I sometimes become overwhelmed with too much information. There are also times when I feel tired from a long day out and about. It hasn’t always been easy to understand the need to manage myself properly. I also need to care for myself in the moments that I become overwhelmed. It has become one of those necessary skills that can prevent further meltdown when the world is just too much.

For the longest time I did not understand what to do when the outside world was just too much. At times, there are so many things happening around us. We become overloaded with too much energy. This can be overwhelming. It can cause a meltdown if we are not careful to protect ourselves and those around us.

Over the years I have begun to learn how important it is to manage when I become overwhelmed. It’s crucial to avoid projecting my energy onto others. I also try not to react negatively in a way that becomes noticeable to others. I have started to realize that I want to be seen positively by those who respect and admire me. I strive to avoid behaving in a way that is unbecoming.

I knew I needed to manage my emotions in a healthy manner. Otherwise, I will find myself in a meltdown. I had to start working on finding healthy and appropriate coping mechanisms for rough moments. I also needed to find ways to cope. I needed to take care of myself when I had more freedom to do so. This, in turn, helped me with regrouping myself. I often ruminated about the things that seemed insurmountable. I did not feel that I easily surpass the energy.

I had to learn an important lesson. It is better to manage the moments when I am overwhelmed. I need to handle them in the ways that suit me. I also learned that there was no shame in doing things that are seen as unorthodox. These include wearing headphones or needing more space when things become overwhelming.

Many things about autistic people were not understood until recently. They needed to be understood in ways that help them cope when overwhelmed. This understanding prevents the meltdowns that were challenging for everyone involved. I had to learn within myself that it was perfectly acceptable to care for myself. I realized this when things just get too much. People will understand more than they once did because they are more educated than what they used to be.

Indeed, there are moments when I and many others on the autism spectrum become overwhelmed with too much information. If we are taught the skills we need, and we learn and practice them, things improve. This benefits not only us as individuals but also those in our “village.”