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What You Can Do During a Meltdown

Meltdowns can be tricky to navigate on your own. Here are some steps to make the process of calming down better.

  1. A rabbit moves to a quieter space
    01

    Move to a lower-stimulation space

    Find somewhere calmer and less crowded. This way you will have more room to both breathe and calm down.

  2. Headphones, a fidget cube, and a fidget toy A rabbit using a weighted blanket
    02

    Use your sensory toolkit

    Use your noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys and/or weighted blanket to help calm yourself down.

  3. Emotion cards held in two hands
    03

    Use the emotion cards

    If someone is around to assist you and you are unable to respond, you may use the emotion cards to communicate how you are feeling in the moment.

Reference:
Meltdowns - a guide for all audiences. (2026). Autism.Org.Uk. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/behaviour/meltdowns/all-audiences

What You Can Do when Someone You Know Has a Meltdown

Sometimes, we may come across someone going through a meltdown. Here is how you can help:

  1. People helping someone who is beginning to feel distressed
    01

    Anticipate the Meltdown

    Autistic people tend to already show signs of distress before they go into meltdown mode. They can be akin to signs of anxiety such as pacing, repetitive questioning, rocking or becoming very still.

  2. A friend offering support while someone calms down
    02

    Let them calm down

    Allow them some time to calm down and regain their senses. You may introduce techniques like breathing exercises to them.

  3. A friend checking whether someone is okay
    03

    Ask them if they are okay.

    Remember to be patient. Some of them may need more time to respond.

  4. A friend making a calm, quiet space
    04

    Give and Create Space

    Redirect them to a quiet, safe space if possible. Ask people to move on ahead and to not stare, switch off loud music, bring down bright lights. Reduce as much stimulation overload as possible.

  5. Emotion cards held in two hands
    05

    Use the Emotion Cards

    If the emotion cards are on you or on the person experiencing a meltdown, you can use them to communicate.

Reference:
Hanson, C. (2026, April 14). Understanding autistic meltdowns: What they are, what triggers them, and what actually helps. Life Skills Advocate. https://lifeskillsadvocate.com/blog/understanding-autistic-meltdowns/