Question about sensory overload (for NTs as well).

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I'm a student and I live in a different city than my family (I moved for university). This weekend my mother's visiting and she wanted to go see the city today. I showed her where I study and then we went to the city centre to buy some stuff. Anyway, as soon as we arrived in town I started to get overloaded. It was noisy, people were moving in different directions everywhere, there were a lot of different colours all around me, people bumped into me etc and on top of that it was too warm in the stores. I started to get really anxious and agitated on the inside. I got all quiet, hyper-vigilant (more than usual that is) and irritated. I felt like closing my eyes, shut out all the noise and escape into "my own world" (which is what I call it when I just shut down and stare at something while listening to one song on repeat in my earphones that block out a lot of other sounds).

My mother told me she noticed I got really anxious. She took me to a pretty quiet restaurant where we sat down at a table in the far back and had lunch. That plus the fact that I got to buy two new books to my collection made me calm down a little bit but I was still exhausted and on edge.

I'm back home now. Exhausted. Are your sensory overloads similar to mine? How often do you get them? I've been pretty sensitive to stimuli since I was a child but it's gotten worse with time. I'm also wondering if NTs experience sensory overloads as well? I don't know whether or not I'm an NT so I can't answer that question myself (I know I often mention that I'm not assessed yet, but I think that's an important thing to add).

Please let me know what you think (and sorry if similar questions have been asked before).

I have felt this way before. I didn't know it was a sensory overload. I just thought it was anxiety. It doesn't happen very often. But I never wanted out because I wanted to be there and if I am expecting it to be crowded where people are going to be in your way, bump into you, be lot of talking, I am fine with it. If I am not expecting it, then I freak out and want out.

Can NTs get a sensory overload? Yes but not often and it happens if they are tired I hear. My mom is more sensitive when she is tired and she is NT. One time we had to leave the mall because it was too crowded for her even though we had lot of space around us. She just couldn't take the noise there and all the people and chaos and she said it was because she was tired so she felt that way. Now imagine what it must be like having an ASD parent who always gets overloaded, then I would hate it because we would always have to leave and would hate going to places with her because why even bother if we're going to have to leave anyway so we will mind as well not go if she is going. No point in having fun.

I believe sensory overload can happen for any reasons such as:

1. anxiety, or a moment where emotions are more difficult to control.
2. fatigue
3. Physical pain that could be too much to deal with at that moment (ie. migraines, upset stomache, injuries... can tie into anxiety as well).

I have often experienced sensory overload, but I didn't know it as such. Other people around me, such as family or friends, just thought I was weak and needed to get over it. Now that I have an AS diagnosis I better understand it (although others still don't always). In the past it would cause anxiety and I would just be really nervous, very irritated, and then exhausted afterwards. However, a few years ago one of these sensory overloads coincided with an event I was already nervous about AND I got a terrible flu that day. So, I was extremely anxious, nervous, irritated, delirious from fever, and throwing up all day long. Now, whenever I have sensory overloads, I get extremely nauseous and sometimes even throw up. It is really terrible, especially in a place where I can't easily escape, so my life has been negatively affected by it.

I'm NT, and I've never felt like what you have described. I'm sure NTs get overloaded though. Everyone does have their breaking points. I'm not a big fan of crowds, and that is because people are usually right where I need to be and they won't move. That ticks me off.