Sensory system overload

[Punky143]

Some days I feel like my senses are hyper sensitive. My ability to hear things is overwhelming and my ears feel different. At this point everything becomes annoying, even talking with people holding basic conversations. I hear the mouth breathers, the spoon scraping against a soup bowl, chewing with your mouth open, clicking a pen, clipping nails, lawnmowers etc.
I feel anything that touches our skin despite being told nothing is there. Well, it is and I feel and no one can tell me otherwise.
Special powers? Probably not. Sensory overload, yes but how do I make it stop.

 

[Dark.Green.Feathers]

Yep, as an autistic person this is very familiar to me. things that make my sensitivity to sound worse are being tired, stressed, and overwhelmed / burnt out by other things.
trying to manage my stress and sleep as best i can helps, and learning to be aware of what/when something is just too much. (eg. i could go and do x but i’ve already had a few sensorily/socially/physically/stressfully intense days this week, so i probbaly shouldn’t)

mix of learning my limits, managing stress where possible (reducing stress sources and having down time to deal with stuff i cant avoid), and employing tools like earplugs/ear defenders/headphones.

if i’ve had a poor night’s sleep or gone to bed very late, i’ll probably need to bring one of those things precautionarily.
if i’m burnt out or getting burnt out, i need to cut out as much unnecessary things as possible, preferably before i crash.

some things i can survive without aid, but should i? not really. if i’m regularly skimping out on bringing my sound protection, i’m setting myself up for accumulating much more stress than necessary, and i find my energy is drained much quicker.

one of my friends uses these things called loops, they’re a lot less bulky than ear defenders, not electronic, and i think some of them can tune out background noise while being able to hear conversation you’re having better than traditional earplugs.

i’m on a train journey right now, ideally i’d have a calm evening to recalibrate. and when i take the train back home, i should have a minimal day after that. then i can return to normal scheduling without an increased chance of going insane or completely flat.

if you can manage the stress put on one sense, the others will benefit too. when i’m feeling quite overwhelmed in general, i’ll try to politely skip out on hugs if they come up. stress cup involves your senses, everything is connected in there.

 

[Sideways]

Definitely my sensory issues go into overdrive when my stress cup is too full. And it’s any of the senses, yeah? Strong smells, tactiles, sounds, lights…it’s all overwhelming if I’m especially strung out. I can fully flip out at someone coughing if I’m wound tightly enough.

Ptsd-wise, managing my stress levels requires daily management. Like medication I need to take. It has to happen routinely.

I also do a lot of things to take the edge off:
- There’s usually background noise of some description that soothes me (I need to be careful about what music I play when, because it can do major things to my mood real quick).
- I wear sunnies, and have negotiated with work colleagues to have every second light switched off in the office. At home the lights are low or off, and yellow bulbs rather than the really ones.
- I like to keep the air-con cool enough for a light, comfy jacket in the office for sensory comfort, and - I keep fidget toys on my desk and in my bag.
- I chew gum (pack-a-day habit!) and I’m sipping water throughout the day (I’m down to about 3L a day)
- I go outside for air and reset at least every 2 hours
- There’s always a dog nearby (perk of the job), and if my fuse is about to blow, I stop and cuddle one, or better yet, put one on a lead and go outside.

I’m not sure there will ever be a point where that sensory sensitivity will ever abate - my childhood trauma did its dash on my amygdala and that’s probably just how it is for me now. So it’s one of those things that I’ve needed to do a lot of trial & error with to figure out how to keep it manageable.

 

[arfie]

my hyper-active metabolism makes sensory overload an ongoing possibility. i am relieved to report i have hearing issues which keep sound sensitivity from being much of a problem, but sound-sensitive people are an on-going source of terror for me. i work quite hard to keep my mouth-breathing self socially distant from sound sensitive people. i shoot to spot sound-sensitive meanies long before they have a chance to be offended by who and what i am. i smell ya coming. i spot the cruel chisels in your face as soon as you come in the door. etc., etc. i often imagine i can read the insults you are preparing to spew at my mouth-breathing imperfection. you'll probably be offended if my imperfect ears can't catch every insult.

in my psychotherapy sessions we call this, "hyper-vigilance." it is one of my meanest ptsd symptoms. emphasis on, "mean." i get meaner than a rattlesnake at a rattlesnake round-up when i am hyper-vigilant and feeling the sensory overloads.

the previous posts have outlined quite a few of the tools i use to manage this symptom. i mostly wanted to let you know you are not alone. it's okay if you reject empathy from a mouth breather. i'm used to it.

 

[PamelaS]

my hyper-active metabolism makes sensory overload an ongoing possibility. i am relieved to report i have hearing issues which keep sound sensitivity from being much of a problem, but sound-sensitive people are an on-going source of terror for me. i work quite hard to keep my mouth-breathing self socially distant from sound sensitive people. i shoot to spot sound-sensitive meanies long before they have a chance to be offended by who and what i am. i smell ya coming. i spot the cruel chisels in your face as soon as you come in the door. etc., etc. i often imagine i can read the insults you are preparing to spew at my mouth-breathing imperfection. you'll probably be offended if my imperfect ears can't catch every insult.

in my psychotherapy sessions we call this, "hyper-vigilance." it is one of my meanest ptsd symptoms. emphasis on, "mean." i get meaner than a rattlesnake at a rattlesnake round-up when i am hyper-vigilant and feeling the sensory overloads.

the previous posts have outlined quite a few of the tools i use to manage this symptom. i mostly wanted to let you know you are not alone. it's okay if you reject empathy from a mouth breather. i'm used to it.

This sensory overload that you are all describing, is it from autism or ptsd or both? I recently learned that in autism it is a common trait. I am recognizing that I tend to overreact or shut down when this happens to me. Trying to discern whether I may be dealing with undiagnosed autism or symptoms of ptsd. I believe that identifying the root cause is beneficial in healing. Thanks for helping me sort it out.

 

[Starfish]

Yep, as an autistic person this is very familiar to me. things that make my sensitivity to sound worse are being tired, stressed, and overwhelmed / burnt out by other things.
trying to manage my stress and sleep as best i can helps, and learning to be aware of what/when something is just too much. (eg. i could go and do x but i’ve already had a few sensorily/socially/physically/stressfully intense days this week, so i probbaly shouldn’t)

mix of learning my limits, managing stress where possible (reducing stress sources and having down time to deal with stuff i cant avoid), and employing tools like earplugs/ear defenders/headphones.

if i’ve had a poor night’s sleep or gone to bed very late, i’ll probably need to bring one of those things precautionarily.
if i’m burnt out or getting burnt out, i need to cut out as much unnecessary things as possible, preferably before i crash.

some things i can survive without aid, but should i? not really. if i’m regularly skimping out on bringing my sound protection, i’m setting myself up for accumulating much more stress than necessary, and i find my energy is drained much quicker.

one of my friends uses these things called loops, they’re a lot less bulky than ear defenders, not electronic, and i think some of them can tune out background noise while being able to hear conversation you’re having better than traditional earplugs.

i’m on a train journey right now, ideally i’d have a calm evening to recalibrate. and when i take the train back home, i should have a minimal day after that. then i can return to normal scheduling without an increased chance of going insane or completely flat.

if you can manage the stress put on one sense, the others will benefit too. when i’m feeling quite overwhelmed in general, i’ll try to politely skip out on hugs if they come up. stress cup involves your senses, everything is connected in there.

Dark.Green.Feathers, I relate!! and I've learned to use some of your same tools to cope. I allow myself 10-12 hours sleep time at nite and that helps too (with the aid of trazodone). It's a lifestyle change, it's definitely about self-care (no matter what anyone might judge me) . Headphones!! A day at a time...... usually a minute at a time.
Keep on hanging in there

 

[Dark.Green.Feathers]

it's definitely about self-care

Yep!

multiple times i’ve catastrophically burnt out (life changingly so), accepting my limits and nurturing myself accordingly has actually lead to me being more able than i was before then, back when i was soldiering on through everything with force instead of self-consideration.



Also, to add to Sideways’ comment, sometimes a different sensory input/output can help offset the buildup of stress/overwhelm. when emotionally or physically stressed/overburdened, i tend to “shake it out”. self stimulation like this is effective for me in combo with the other stuff, sitting out and shaking my arms out for a bit helps me get closer to base, and stops me ripping all the skin off my lips and inside of my mouth . This can be anything though, music, going for a walk, petting a nice texture (animal or inanimate), other excersize, chewing gum (eating can be a form of sensory regulation too, especially when under-stimulated), being in the dark for a while, deep pressure (some self-hugs can tap into this), tensing and relaxing muscles… list goes on.

finding what works for you to cope better could be a good asset to explore. most of the time we’re naturally trying to do this (ever sitting and jogging your leg a lot? or biting your nails?), but specific efforts can help find the more effective things.

 

[arfie]

@Punky143
apology to you for the co-opting of your thread, but somehow it seems pertinent and on topic.

This sensory overload that you are all describing, is it from autism or ptsd or both?

somewhere in the 80's or 90's, my therapists started pestering me to get tested for "the spectrum." their reasoning resonated far enough that i researched the possibilities and, yes, it does seem quite possible. i declined on the testing because i couldn't see the benefit. i was in my 30/40's and progressing reasonable well on my current healing path. the treatment for autism didn't strike me as different enough to be worth establishing the new network. in my sensory perception, the sensory overload feels like a blending of the two conditions.

I believe that identifying the root cause is beneficial in healing.

agreed. along my healing journey i started letting myself be okay with my psychoticks which coincided with the symptoms of autism as i understand them. the cathartic release has been gratifying. the early stages of that step were guided by the same psychotherapists who had been pestering me to get tested.

 

[PamelaS]

@Punky143
apology to you for the co-opting of your thread, but somehow it seems pertinent and on topic.

somewhere in the 80's or 90's, my therapists started pestering me to get tested for "the spectrum." their reasoning resonated far enough that i researched the possibilities and, yes, it does seem quite possible. i declined on the testing because i couldn't see the benefit. i was in my 30/40's and progressing reasonable well on my current healing path. the treatment for autism didn't strike me as different enough to be worth establishing the new network. in my sensory perception, the sensory overload feels like a blending of the two conditions.

agreed. along my healing journey i started letting myself be okay with my psychoticks which coincided with the symptoms of autism as i understand them. the cathartic release has been gratifying. the early stages of that step were guided by the same psychotherapists who had been pestering me to get tested.

Thank you very much alfie for your response. It’s very helpful when we have so much to sort out to hear from others who understand all of this. My son is on the spectrum, undiagnosed. He is highly intelligent and excels in Tech and photography. Anything else is a struggle for him. As he was growing up, I had to sit on the toilet and guide him one step at a time to pick up the washcloth and put soap on it… just to get through a shower. Now that he’s turning 27, I don’t worry about how he care cares for himself as long as he does the best job he can do. I spent 2 1/2 years, trying to get him services and Social Security meeting brick walls at every turn. Then when it came time to go to the Social Security hearing, he refused to go. All that work for nothing. So I have been providing for him and doing my best to teach him little by little how to care for himself. He’s been in denial all of these years until a couple friends who are diagnosed on the spectrum told him that he was as well. I knew that about 10 years ago, but to convince people that’s another story. So recently, I was looking at some material, actually videos, about trauma and healing trauma, and I came across a couple of videos that talked about neurodiversity. I had never heard of that term, but it took me a while to digest that because many of the symptoms that he was describing, I have dealt with all of my life. Just thought it was normal. Just kept finding a workaround every time I hit a brick wall. Modify and adapt. Modify and adapt. Work your butt off and then work double time. I was raised by a “ good” German. No love there. Just if you don’t do it right then do it again. Through my college years I went into teaching, and then I learned a lot about different learning disabilities and discovered that I was dyslexic and ADHD. Never diagnosed. But I know the symptoms and I know my body and my mind. I don’t have to prove it to anyone. I’ve learned to modify and adapt to every situation to the best of my ability. And I worked my tail off and then worked it off again double time. So I ended up being the first one in my family to graduate from college. And I wasn’t ready to be a teacher. But when I did get to be a teacher, I worked very well with many different kids. I worked best with the ones who struggle and the ones who excel. The ones in the middle, eh. I did the job, but it wasn’t rewarding. I could get the kids who were struggling to succeed in everyone’s favorite subject, NOT! Math. And I could challenge the ones who were gifted. It doesn’t really matter at this point whether I’m on the spectrum or not, but caring for my son is my highest priority. I just want him to have peace and enjoy one little piece of life. Has been suicidal for 23 years and it’s only by the grace of God and my love for him that he is still here. I want to support him in any way I can to enable him to function to the best of his ability. That’s all. I don’t care what anybody says about me or about my son. We live in a bubble. Where it’s safe. My only friends are online. But I’ve gotten comfortable with my lifestyle this way, staying mostly in my home due to extreme illness and disability. And I haven’t been able to care for my son properly, but I refused to allow anyone to take him from me and put him in the system. He would’ve been eaten alive and raped every day. Not my son.
Sorry for the ramble. Your response helps me to understand. We keep moving forward looking for a better future. I appreciate what I’m learning from all of you. Take good care of yourself. And take good care of those three youngsters that you’re responsible for, and of course your other half. The sun is out today. It’s been raining and raining and raining for months. But today is a good day. I was at the doctors. Nobody knows what’s wrong with me. But that’s OK. Moving on. Have a lovely day.

 

[Dark.Green.Feathers]

Thank you very much alfie for your response. It’s very helpful when we have so much to sort out to hear from others who understand all of this. My son is on the spectrum, undiagnosed. He is highly intelligent and excels in Tech and photography. Anything else is a struggle for him. As he was growing up, I had to sit on the toilet and guide him one step at a time to pick up the washcloth and put soap on it… just to get through a shower. Now that he’s turning 27, I don’t worry about how he care cares for himself as long as he does the best job he can do. I spent 2 1/2 years, trying to get him services and Social Security meeting brick walls at every turn. Then when it came time to go to the Social Security hearing, he refused to go. All that work for nothing. So I have been providing for him and doing my best to teach him little by little how to care for himself. He’s been in denial all of these years until a couple friends who are diagnosed on the spectrum told him that he was as well. I knew that about 10 years ago, but to convince people that’s another story. So recently, I was looking at some material, actually videos, about trauma and healing trauma, and I came across a couple of videos that talked about neurodiversity. I had never heard of that term, but it took me a while to digest that because many of the symptoms that he was describing, I have dealt with all of my life. Just thought it was normal. Just kept finding a workaround every time I hit a brick wall. Modify and adapt. Modify and adapt. Work your butt off and then work double time. I was raised by a “ good” German. No love there. Just if you don’t do it right then do it again. Through my college years I went into teaching, and then I learned a lot about different learning disabilities and discovered that I was dyslexic and ADHD. Never diagnosed. But I know the symptoms and I know my body and my mind. I don’t have to prove it to anyone. I’ve learned to modify and adapt to every situation to the best of my ability. And I worked my tail off and then worked it off again double time. So I ended up being the first one in my family to graduate from college. And I wasn’t ready to be a teacher. But when I did get to be a teacher, I worked very well with many different kids. I worked best with the ones who struggle and the ones who excel. The ones in the middle, eh. I did the job, but it wasn’t rewarding. I could get the kids who were struggling to succeed in everyone’s favorite subject, NOT! Math. And I could challenge the ones who were gifted. It doesn’t really matter at this point whether I’m on the spectrum or not, but caring for my son is my highest priority. I just want him to have peace and enjoy one little piece of life. Has been suicidal for 23 years and it’s only by the grace of God and my love for him that he is still here. I want to support him in any way I can to enable him to function to the best of his ability. That’s all. I don’t care what anybody says about me or about my son. We live in a bubble. Where it’s safe. My only friends are online. But I’ve gotten comfortable with my lifestyle this way, staying mostly in my home due to extreme illness and disability. And I haven’t been able to care for my son properly, but I refused to allow anyone to take him from me and put him in the system. He would’ve been eaten alive and raped every day. Not my son.
Sorry for the ramble. Your response helps me to understand. We keep moving forward looking for a better future. I appreciate what I’m learning from all of you. Take good care of yourself. And take good care of those three youngsters that you’re responsible for, and of course your other half. The sun is out today. It’s been raining and raining and raining for months. But today is a good day. I was at the doctors. Nobody knows what’s wrong with me. But that’s OK. Moving on. Have a lovely day.

i haven’t been able to read this in full but of it means anything to you, autism seems to be very genetic. (One or both of my parents are autistic, most of my half-siblings through them are, one of my lifelong friend’s dad is autistic, list goes on of people in my life)

 

[Teasel]

sometimes a different sensory input/output can help offset the buildup of stress/overwhelm. when emotionally or physically stressed/overburdened,

I've been learn about this in Occupational therapy for autism. All about how different kinds of sensory experiences affect me, some having an uo regulating effect to energise me and some having a down regulating effect to calm me down.

It's good stuff!

I like loops too, they help me feel calmr in busy noisy environments, take the harsh edges off noises.

 

[Lord Flavius]

Hello.

Just been skipping around the forum and this caught my eye. Like @Dark.Green.Feathers I have autism as well as dyspraxia and am currently volunteering as part of a self guided recovery plan after having a breakdown and it's overwhelming sometimes. Not just the job which relies a lot on good online communications but also with the "banter" That's all I can add really.