🧠 My Personal Journey - Understanding Meltdowns in Autism: The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Fallacy 🧠

Introduction:

Welcome back to The Good Doctor Spectrum Blog! 🌟 In this post, I’m sharing my personal journey of living with autism and the misunderstood meltdowns often labeled as the "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" fallacy. This narrative aims to foster empathy, promote understanding, and encourage support for individuals with autism. 💡🔍

Early Experiences and Mislabeling:

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Ever since I can remember, my mother would call me Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One moment, I was calm and collected, and the next, overwhelmed and misunderstood. This was my reality, enduring a lifelong struggle with autism meltdowns. 🧸➡️😢
Specific Memory: A vivid memory stands out. As a very young child, a simple comment from my father led me to bang my head against the wall. My family, shocked and clueless, didn't know how to react. This incident marked the beginning of a journey filled with misunderstood emotions and reactions. 🚸❗💥

Emotional Impact and Family Dynamics:

Emotional Struggles: Being called Mr. Hyde made me feel like there was a beast inside me, something I had to constantly control. It was a relentless battle, draining every ounce of energy and making me feel chained forever. The internal conflict was overwhelming and exhausting. 😔🦸‍♂️🦹‍♂️
Family Reactions: My family’s shocked and unclear reactions during meltdowns highlighted a lack of understanding and support. Their confusion and inability to help added to my feelings of isolation and frustration. 😮🤷‍♂️

Journey to Diagnosis and Understanding:

Growing Up: Growing up, it felt like everyone else had a rulebook I didn’t. Friendless and misunderstood, life was a series of painful efforts to fit in. I always felt like there were rules everyone knew but didn't share with me. This constant struggle led to immense emotional and mental exhaustion. 📚❓
Learning and Diagnosis: My Herculean efforts to become a doctor led me to learn more about mental health and growth disorders. This journey provided an inkling that something was wrong, leading me to isolate my 'weird' behaviors and try to correct them on my own. My quest for understanding led to moments of revelation and clarity. 👩‍⚕️🧠
Diagnosis: When I finally received my autism diagnosis, I cried. It was a revelation: the meltdowns weren’t my fault. A heavy burden lifted, replaced by clarity and understanding. Knowing that there was a reason behind my struggles brought immense relief and hope. 💡😭

Coping Mechanisms and Growth:

Meditation: Through meditation, I began to reshape my brain, gaining control and peace. Meditation has been shown to strengthen areas of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, and self-awareness. It also helps calm down the sympathetic nervous system. Over time, mindfulness meditation can increase cognition, memory, and attention. 🧘‍♂️🧠
Scientific Support:

• Mindfulness Meditation: Increases the density of gray matter in brain regions associated with learning, memory, emotion regulation, and perspective-taking. 📖🧠
• Long-term Meditation: Enhances the thickness of the prefrontal cortex and the right anterior insula, which are related to attention, self-awareness, and sensory processing. 🧘‍♂️🔬
• Harvard Medical School: Shows that meditation can reduce the size of the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for fear and stress responses, thus helping to manage emotional responses better. 🧠📉

Message to Others:

Empathy and Understanding: It's okay to be yourself, to seek help, and to avoid triggers. Understanding oneself and recognizing personal limits can prevent meltdowns, leading to a better life. Embrace your uniqueness and prioritize self-care. 💖🧩
Support and Advocacy: Encourage readers to support those with autism and promote awareness to prevent mislabeling and emotional harm. By fostering an environment of understanding and acceptance, we can create a supportive community. 🌟🙌

Conclusion:

Recap: Meltdowns are not a good experience for anyone involved. It’s essential to know oneself, understand potential triggers, and take steps to avoid them. The world is still getting used to people like us, and it’s better to be safe than sorry and avoid life-altering consequences. 📋💡
Call to Action: Encourage readers to share the video to raise awareness and prevent others from experiencing the same pain. Sharing knowledge and experiences can help build a more empathetic world. 📺🔗
Community Message: Reinforce the idea that we’re all in this together, and together, we can create a more inclusive and supportive world. 🌍✊

Get in Touch:

💬 If you need support, have questions, or just want to connect, message us on WhatsApp at +447824495449. 📱 We're here to help and support you on your journey. 🌟😊

Additional Resources:

• Autism Speaks 🌐
• National Autistic Society 📚
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network 🧠

Thank you for being part of The Good Doctor Spectrum community. Together, we can create a more understanding and inclusive world for everyone. 🌟🌍😊