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The Difference Between Meltdown and Tantrum

To outside onlookers, a tantrum and a meltdown can look very similar. But those who know the person well will have an advantage, in that they may understand the person’s temperament, internal motivations, and triggers.

One of the most important distinctions to keep in mind between the two is that a meltdown is out of the person’s control, driven by physical shutdown, while a tantrum is, to a certain extent, driven by will. A tantrum is slowed with self-regulation, while a meltdown is beyond the ability of the self to regulate. In both cases, the best course of action is to get the person out of the triggering atmosphere or situation and to a safe place, where they won’t be seriously injured or further triggered by their surroundings.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-say-next/202105/what-is-the-difference-between-meltdown-and-tantrum