Insight Wanted - Sensory Overload

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Hi there everyone,

I'll premise this by saying that I know there is a recent topic discussing sensory issues but somehow feel that got off topic talking about religious differences! So bare with me, I'd love some insight from some of you on some of my experiences as I'm in the process of understanding myself as ASD and putting the pieces of the jigsaw together - so to speak.

Maybe some of you can confirm that what I've experienced is, indeed, sensory overload!
I have, over many periods of my life, experienced physical distress or dis-ease in many different environments or when dealing with change.

The most prominent sensory affects I seem to experience as an adult are as follows:

Difficulty filtering sound in a range of environments across work and home. At work it can be particularly difficult as classrooms are often noisy and demand my attention at all times. I can often get interrupted by a student and it takes me time to recover my thoughts (not always great when you're in front of a classroom full of people!).

Tunnel vision and head spins when I attend highly stimulating environments such as shopping centres. I often feel I have to hold my partners hand to balance myself for fear of falling.

Stomach pains that get progressively worse during the day, particularly if I'm at work in the classroom all day, which are relieved when I get in the car to go home.

Emotional storms, particularly when doing challenging body work at yoga (to my understanding, also associated with Complex-PTSD and require a period of recovery after. These have occurred less and less as I've been in therapy for 4 years).

Restlessness and needing to move more when there is 'too much on my plate' in a work meeting. My therapist suggested discreet stim toys for work meetings, which I feel have helped. I've figured recently that I've always done this, since a young child, and was consistently in trouble for distracting myself and my peers.

I feel like I also experience 'shut-down' when I'm overloaded with information and when tasks are pulled in many different directions! Blank mind, lack of motivation, difficulty refocusing.

I've heard and read lots that those struggling with sensory overload often need long periods of down time. One of my kids who is ASD is like this (wanting to spend all day at home etc after the school week), I don't always relate to this experience as I often feel 'motor driven' and hyper-vigilant and like I can't relax in a busy family dynamic. I am, however, always exhausted and appreciative when I get alone time, which I feel I need more and more, which ultimately makes me better at doing the rest of life...

Is this all sensory overload?!

TIA

If your neurology positions you at a point of higher anxiety, stress, and sensory sensitivity, you might wish to experiment with things like SAMe or GABA to quiet things down. I would suggest doing a lot of research and experiment with smaller dosages first.

Yes it is sensory overload. You have to deal with it by working in breaks for yourself.

I don't know what kind of work you do or what kind of environment you're talking about, OR if you have disclosed your autism status, but I agree with being discreet with your coping mechanisms.

Workplaces can be rough until/if an autistic person works themselves up into a position of obvious power or implied power (by being irreplaceable). Even after that, one has to watch out for potential issues.

I will tell you unabashedly that this is worse with females. It doesn't matter if you are a female or just work with females. Much more social interaction is expected and you have to find polite ways of extracting yourself.

Don't expect other people to understand anything different you are dealing with. You may be tired after a chatty meeting, or have a completely different productive time of day than people around you. I have found that it is usually easiest to either give no reason at all for your differences, just deflect ("oh but tell me more about YOUR project..."), or explain with a half-truth ("my eyes are sensitive to the light in there, don't they make your eyes tired, too?") It is great to end any quick answer from you with a question about them. Then cut off the conversation with, "Oh listen to me I'm using up all your time." And make your escape.

I have problems "doing more than one thing at once" aka "multitasking."

This is partially because I feel "sensory overload." It's also because I have a subtle apraxia of body and mind.

Thanks for reading and giving feedback ^^^^