SHUTDOWN - WHAT'S BELOW THE ICEBERG?

SHUTDOWN - WHAT'S BELOW THE ICEBERG?

When somebody shuts down, other people may see silence, withdrawal or a lack of response. What they cannot see is everything that may have been building underneath.

This Space to Breathe Therapy guide explores shutdown through the iceberg model, looking beneath the visible response at sensory overload, exhaustion, emotional overload, feeling unsafe, loss of control, past experiences, unmet needs and the nervous system's need for protection.

Inside the PDF:
• what shutdown can look and feel like
• why reduced speech or response is not necessarily refusal
• autistic shutdown and sensory overload
• ADHD and executive overload
• trauma, freeze and protective responses
• early warning signs
• what can help during shutdown
• what can make overload worse
• a full shutdown-iceberg reflection worksheet
• a personal shutdown communication plan
• guidance for partners, parents, colleagues and supporters
• recovery and prevention strategies
• a personal message from Maggie
• book recommendations and professional sources

The guide encourages us to look beyond the behaviour we can see and ask what the person's nervous system may be trying to communicate.

This resource is psychoeducational. Shutdown-like symptoms can have different causes, and new or unexplained episodes may require medical assessment.

Space to Breathe Therapy
Understanding creates change.

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