Episode
Tantrums vs. Meltdowns: There is a HUGE difference- Emotional Regulation Series
- Published
- Feb 19, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 532
- Processing state
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Summary
Your body starts to tighten, your breath gets heavy, your mind is racing, senses are overwhelmed and your dysregulated emotions just burst... Sound familiar!? This is called a MELTDOWN...Your brain has had "too much" body is giving information that it needs HELP! It's when your brain is overloaded. This is not a misbehavior issue, it's a regulation struggle- a neurological response! So what is a TANTRUM then? "I want this...I don't like that...you need to do what I want... give me that...NOW"= Desire for control leading to emotional outburst... It can be tricky to tell the difference as a trusted adult, which is why staying curious and helping kids raise self-awareness is key! In this episode, you will discover the difference between a meltdown vs a tantrum and even hear a little from my 8 year old child with ADHD who struggles with this too. We will talk about how how brain is like a computer, at first it's doing great. Tabs open faster and faster, then suddenly it freezes up! The computer isn't being bad, it's overloaded...That's when a meltdown happens. My son shares some helpful self-talk tips : "My brain's not broken." "I wasn't being bad." "My system is overloaded." Meltdown brain is saying, "I need support, I need quiet, I need space, I need help!" Make sure you check out our February sponsor "Inflow!" This helpful resource has made it their mission to bring the right solution to individuals 13 + years and older, who are tired of dealing with the daily untamed struggles of ADHD. This app is designed for those who have tried countless strategies on their own, but they just aren't sticking. To makes it even easier, Inflow starts with a quick quiz that creates a personalized plan tailored to your brain- so you can finally get connected with strategies that work for…