Episode 165 – We’re back and we bring you an overview of the PS2 and some of it’s games. This is not a greatest hits compilation. What are some of your favorite PS2 games? What does the system mean to you?

When everything around us becomes a bit too much to handle, we all have ways of reacting to it. Some of us try to bottle up our feelings, whilst a few people’s first instinct would be to go somewhere quiet. For autistic children (and adults) who become overloaded, anxious or unable to cope with what’s going on around them, there tends to be one of two reactions.

One is going into a meltdown. They vary widely from person to person, but they generally develop as a result of anxiety reaching a point where it cannot be contained. Shouting, screaming and ranting can occur. With some people, meltdowns also have a physical side; throwing, kicking and lashing out often happen.

The other reaction to overload is a shutdown. They aren’t nearly as easy to spot as a meltdown, but the impact on an autistic person can be just as big. In this post, we explore what a shutdown actually is, how it happens and what you can do to help someone experiencing one.

The silent treatment

Shutdowns are a more muted response to extreme overload or stress. When an autistic person goes into shutdown mode, there are a few common signs. These are:

– Being completely silent
– Not being able to communicate in any way
– Withdrawing to a quiet, dark space to get away from the cause of their shutdown
– Not being able to move from where they are because they’re thinking too much about the cause of their shutdown
– Lying down on a flat surface, being completely still

It’s not that easy to tell when a shutdown is going to happen, but if your autistic son or daughter is feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s good to know what the root cause is. They may be in a crowded, noisy environment. They may be doing a task they find really difficult or may be on the brink of shutdown as a result of days and weeks of stress building up.

Shutdowns have two purposes. The first is to try and express that someone is feeling stressed, while the second is to try and get rid of that stress and calm down. In some instances, they occur after a meltdown, acting as a means of trying to return to normal.

Time to recover

As is the case with some meltdowns, an autistic person who experiences a shutdown will eventually come round. However, the time taken to recover varies depending on the shutdown’s cause, how overwhelmed the person is and how close they are to its cause.

To be on the safe side, it’s worth giving your child space when it happens. By being left alone for a while, they’ll be able to gradually de-stress and, in the process, be able to recover without it seeming forced or risking another shutdown occurring.

If your child has several shutdowns, take the time to find out what works to help them recover. It could be something they enjoy, something to stim with or a quiet, reassuring word or touch. The latter can work in knowing that your son or daughter has some support when at their most stressed or anxious.

Shut everything out

When your child has a shutdown, find out what’s causing it. When they’re in shutdown mode somewhere busy like, say, a supermarket or a shopping centre, it’s worth leaving that space as soon as possible. If it’s happening at home, turn off whatever’s making the sounds or causing a shutdown and let your child spend some quiet time alone.

If shutdowns happen at school, inform the headteacher or whoever else is responsible of what they are, why they happen and how they affect your child. Then, the school will be able to make reasonable adjustments for your child. More importantly, they will also know how to make sure they’re supported when needed the most.

There are a few other ways in which you can help your. One is putting together a “worry book”, which lists everything your child is stressed or anxious about. At home, soundproofing their bedroom can work, while outside, trying to avoid busy environments where possible can work wonders.

It’s important to know that shutdowns can be helpful to autistic people. While they can take a few minutes or hours to recover from, they help to block out stresses and strains. Do what you can to help and they’ll feel better for it.

ASMR Doctor ALLERGY TESTING Roleplay! MEASURING, Gloves, Whispers… A roleplay to help you relax, feel tingles, and fall asleep 🙂

Moonbase. The future of humanity, or a waste of time and resources? An increasingly anti-technology United Nations is determined to see Moonbase brought to heel. But Douglas Stavenger is determined to see his father’s legacy succeed. Even if it means declaring independence . . .

Well, Ben Bova has done it again. Though its pre-2022 publication date renders it invalid for the Boundy Awards, Moonwar is a strong contender for my favourite book of the year. It has all the hallmarks of Bova’s Grand Tour, from a dedication to rigorous science to a diverse group of characters. What it lacks is the usual serene pacing that I’ve come to associate with the Grand Tour. This is not a bad thing, by the way. In fact, it’s the greatest strength. Because while most of this series has been focused on humanity versus environment in tales of exploration in far-flung frontiers, this one is about people versus people. It’s a thriller with both military and political elements. It’s also got some of the best pacing I have ever read.

Moonwar is split into three acts. The first is a countdown to the UN invasion of the Moon, told across chapters labelled with how many hours remain until the hostile troops’ arrival. Despite the length of the journey from Earth to the Moon, this is a fantastically tense section of the book. With a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, we get to see how the varied personnel of Moonbase react to the coming war. There are a lot of characters here, and not all of them have a lot to do. But that’s just the point. Stavenger’s rebellion goes beyond any one man, even the corrupt leader of the UN. The future being fought is not only that of Moonbase, but of humanity as a whole.

The middle act is told across the span of several weeks. Here, the difference in a lunar day and a terrestrial day is important to remember, because the Moon turns far more slowly than the Earth. Over the course of these terrestrial days, we see the slow build-up of forces on each side, even as the Moonbase crew remain steadfast in their non-military resistance. The more drawn-out nature of the middle act also allows for a return to diplomacy, and I dare say that Bova can make boardroom meetings more interesting than any other author I’ve read. Certainly there’s no one else who could so deftly balance the action sequences on the Moon with the dialogue taking place back on Earth.

Bova’s versatility as an author aside, this still bears the mark of what I like to see in science fiction. Particularly in hard SF, I like to see science and intellect triumphing. The regressive nature of certain Earthbound groups is clearly a danger to humanity’s long-term viability. And while Bova will be the first to acknowledge that technology can be put to less than savoury purpose, science in itself is never the enemy. That, to me, is the moral heart of the Grand Tour. We don’t know what’s out there. But the only way we can thrive, is by asking questions, and looking for answers.

A simply phenomenal book, Moonwar cements Ben Bova’s place as one of my favourite authors, and ensures I’ll be reading as many of his books as I can lay my hands on.

Jean Anne Whorton goes Beyond The Facts, talking to the high school sophomore who has become a conservative hero for refusing to learn his Spanish vocabulary.