I had these pretty regularly as a kid, and the experience was exactly what you describe. I would just stand there frozen. It felt like I had to let a bunch of half-processed stimuli find where they wanted to go in my brain before I could do anything--no active thinking or doing. Like you, I couldn't talk in this state--not at all. I was simply too "far away." In college I asked my mother why she hadn't ever dealt with the fact that I had mental problems. She said that when I would stand there frozen it was disturbing, but since I did well in school, she figured I was normal enough. I stopped having shutdowns once I left home. When I felt one coming on, I'd leave whatever situation I was in, no matter what, and find someplace quiet to hang out. That always works for me. I guess I still have "mini-shutdowns" occasionally, but never more than five to ten seconds long. It is definitely related to confusion and overstimulation.
Nice to have someone put this experience into words
We agree!!!😊 He did a fantastic job!
I had these pretty regularly as a kid, and the experience was exactly what you describe. I would just stand there frozen. It felt like I had to let a bunch of half-processed stimuli find where they wanted to go in my brain before I could do anything--no active thinking or doing. Like you, I couldn't talk in this state--not at all. I was simply too "far away." In college I asked my mother why she hadn't ever dealt with the fact that I had mental problems. She said that when I would stand there frozen it was disturbing, but since I did well in school, she figured I was normal enough. I stopped having shutdowns once I left home. When I felt one coming on, I'd leave whatever situation I was in, no matter what, and find someplace quiet to hang out. That always works for me. I guess I still have "mini-shutdowns" occasionally, but never more than five to ten seconds long. It is definitely related to confusion and overstimulation.