Ptsd and sensory overload

[cavy]

Thankyou Cherryblossom, :hug: I have had this reaction for many years, it is so helpful in reading what affects other people especially when some of it applies to me. Gaining insight is so helpful and reassuring, I have a lot of current stressful events going on at the moment which I am sure is making the reaction worse.:mad::cry:

I will be able to explain to my family why I cannot cope with the TV on loud, phone on speaker, membeers of my family in the same room as me. :nailbiting::tup:

 

[Wanting a life]

I've dug through a bunch of research to try to figure out my symptoms, especially the not being able to deal with many sounds. For me I believe the PTSD is connected with Sensory Processing Disorder. SO many sounds that are common in public places especially will trigger me. Generally I'll start by having trouble concentrating, my balance is sometimes thrown off, and then my speech will slow down or even stop. If it's really bad - very loud, or many layers of sound for a long time - and I'm somewhere I feel trapped, I can really flip out. I don't find earplugs to be a great option for me because they intensify the sound of my own breathing - the sound if I talk is horribly loud - and all this just ends up being more noise clutter. I know for me that some sounds and tones are worse than others, but even more important is how many layers of sound there are. I've found that I can deal with the "less accomplished" pianists at church, for instance, because they play one note at a time. The more professional ones who are playing different notes simultaneously with both hands send me out the back door to wait till it's over.

I feel really lucky that I've found a great community in my church, but getting to know more people in a friendly place has one "mixed blessing" when the ptsd is added in. There are plenty of situations before and after church when folks are mingling, and at least one person inevitably greets me from behind. Then I give a lovely demonstration of what a startle response looks like - absolutely NOT what I want to be known for. I had 3 full startle responses last Sunday (ok, short of screaming), and a guy I'm trying to get to know asked whether I had epilepsy! I'd love to hear from anyone who has strategies for dealing with over-sensitivity to stimuli or for taming the lovely startle response!

 

[Paget]

Hi, I to have sensory overload as well as PTSD, depression and anxiety. Some days are worse than others. Oh and insomnia. If I have trouble sleeping it makes it worse. Right now though the zopiclone is working for sleep. My condition was brought on by 6 months of steady stress at work that caused an emotional breakdown and subuquent memories of an abusive childhood I'd kept hidden for more than 2 decades and had intended on contiuing to keep inside. But once I mentioned something to my psychologist she told me it was a huge deal and said if I was ok with it we should talk. Was very uncertain, scared, but slowly I did. But weird things started happening to me including the sensory overload. That is what she called it when I said I couldn't take any light, or noises anymore. Smells too. And touch too. My husband was just nipping my ear and the shocks running down my side were so intense it hurt. Had to make him stop. I sleep and walk around with a fuzzy blanket wrapped around me every day. Even sex is difficult...when I had an orgasm the first time after starting my therapy I can't even say it was pleasurable ...it was so intense there was more pain than pleasure, it really hurt. It gets a little better each time but we don't do it much because I don't like being touched. I'm really glad to have opened up about this to my psychologist, and to some trusted family members, and know I will get better. It will take a long time because the abuse lasted throughout my life and the abuser is still in my life and at times is still abusive. So now I have to figure out how to remove him from my life as much as possible

So with the sensory overload I sit in my quiet home and enjoy the peace when no one is here. No tv, music or bright lights. When people do come over and it's too loud I go to my bedroom. Or will be in there before they get here and just wait till the ruckus settles down before joining. And if I'm getting anxiety due to the noise I take a bath scented with some light calming bath beads by candle light and if I am not too overloaded I will put on soft music. I've also done PMR, some art work, and Pilates at home. I bought tiachai video but haven't tried it yet. I also have problems with big noisy places...shopping malls, hospitals etc. I plan my days on the good days to shop at small places and depending on good or bad I feel I can manage 1-3 places those days. And if it's going really bad my husband goes for me. Was supposed to go to the hospital for an exam but had a panick attack about the big open space with lots of people, bright lights and noise. Not the first time that's happened either.

 

[Doublemintgum]

Not sure how to write this. I want to ask if anybody else has sensory overload at any time. What do I...

Hi there. I just joined. I can't believe that I found this site. I have experienced auditory sensory overload for most of my life but it took a lot of years to realize what it actually was. I always just thought that I couldn't handle things. I felt inadequate and ended up quitting a lot of things including college programs but didn't really know what this was all about . I knew that I didn't like being watched and always felt like hiding (still do). But, I never realized that sensory overload was a "thing" and boy am I ever grateful to know that it is! It's not my fault anymore! I didn't even realize that I have PTSD until I was diagnosed last spring.
Yes, so, Like another person posted, and they described it really well...I took an auditory test once and I am in the 99th percentile. That is one in every 700 people are like this. At the time i wasn't even aware that I would come to learn that I have PTSD and sensory overload. To me it feels like I am constantly hearing noises. Hmm I mean if I were to describe it to someone who doesn't have it I would say that for them it would be like standing in the middle of traffic in downtown big city all the time. For them, they hear or are aware of noises here and there but for me it is constant. It is exhausting. When I was working, even in a fairly quiet job I would get home at the end of the day and not be able to do anything else but be quiet. I used to be able to bounce back but now as the years have gone by I just can't anymore and when I am overloaded i end up having to be in a room alone for 2 to 4 days. I do realize now that as someone else posted, control over my environment has something to do with coping and also being more assertive as to what situations I just cannot put myself in. The hardest thing for me is convincing myself that I must do this limiting no matter what others say or do, whether they accept it or not. Some people just don't get it no matter what. I will set this boundary or limit but have to keep telling them every time. That in itself is exhausting! But, If I am not consistent with it how are they to realize that I mean it. That is my own responsibility. Shyster! I hate that! Learning to really really really (did I say really?!) take care of myself! :)

 

[Doublemintgum]

Hi, I to have sensory overload as well as PTSD, depression and anxiety. Some days are worse than others. Oh and insomni...

Can you please tell my what PMR is? Thanks. I too rarely go to malls or places where there are a lot of people. Also, people together in a small room for any length of time. It's like I just suck up all the emotion, let alone what the talking in close quarters does to me. I am still forgetting a lot of times to pace myself and say no (to myself!) You know when you really want to do things with others and you don't stop or spread things out. Usually that is when something unexpected comes along too and just puts me over the top. The thing is it doesn't take much to do that and when you have talkative and outgoing people in your family you really have to learn to be vigilant. Or if you sometimes feel outgoing but then don't listen to that voice to check yourself. Anyhoo, it sure is good to have others to read and write to about this stuff.

 

[featherdusters123]

Has anyone found a solution? I'm listening to pink noise as I type.

 

[Owl girl]

I've experienced sensory overload all my life. It makes work difficult at times because the machines are making noise all around me and people are trying to give me instructions and I can't understand them because it's just noise. I often throw up due to sensory overload. PTSD has definitely made it worse. I only used to throw up when I got severely anxious such as the day before receiving exam results (or if I was ill of course). On occasion sensory overload is enough to trigger a panic attack because everything just gets too much.

 

[featherdusters123]

It seems like it might have something to do with high levels of adrenalin.

 

[Steve Goodings]

Hi, I'm glad I found this thread, I have had headaches and hated bright lights since childhood (I am now 26). I have recently been diagnosed with PTSD and have been experiencing sensory overload, sight, sound and touch for a few months.

I have found that tinted glasses really help my vision (although it does look like I'm wearing sunglasses all the time!). I cannot deal with loud restaurants so I end up wearing headphones.

Has anyone managed to shake these symptoms once started?

Is it relates to anxiety? (I also have that)

Anyone have any other soothing methods?

Steve

 

[Judith]

I have Complex ptsd and have been having sensory overload recently that finally got my attention. I spent my day with no quiet time, which I usually start my day with. I was with someone the night before, and then the next day, through some very difficult intense moments, and then to a concert that started at 5:30 and was still going at 9:30. There were events that occurred during breaks that were also too loud and chaotic, but when the main band got to playing, the volume was beyond loud. I could feel it vibrate in my chest! I plugged my ears but it didn't help, it was so LOUD!!!! I left the concert in tears, not even knowing why, but just before, I had a moment of suicidal thinking! None of it made sense to me!! I was embarrassed and disappointed! My fiance' is an angel! He supported me and understood it was most likely a PTSD thing. But it was a very disturbing moment! Once I got to the quiet, my mind calmed down. I had been taking Lorazepam for the last several years twice a day and when needed for panic or ptsd moments. I started noticing how bad it affected my memory. So I went off that and went on beta blockers. I realized the Lorazepam has kept my anxiety in check pretty well and didn't take a beta blocker before the concert. So I did that when my chest felt the vibration of the noise. Looking back, I can see that this was an eye opener to an issue I didn't understand-my need for chunks of quiet every day. Usually at night until 3am. And then in the morning too till after noon or later. I'm engaged to be married to a guy who wants to spend every waking minute with me. This is too much to navigate. So I've had to restrict the time we spend together. When we are together, it's beautiful. So I'm seeing I need to see the Dr and a therapist about this sensory overload issue so I can find relief and get it managed. I'm thankful I'm not alone in this. I appreciate everyone's comments!! I pray a lot and read my bible for the best comfort. I think I may need some other coping skills.

 

[J'qel]

Dear lords yes.

If someone takes too long getting a chip from a chip bag the rattling makes me want to cram it down their throat. I don't know why, just the sound sets me completely on edge. I don't think anyone but my husband knows though, because I usually step out of the room if it continues and I think I might say or do something inappropriate. That's one of very few sounds that gets me every damned time. Something about the frequency.

Our fire detectors, the alarm will make me flee from the house at top speed. We had to change the original ones because they went off so often I was worried I'd drop something I was cooking in the haste to flee and *cause* a fire. Again-the frequency-but that one actually makes my ears hurt.

I have very sensitive hearing-because my PTSD is a result of childhood issues, I never got into listening to loud music because I always felt a need to hear what was going on around me just in case something bad was about to happen. I used to think it was just that my hearing wasn't as damaged as those around me, but now I know better.

As for light sensitivity-yes-but people with blue eyes are apparently prone to it, so I keep my sunglasses close in case I have to go outside, and the act of wearing them so people can't see my eyes actually helps calm me in social situations.

I don't often get overloaded by people, but it has been known to happen-still not sure what sets it off as it's a pretty sudden onset and fairly rare. I expect it's my perpipheral consciousness picking up threat behaviour somewhere in the crowd, seeing as I've never experienced any danger while in the midst of groups of people, but I'm still deep in my hypervigilance-I just cope by handing it off, so to speak.

Most of what I do is coping. I ask for volumes to be lowered, I hide in my room, I flee the area, etc etc. Heck, we changed grocery stores because the way the acoustics were in our old one could drive me out if there was more than a small crowd (exposed tin sheeting).

I suppose wearing headphones would help, but I have to wear in ear phones because of jaw issues, and I have yet to find a pair that doesn't try to drop out every third step. In this day and age wearing them would be pretty normal, and I could always put some soft music on to muddle the sounds if need be.

 

[help me]

I have Complex ptsd and have been having sensory overload recently that finally got my attention. I spent my day with n...

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