Please describe your sensory overload

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to many people talking at once.

emotional stress, noise and flashing lights.

That fight or flight feeling, dizziness, being thrown underwater (sound can become muffled), dehydration (I've noticed when dehydrated I have the same physical symptoms as sensory overload or a meltdown).

I want to hit my head against something hard and scream.

That it's a very debilitating, even if they can't experience it themselves. That I can't just snap out of it. That I have to get as far away from this stressful stimuli as possible.

Not make jokes. It makes it worse. Take me away from the environment but not leave me on my own. Not be mad at me for having it afterwards.

Ear plugs, listening to music, having people with me.

stim toys (this can be a small object or a book, my phone apps or something I feel close to). An area away from people and low in stimuli. Actual stimming.

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
- too much noise (though clubs seem to be OK if im drinking )
- people talking at me when im tired/stressed/have too much to think about (i just got home from work, i don’t care what you did all day or what jobs you want me to do. I want to chill out for half an hour, then you can tell me)
- supermarkets, the lighting is terrible, the colours, the noise...

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
- sometimes my mind goes numb. I cant think, things agitate me and i feel a bit panicky
- sometimes i get really annoyed, just want to shut down and block everything out. If im home this involves finding a couch and laying down, sometimes closing my eyes, sometimes getting completely involved in a book or movie

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
- oh i usually snap (verbally) at them (no i don’t care, im just sick of shopping and i want to go home!!)

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
- i need somewhere quiet and preferably dark. Or even a corner out of the walkway
- i will get back on topic in a few minutes when i calm down. Or i might not
- i’m not mad at you, im generally frustrated. I wont be snappy when you get me out of there

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
- Stop. Talking. Please
- find me a quiet spot and maybe a drink. If there’s no quiet spots find me a seat where i wont be bumped into by strangers
- give me a moment, im probably too stressed to care right then and there but i may be embarrassed later

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
- wearing my sunnies indoors
- going busy places at quiet times
- having a “timeout” when i get home, not launching straight into all the things you think i should be doing

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?
- quiet, lack of motion
- cool drink, sometimes some headache pills as i often get a headache too
- dark, or sitting with my eyes closed

WOW, im new to this AS thing, so i wrote mine before i read the others to prevent bias

and i just have to say...i think you're inside my head

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
- Massive amounts of noise, light and motion, for long periods of time. Stuff like huge outdoor concerts, stadium sports, etc.

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
- Me liking my surroundings less and less as time goes on. Annoyance, boredom, tension.

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
- Annoyance, distraction, disinterest.

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
- I'm not mad at you, I'm just not in my happy place.

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
- Shut up, go away, or both.

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
- Knowing my limits, going with a friend or family member.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?
- Quiet, solitude, company of close friends or family.

Motion is a good one. That affects me greatly. Also, the temperature, or even a thunderstorm. I'm very particular about how I want the weather to be.

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
- Noise, crowds, heat. Especially in combination.

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
- Panicky, nightmarish, nauseating, painful. Like a crashing computer. I can't process anything or focus. I just go back and forth between all the different stimuli. My instinct is to get out of the situation, but if I can't I'll shut down. I become withdrawn and slow to respond or react. I literally can't communicate beyond monosyllables and stock phrases. It's terrifying and it takes hours to completely recover.

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
- It's frustrating. I get annoyed at other people for adding to my stress. If the person knows I have Asperger's and struggle with sensory overload, I feel like they should know better. But mostly I'm frustrated with myself for not being able to cope with things that don't bother other people, and for expecting other people to always know when I'm overstimulated and how to deal with it.

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
- Sensory overload is a legitimate problem - it's not something I could get rid of by just trying harder. If I ignore people, brush them off, or leave the room abruptly, it's nothing personal; I just need to get out of an overstimulating environment. And thirdly, I need to be alone to recover from sensory overload.

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
- Help me get out of the situation if possible. Don't try to have a conversation with me. Don't tell me to "just relax".

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
- Avoiding these types of situations in the first place. Leaving an overstimulating situation before it leads to full-blown sensory overload. Getting plenty of sleep and exercise.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?
- Solitude, quiet, a relaxing and unchallenging activity

1.What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?


It boils down to one thing: too many things coming in, my brain tries to process them all because it isn't capable of relegating any to the background, and I get overloaded.
People are the worst offenders. The three things I'd list would be sudden loud noises, too many different things coming into my senses at once, and people moving in unpredictable ways, which makes it difficult to navigate.

2. What does sensory overload feel like?

It varies. Sometimes it just feels like pain- a headache, sore muscles, sore ears and nausea. Other times parts of my functioning start to shut off- I feel disconnected from my surroundings, I start walking funny, my motor skills go to pieces, and my visual processing starts to break down. Sometimes, I don't feel anything more than mild dissociation, but I know I'll pay later with a migraine.

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?

Wait: it's possible to engage with people when overloaded?

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?

1. Leave me alone. Any more input makes it worse. Even if you're just being nice and asking if I'm ok, the need to respond is more than my brain can handle.

2.If I manage to respond and say something like “Go away”, please don't be too offended. What I really meant was “My brain is not working properly right now, and consequently I am unable to respond properly to you. I do apologise.”


3.Leave. Me. Alone!

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?

1. Disappear.
2. Go away.
3. Leave me alone.

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
1. Avoiding excess stress.
2. Not too much sensory input.
3. Good general wellbeing.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?

1.Silence.
2.A dark room.
3.Time.

1. Light, heat, cold; and/or loud music and loud talking; and/or crowded places or gatherings where I don't know people. Ironically, when I used to have a great ADD job (law enforcement) those things enhanced my capabilities in a crisis situation that I was expected to handle.
2. I get headaches, stomache aches, the 'trots'; headaches, anger, frustration; headaches, the 'trots', need to escape and overall it feels like 3 or 4 very angry people screaming at me inches away from my face all at once.
3. Angry and want to lash out at them by yelling and leaving the area
4. Don't blame or get mad at me (I will do that to myself enough!), don't hug or pity me, be patient and understanding.
5. Let me recover alone, don't keep asking if I am ok, don't blame or make excuses for me or anyone else, drop it.
6. Always have sunglasses available, and gloves, etc., and avoid hot climates or rooms; stay out of noisy hair salons (I am a stylist), malls, etc.
7. Recovery for me is difficult. I have usually made a fool of myself and been very rude - so I stay away from people, and try to control the noise level in my life so that I don't have to recover.

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
Lots of people talking at the same time, loud music, or too many options, but the last is more cognitive overload - like too many options on a menu, having to try to make sense of all of them somehow. Also harsh lighting, perfume and air fresheners. Being tired means that all of these things effect me more, also.


2. What does sensory overload feel like?
Like wanting to escape, crawl out of my body. Sometimes it feels like millions of insects crawling around underneath my skin. Everything gets brighter and louder and more overwhelming. I stop being able to think or process information such as people talking to me.


3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
Usually it makes it a lot worse very quickly. Makes me feel that I have to retreat at all costs. It's very upsetting when you have lost the ability to speak or process information normally and people keep asking you why you're not talking to them.


4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload? and 5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?

I do not want to behave this way. I do not want to hurt your feelings or damage anything. However, I also don't have as much control of my actions as I normally do. This means that other people need to be the "grown ups" (even though I am an adult) and most of the things I want them to do are things I want them to NOT do.

Don't take my behavior personally (some people, if you are acting strange or having a breakdown, think it has something to do with them and they get angry, which is extremely frustrating and upsetting - so don't do that). Don't raise your voice or say sarcastic things to me. And please please please please do not touch me because then I will most likely hit you and then I will feel badly and you will get angry at me and be nasty about it and bring it up later in an attempt to make me feel guilty for things that I did when I was not in control of my behavior.



6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?

Getting enough rest and eating enough. Avoiding unnecessary overloading situations, especially if I am already tired. In unavoidable situations, ear plugs.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?

Sleep. More sleep. Special interests.

I will answer you with poetry...I agree your questions are overwheming
so here is my answer:

From Autistic View:2009


"Shrinking to a dot among dashes all around
me. Sensory shutdown, my mind melts into
a puddle on the floor and people are rushing through it.
All I can see is a blur of color and energy as fall...
into rush hour."
---------------------

as you can see, crowds cause my worst sensory overload symptoms.

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?

Too many people, or me feeling closed in/trapped by them
Bright fluorescent lights
Heat/humidity

2. What does sensory overload feel like?

Very hard to explain. Basically I just feel like I will snap if I don't get back to my bedroom ASAP. By snap I mean start moaning and complaining to the point where I become childish. I feel really tired and just overwhelmed.

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?

Like I alluded to before, I just wanna yell at them.

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?

skipping this one

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?

Be quiet, stop demanding ANYTHING of me, don't make me try to endure the heat/noise/bright lights any longer

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?

I subconsciously started using headphones and an iPod when going anywhere. I've been doing this for probably 13 years now and I never knew before why I HAD to have my iPod on me at all times (not until I came to this site). I literally cannot go shopping without being plugged in. This really helps me stay in my own world and not be dragged into the noisy, bright, crowded one.

Sorry, that's only 1 thing.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?

Cool and quiet places where no people are around.

Sorry, that's only 1 again!

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
visual stimuli, especially bright colors or lights (i can't stand grocery stores for this reason).
noise
crowds

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
i get disoriented, anxious and unhappy

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
first i get irritated and (admittedly) whiny and insist on leaving, and then i get very quiet and quit responding. i kind of shut down.

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
there's only one thing, really: i need to remove myself from the situation (even if you don't think i do because you're not bothered by it!)

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
take my problem seriously
try to be understanding/don't make fun of me
help me get out of my current environment

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
staying out of environments and situations that i know are going to be overwhelming, or limiting my exposure to them
having someone with me to help me not completely freak out
not being too tired/hungry/anxious/stressed/overwhelmed to begin with

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?
making a quit exit
finding a quiet space
being left alone to get back to normal

I will try to answer these questions as best as I can:

What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
There aren't as many things that do this to me anymore but my top 3 are as follows:
1. Big crowds - I tackle this by, for example, doing my Christmas shopping either online or of a weekday evening during October or November to avoid the December Christmas crowds. I use this as an example as I remember one year that I chose to shop on a Saturday in the middle of December for my gifts. It took me nearly 4 hours and, because I was so overwhelmed, I forgot some of them and one hour of that was spent crying in a toilet cubicle as I could not mentally take anymore. Never again.
2. Having more than one person trying to talk to me at once - why do people do this, just why???? How much attention do people really need???
3. Loud intermittent noises that show no sign of stopping and I end up stuck with them e.g. a loud alarm near my place of residence when I am trying to sleep.


What does sensory overload feel like?
I feel mentally overwhelmed and lack the ability to cope, even with things that I can normally cope with well. My response to this is that, if I cannot control it, I start crying or panicking. I can only relate in terms of a computer being so bombarded with information that it crashes or shuts down.


What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
Well, as I lose the ability to understand even the most basic of statements or questions almost completely, then having to interact with even one person causes me immense stress. The best way of describing this is that it is like, suddenly, that person is speaking to me in 20% english and 80% urdu (I do not speak urdu, so I think you can appreciate where I am coming from).


What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
1. That I need time to myself to take control of the situation and calm myself down.
2. That I do not, under any circumstances, need consoling, particularly if it requires people touching me (such as hugs) as it makes it worse. Once I am over it, hugs are acceptable.
3. That I am unlikely to socially engage properly owing to my inability to apply my full concentration to what is being said to me.


What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
Do not interact with me, do not touch me and give me some space.


What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
1. Avoidance of the situations that create the sensory overload in the first place.
2. If point no.1 is not applicable, ensuring that the stressful situation passes as quickly as possible before the sensory overload occurs.
3. Not entering into the stressful situations alone, but with people who understand me so I can be removed from the situation as quickly as possible should I start to feel overwhelmed.


What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?
It depends on how I feel really. Ultimately I:
1. Must be removed from the offending situation as quickly as possible.
2. Must be in a quiet area with no people or very little people.
3. Doing any hobby or activity that I feel like at the time that will take my mind off the stress I feel. It could be anything, such as listening to music, yoga, reading a book or playing a compter game.

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
Extreme anger.
3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
I'm frustrated and don't feel like talking.
5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
I wish they would leave me alone.

For me, it's "GET THE F*** AWAY FROM ME, OR YOU'RE GOING TO GET HURT!"