What are your meltdowns and recovery like?

I always find it hard to explain because it all feels slightly surreal after I have calmed down, and I don't remember things in a clear linear way.

My meltdowns always involve crying but it's completely different to "normal" crying, also screaming, intense rocking, and behaviours that can turn harmful like hitting and scratching. I often end up with these dark streaks of petechiae on my arms and all over my eyes/face.

I also cannot remember the recovery post meltdown at all. It's kind of blank.

I'm wondering what it's like for others here and how you would explain it to someone who hasn't had a meltdown before. I struggle to explain it which is frustrating when I'm among people using the term lightly (*not* to mean an actual autistic meltdown) and they think I mean the same thing.