What does sensory overload feel like?

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The question is pretty straightforward; I'm curious about what others experience.

Here's why I'm asking: I'm starting to wonder if some of the random anxiety I experience--that is, feeling anxious for no apparent reason at all--relates somehow to sensory overload/overstimulation. I don't think I have specific issues with hypersensitivity, but I'll sometimes start feeling nervous or anxious in noisy restaurants or other enclosed spaces when there's a lot going on around me. I don't reach meltdown/shutdown state in those situations, though (those can occur when I am really, really frustrated or mentally overwhelmed, however).

There are other instances that I feel anxious for no apparent reason that I can't tie to one particular thing, but I find that relocating to a quiet, dark room can sometimes help.

Like you want to scream and hit people and push them or throw things or you feel so excited you want to scream and jump and act out. I just go for a walk or go somewhere quiet or do something to occupy my mind. This also happens in a none sensory situation so I am not sure what to call that too, emotional overload?

I feel like my brain is full of static and I that I am not in complete control. When it gets intense enough I need to lay down or it will get much worse. If I do not lay down, I will probably lose speech, lose reading, and then lose writing. After that, language begins falling apart. I also lose control of my emotions - frustration is amplified and spirals out of control, for example. It's not precisely a meltdown, mostly losing the ability to filter my reactions.

I don't know what else might be going on when I have overloads, those are the things I've observed.

Currently I seem to be having 5-6 shutdowns/week.

I don't really know how to explain it. When I go into overload it's like I feel every emotion all at once and when I go into underload it's like I can't feel anything at all. I can't seem to control myself in either scenario, but in overload I feel like my there's a TV on in my head and it keeps flickering between each individual channel and playing them all at once, in underload it flickers between turning on into static and shutting off.

That's how it is for me regardless of whether the cause is physical or psychological.

It depends. I had a sensory overload just now (I guess I'm still having it). At least I think it counts as one. I was in the physics lab at uni for three hours this morning (got home a little while ago). It was incredibly noisy and even though I was wearing earplugs the whole time I felt my brain "shutting down" after about an hour. I couldn't think properly and I started zoning out. Started to get a headache and I almost felt a bit physically sick. When I was done in the lab (three hours after I started) I had a massive headache. Went home and as soon as I got home I hid in the darkness under my duvet with earplugs in my ears for a while. Now I'm sitting here, still having a massive headache and I feel very worn out. Worst thing is I have to go back to uni for a chemistry lecture in a couple of hours.

So that's what happened this time I had a sensory overload. I can't really say what specifically happens during an emotional overload or a sensory overload. It's different every time. But sensory overloads often consist of me feeling my brain's shutting down, headaches, zoning out, anxiety, not wanting anyone to touch me or talk to me etc. Emotional overloads (which I get when I've bottled up negative emotions for way too long or when experiencing very sudden changes) consist of me hitting things, throwing things, hitting my head, sometimes screaming and/or crying, loads of anxiety etc.

Does that answer your question?

For me, if it is caused by my environment, it's like when someone scratches a chalkboard. Every fiber of my being cringes, and I feel like I lose control over my ability to focus. I just want to make whatever is overwhelming me stop right then.

As far as emotional overload, I feel like my brain short circuits. I cannot think, I cannot process new information, and I start shutting down. If more information keeps being added, I start feeling agitated, which continues to build until I can either soothe myself or it ends in a meltdown.

For me my thoughts start to rush faster and faster, more voices than one, my head hurts, I can't hear or smell or taste or touch, and then I just shut down.

Normally I would curl up or lie flat on the floor, not something that happens very often, but it's the only way of dealing with everything without smashing things. I have punched holes through walls, smashed plates, guitars... Fun times!

It hurts and I can't talk. If it's noise, then it feels like noises are mashed together to create some awful sound.

I feel like my brain has been taken away or taken over by whatever is causing the overload.

I have issues with visual overload when my peripheral vision is exposed to a lot rich greenery at a high movement speed. But it also happens when I watch the forest chase scene in "The Return of the Jedi". Sometimes it gets me when I'm stuck in traffic on the highway and then have to pull over (I focus on too many details around me and get frustrated with the snail pace I guess) then I turn the music on really loudly and scream, bang the steering wheel with my fists or hit my thighs. Feels like my eyes are going to pop out as the orbital muscles are unable to contract properly.
To relieve it properly I press my eyes with my hands really hard back into my scull then and a series of images (mostly geometrical, symmetrical and patterned shapes in a bright variation and with varying speeds) appear and slowly disappear. This usually dissipates the sensation within a few minutes and I can get back to driving.
I'm just glad I can feel the onset of it and don't have to worry about causing anyone any harm.
As per auditory overload, well it's not as bad as the visual, so I can simply cover my ears and then it's over soon enough. But then again, real wizards sleep with their eyes open (I like to call it the "war sleep mode" ).

It feels like a volcano, sort of. Pressure builds, and my head feels like it's exploding. Then I feel like a zombie after an hour or two. I can't really think or function. I need to get away from the noises. But unfortunately, that's not always an option. In those cases, breathing is slightly helpful. What are yours like?