Over Stimulation Or Sensory Overload?

[illusionist]

You are soooooo blessed not to have a picture of the real me as my avatars @ladee....you could end up with nightmares.

I live in the countryside now, so I don't suffer this at home....but I do remember when I lived in towns and cities it was a daily occurrence whenever I walked out my front door...hence why I'm relating it to Hypervigilance of sorts.

 

[intothelight]

For myself, I find that sensory overload, leads to overstimulation, which is a source of stress and then my "fight" kicks in. I become snappy and irritable. Sometimes too much noise, to many demands for my attention (especially at the same time), looming deadlines, too many decisions. etc., just feel like a mental assault.

@ladee I totally get the restaurant thing, and I will ask a server to just kind of leave me in peace, as for me less is more. Most of the time they are just fine with that. There was one time at a wedding reception the mariachi band made me cry, as I just couldn't take any more. Poor guys thought they were bad and that wasn't it at all, I just had enough sensory overload.

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

lol I posted this and didn't even reply. Had a busy couple of days.

. I can't just walk out my front door and 'play it by ear', there is a plan of action,

see I do that I just sort of fly out the door I wonder if I had a plan it might help. Worth a try.

Sorry for being so negative.

don't worry about it. I know what you mean but for where I am at the moment I think it will be good to spend more time around people. I need to push myself a bit.

A lot of helpful stuff to think about and try. I'm just wondering if I just keep trying and keep myself as grounded as possible it might work as a sort of exposure therapy? Maybe eventually it will get better and easier.

 

[alis]

I also have sensory overload experiences. The only thing that helps is either removing myself from the situation into a quiet space, or if im not able to leave I have to close my eyes. The lights are always painfully bright and the noises are too startling. I'm not much of a "fight" response, I either freeze or flight. It used to happen a lot when I was driving at night with the bright lights, everything would become blurry and my vision stopped working normally because of the lights. I talked to my Dr. about the weird driving episodes and I had one of those tests where they put wires all over your head to test for seizure activity, (no seizure activity was found.) Along with closing my eyes (ie, when im on the bus,etc,) other coping strategies I use is tapping and counting. I'm not sure why, but I methodically count numbers in my head. For some reason it helps me. Something my T recommended is tapping. (I haven't used this much so I can't state on its effectiveness) Basically what you do is you cross your arms, place your hands at your upper arm level and lightly tap back and forth, it's supposed to mimic the rhythm of your heart and calm the nervous system down a little.

 

[Hope4Now]

Surely someone will have an answer to this....why do we get so irratable and angry..?? Freeze,flight or fight?

I have been wondering this about myself. Why I freak out even when I am doing something I like with people I like. Makes me feel like a misanthrope. I think @intothelight describes it well for me (although my "fight" turns on myself, or else I go flee or freeze)

For myself, I find that sensory overload, leads to overstimulation, which is a source of stress and then my "fight" kicks in.

I've been trying to stay curious about my issues with interacting with the world. I used to default to the excuse that I was just tired (and I was! I have fibromyalgia and DID and sleep problems so I am almost always tired). But as I became more mindful and observing, I realized most of the issues start with sensory overload which I seem unable to manage without dissociating or fleeing. I spend a lot of time in the bathroom when I am at social events! Only way to limit overwhelming exposure and be able to close your eyes and put your fingers in your ears for a little break without people thinking you're a weirdo!

I may indeed have some sort of sensory integration disorder on top of everything else. Or perhaps it is that some of my earliest traumas (as an infant and very young child) were so sensorily overwhelming my little system just fried out.

I have to be very careful of getting overwhelmed in this way because if the event/gathering is something I want to be part of, I will do anything to "keep" myself there. In the past couple of years this has meant that my irritability and anger turn onto myself and I actually hurt myself while in conversation with others (I scratch so much I draw blood from deepish welts, or I end up with bruises on my hands and arms. It's so strange and it disturbs me, and I am trying to shift it by scaling way down how much I do.

I've learned I can manage about 1.5 hours at certain events before I start to fry out. They have to be quiet venues with relative ease of escape (no long travel into the city), no big crowds, no need for me to be "on" (no more hosting for me, or being public speaker, etc.). Even in the past weeks I have broken this rule and had major problems. So I am beginning to accept that this is just "where I am" right now and perhaps in time it will change. I often keenly feel the loss of my social life, and the disappointment about not being able to attend events I was excited about (e.g. The Women's March).

So @NoWhereKnowWhere that was a lot about me! It IS good to be able to get out and be with people. Keep it small (think library, local film theatre or music venue, etc.). Don't push to your limit when scheduling--keep a good buffer there in case its needed. Have your exit strategy easy and close to home. Spy out places at the venue where you can go to de-stim if needed (outside, bathroom, etc.), go with a safe person who knows you well, if possible, don't drink alcohol, carry something in your pocket that can soothe your jangled nerves (I use a smooth crystal), if things get intense and you cant get away, grab a handful of icecubes out of your water!...anyway, all the tried and true DBT strategies can be helpful. But the best is to do yourself the service of removing yourself from the situation before it becomes a crisis.

 

[holdenmonty]

You know it's so awesome but crappy at the same time. I'm not alone in this I like the term over stimulation or sensory overload. I tend to call it chaos. I don't do well with any kind of chaos. So in turn I don't do well in full public places like a full restaurant or especially a food court at a mall, I have noticed this as well at the church we have been going to before the Sunday School officially starts usually the seats left are towards the front which I'm not a fan of but try to ignore it and focus but before it officially starts there is just so much going on. So many different conversations that it makes it really hard to hear/pay attention to what my wife is trying to talk to me about, and if my back is to the chaos makes it that much tougher.

I have so many examples. Like even when I do get down and play/wrestle with my boys I can do pretty good if they come at me one at a time but sometimes if they gang up on me and if they wrap their arms around my neck and try to hang off my neck it is just way to much and have to tell them that daddy has had enough for a little bit. Since they know I have some constant knee pain I tell them that my knees are hurting and that daddy needs a break.

 

[Muted]

I agree that some people are harder to be around for longer time periods. I get drained when everyone is wanting something from me and they're all talking to me at once. I don't think I disassociate when I have sensory overload? but I do have the inclination to flee the situation and if I can't I tend to get irritable or have a panic attack and then it takes extra time to recover from. I also have to really focus to block out all of the outside stimulation. Otherwise I get really overwhelmed like I can't process it all.

@holdenmonty church has been a challenge for 3 of our family members including myself. Two of us get overwhelmed with the volume of the music. I feel uncomfortable if I can't see what's behind me in a group like that. But, we absolutely love our church so we get through it and are trying to get help with counseling and stuff.