autistic crisis

An autistic person wearing headphones, overwhelmed by the crowds, screens, and conflicting signs at VivaTech

An autistic shutdown can occur when an accumulation of sensory, cognitive and social stimuli exceeds a person’s processing capacity. The brain then slows down abruptly: speaking becomes difficult, even the simplest decisions become impossible, and the body may keep moving on autopilot. In June 2026, VivaTech was held in Paris—a kind of French mini-CES. I had been looking forward to it, hoping to hand out résumés and potentially land a job. I had not counted on a massive shutdown beginning before I even entered the exhibition.

Man sitting down, screaming in the middle of a meltdown

Autism

Meltdown: the autistic explosion

Updated on 07/26/2026 No Comments

If shutdown is the implosion, meltdown is the explosion. A visible, loud, and often misunderstood crisis. The stereotype of the autistic person banging their head against a wall is common. For many autistic individuals, this is a real experience — but it is not universal. Still, many autistic people experience these crises to varying degrees and frequencies. A meltdown generates an intense emotional discharge that can leave the autistic person completely drained of energy. After discussing autistic crises more broadly, this article focuses specifically on meltdowns.

autistic crisis

Autistic shutdown: five minutes at VivaTech, fourteen hours to recover

Meltdown: the autistic explosion

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Oh, hi there ?

Just a letter — from me to you.

Oh, bonjour ?

Juste une lettre, de moi à toi.