back to school; meltdowns
As kids go back to school, I hear a lot of stories about meltdowns and anxiety attacks. I often hear those around them say things like, “it happened for no reason” and “out of the blue, he just went crazy.” I can assure you, there is always a reason behind a meltdown. It may not be obvious at first but with a little analysis a cause will reveal itself. In understanding what is commonly referred to as a meltdown, it helps to know the basics about our brains and how they work.
The brain’s number one job is to keep us alive and safe. It does this by constantly scanning the environment to determine any threats to our safety. The brain is always consciously and subconsciously taking in sensory input and interpreting it for an appropriate response. Incoming sensory can include sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
Think of a time when you felt your wellbeing might be in danger. Did you hear an unidentifiable sound, smell smoke, taste something spoiled, step on something sharp or maybe thought you saw a snake. In any of these instances your brain would send signals to your body to respond in a way it thought was appropriate. Usually, the level of response is equal to the level of perceived danger.
We rely on our brains ability to appropriately predict the level of threat. So, imagine if your brain struggled to interpret incoming sensory information. What if you interpreted everything as a threat because you could not accurately determine or predict what was happening around you.
For example, let’s say you are walking your dog at night. The streetlights keep most of your path well lit. You turn a corner and enter the small section of your neighborhood near a wooded area where there are no lights. You hear something in the trees next to you and remember the neighborhood watch group sending an email warning everyone about a bear sighting. You know you’re about to be face to face with a bear. Your brain is quickly scanning the environment and trying to decide the best survival tactic.
In those few moments before you can identify the threat, your brain is sending signals to increase your heart rate so you’ll have the adequate blood flow your muscles need to get you the heck out of there. Your breathing starts to increase as well. Just when you’re ready to run you realize, it’s just a deer.
You just relied on your brain’s ability to use past experience and current knowledge to determine what was happening and predict the best reaction for the given situation. But what if you couldn’t see that it was a deer. What if you took off in a full sprint toward your house screaming? The neighbor that just observed a deer step out of the woods and you fleeing may think your reaction was a bit much.
To you, your life was in danger. To your neighbor, you were overreactive. Please keep this in mind if you are around or have someone on the spectrum returning to school, especially if it is an unfamiliar environment. Familiarity and predictability make new environments less scary. Plan and prepare accordingly for smooth transitions.
If a meltdown occurs, please understand some level of fear was probably involved. Empathy and understanding will go a long way in helping to reduce meltdowns. Empowering your children by helping them understand and predict what is expected of them will also help to reduce unwanted behavior.
Best of luck for an awesome school year!
