From Anxiety to Meltdown

Anxiety is the root cause of many of the difficulties experienced by people on the autism spectrum, and is often caused by things such as a change in routine, or sensory overload. Deborah Lipsky takes a practical look at what happens when things spiral out of control, exploring what leads to meltdowns and tantrums, and what can be done to help.

Drawing on her own extensive personal experience and using real-life examples to explain how autistic people think, the author distinguishes between meltdowns and tantrums, showing how they are different, how each can begin, and most importantly, how to identify triggers and prevent outbursts from happening in the first place. Practical and simple solutions to avoiding anxiety are offered throughout, and these are accompanied by calming techniques and suggestions for dealing with tantrums when they occur.

This book will be an essential read for those on the autism spectrum, their families and friends, professionals working with them, and anybody else with an interest in autism spectrum conditions.

“People with autism are very good at worrying, and we now have neurological studies suggesting that high levels of anxiety are indeed a constitutional aspect of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Deborah Lipsky's book provides a wealth of insight, explanations and practical strategies based on her personal experiences. As a clinician, I endorse her analysis of the causes of anxiety and meltdowns, and know she will receive the gratitude of parents, teachers, psychologists and people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder for her recommendations and interventions. This book could be more effective than medication, and is less expensive than a consultation with a clinical psychologist.”

A highly engaging texts, with illustrations drawn from personal experience, From Anxiety to Meltdown provides valuable insights into daily challenges faced by individuals with autism spectrum and highlights how aspects of the environment both with regard to sensory issues and cognitive demands can increase anxiety and lead to meltdown... I would recommend this text to parents, teachers, and professionals who care for and support childrn and young people with autism. -- Debate
This excellent book explains how anxiety causes meltdowns in autism... The book is well written and informative; much of the information is a reminder of how reactions to the environment can be so differnt etween individuals with autism and neurotypicals. -- Aukids
This book acts as a guide for people who want to gain a better understanding about how individuals on the autistic spectrum deal with anxiety, meltdowns and manifest tantrums... The author offers some good ideas and guides on how to avoid and reduce anxiety in certain situations... Deborah Lipsky certainly guides the reader through how anxiety can affect people with autism and how to deal with this in a very personal, approachable manner. -- Youth in Mind
-- Tony Attwood, Clinical Psychologist and author of The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome
I very much relate to and appreciate Deborah Lipsky's book so much I think the title should read 'From Anxiety to Meltdown to Living Lovely'. From now on when people ask me to explain why I have meltdowns and how they can help me recover I think I will just hand them a copy of this book. -- Liane Holliday Willey, EdD author of Safety Skills for Asperger Women: How to Save a Perfectly Good Female Life
Deborah Lipsky provides her inside view on anxiety and meltdowns in autism. She explains how she controls her anxiety. -- Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures and The Way I See It
Written by a person with high functioning autism this book provides first hand experiences of what it is like to be autistic. That alone would make this book a must read but this book is so much more... The book is easy reading and the author provides interesting anecdotes to explain points which keeps the readers interest... on finishing it the reader really feels like they have a clear understanding of the triggers of meltdowns and strategies to support the individual. I feel that this is a useful book for anyone working or caring for children or young people with autism. -- NAPLIC Matters

Deborah Lipsky's analogy of a person with autism being rather like a tiger was thought provoking and quite understandable. The book is easy to read and uses easy to understand language making it accessible to the majority. It gives an excellent insight into the mind of someone with autism and how the condition can affect them. The information about how to calm a person with autism was particularly interesting from a non autistic point of view and how the use of scripts can help lower the anxieties of people with Autism. The use of the examples in the book also give a better understanding of how situations are interpreted differently between autistic and non autistic people.

A good book for anyone working with people on the Autistic Spectrum.

-- OAASIS
Deborah Lipsky, the self dubbed Raccoon Lady, has written a must read for people like me... So here, Deborah provides great insight into the thought processes and thinking patterns applicable to many people on the spectrum,. Her perspective may not be unique, in that there are lots of other autistic people with similar viewpoints, but trouble is that not enough of them have written a book about it to enlighten us. So here is the opportunity... Her insights, tips and approach should prove invaluable to many, but for me, I was particularly interested to read about the interplay between anxiety, OCD, stress and how these elements can affect someone in their adult life. Her account provides ample evidence about mechanisms as possible, as well as the need to teach and practice flexible thinking. I was delighted to read about Deborah's challenging and fulfilling life, which I'm sure will prove inspirational to both parents and autistic children. It would be far too sweeping to say, "Nothing holds you back except the limits imposed by yourself", but the impulse to self-censure is a commonplace part of the human condition. -- Whitterer on Autism
I actually enjoyed reading this book and found it very readable. I particularly appreciated the personal anecdotes and her forthright opinions....She is very careful to clearly explain and then illustrate everything with examples and thereby ensures that the reader fully understands what causes meltdowns and how they feel....She gives many suggestions about how to spot when a meltdown is imminent and to prevent it before its too late. There is also a mine of information about how to adapt a person's life so that they are not overwhelmed, without having to totally withdraw from life and how to prepare for unwanted but inevitable changes to plans....I totally agree with her focus and feel that she has struck the perfect balance between helping the child/adult learn strategies to manage and control their anxiety and also those around them putting in an equal amount of effort to accommodate the person on the spectrum....On a personal level I could relate to much of what she says and I suspect that many parents with children on the spectrum will find it not only instructive in helping their child, but also for themselves....If you are struggling with a child who is constantly being aggressive and having meltdowns this book goes a long way to explaining why and what you can do about it....For parents who are beginning to feel that their child is just bad, or where schools feel that the child is just badly disciplined then this book will help to change their false cognitions....This is a must read for parents, learning support assistants, social workers, teachers and psychologists and will give them much needed insight and empathy." -- AS Teens
Drawing on her extensive personal experience as a high-functioning autistic individual and using real-life examples to explain how autistic people think, the author highlight how meltdowns and tantrums differ from each other and discusses the sources they can stem from... Practical and simple solutions for avoiding anxiety are offered throughout, accompanied by calming techniques and suggestions for ways to deal with tantrums, when they occur. -- Human Givens

Deborah Lipsky is a high-functioning autistic individual with substantial experience in emergency and trauma management, having formerly worked as a firefighter, emergency medical technician, and reserve police officer. She is now a Continuing Education Seminar Presenter and Keynote Speaker, and is a consultant for schools, agencies, and private parties, specializing in meltdown management plans.

Anxiety is the root cause of many of the difficulties experienced by people on the autism spectrum, and is often caused by things such as a change in routine, or sensory overload. Deborah Lipsky takes a practical look at what happens when things spiral out of control, exploring what leads to meltdowns and tantrums, and what can be done to help. Drawing on her own extensive personal experience and using real-life examples to explain how autistic people think, the author distinguishes between meltdowns and tantrums, showing how they are different, how each can begin, and most importantly, how to identify triggers and prevent outbursts from happening in the first place. Practical and simple solutions to avoiding anxiety are offered throughout, and these are accompanied by calming techniques and suggestions for dealing with tantrums when they occur. This book will be an essential read for those on the autism spectrum, their families and friends, professionals working with them, and anybody else with an interest in autism spectrum conditions.

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