No, I Was Never “Being Dramatic”, I Actually Feel Things That Deeply

Oh, the invalidation of it all! When I was a child, I got called “dramatic” all the time. To me, truly being dramatic means purposefully overreacting to get a response.

Me? No.

I actually feel things that deeply and strongly. There was no intention behind my reactions, I was just responding to how my senses perceived my environment at the time.

I think neurotypical people invalidate the emotions and experiences of autistic people unintentionally, for the most part.

If you tell a neurotypical child he is being dramatic because he threw himself headlong into the grocery store aisle shrieking and pounding his fists into the linoleum because he was told he couldn’t have a candy bar, he’s probably not going to sustain permanent psychological damage from being told he’s being dramatic.

In fact, he may realize his tactic is not working and stop.

If an autistic child begins screaming, crying, covering her ears, and slamming her head repeatedly into a wall (all things I did as a kid), this is a child in deep and profound distress.

Read how I just wrote that: “The child cannot control what is happening to her.”

Being dramatic is a manipulative tactic designed to get attention or a response from others. It is a purposeful act. Having a meltdown is an uncontrollable emotional response that happens when a person is completely overwhelmed, scared, triggered, etc. It is not on purpose. It is happening TO the person, not the other way around.

As someone who has had a few meltdowns in her adult life, let me tell you, you see it happening, you’re at least partially aware of what you’re doing, but you cannot stop it.

That’s not “dramatic”, it’s terrifying!

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