world. Sometimes repetitive, it sticks better that way.

[Kara Rowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

WHEN MY DAD TRIED TO INTERVEIN I BOPPED HIM ON THE HEAD

[Lynnette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of this book is autistic and is therefore able to grant insight into the autistic mind, mostly into meltdown triggers. She also offers practical advice for avoiding meltdowns and intervening once a meltdown is in progress. Just as important, she points out that thinking like an autistic person is not always bad, and in fact, in some cases the autistic viewpoint can be quite helpful.

[Anna Penner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book in terms of developing an understanding of the difference between anxiety and meltdowns, but I didn't enjoy how much the author switched between herself and "little autistic Timmy" or the writing style in general.

This book was a slow read, but a worthwhile one.

[Lorraine Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book = highly recommended

[Melanie Lindstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into autism.

[Jean Brazil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing really new. I guess I know more about autism than I thought.

[Mieka English · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found this book to be really informative and it will impact the way I interact with my students with autism and help them deal with their autism.