Please describe your sensory overload

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What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
Lights (fluorescent, computer screens, even the brightness of a page while reading) and multiple sounds at once, or certain frequencies, tactile stimulation (being rubbed in the same place, certain fabrics, etc..

2. What does sensory overload feel like? Like I can't breathe, dizzy, lightheaded, headache, anxious, want to get away.

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload? Stress and anxiety, then exhaustion.

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload? That I need to get away from whatever is causing it. That I am not upset with them. That I can't function when I'm in overload.

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload? Tell me I can take a break, turn off the lights, sometimes I need people to hold me, other times I need to be left alone in the quiet.

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload? Not doing things when I'm fatigued, keeping my sugar up, recognizing when I start to get overwhelmed and getting away.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload? Taking a hot shower, going to sleep, eating or drinking something I really love.

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
2. What does sensory overload feel like?
3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?

My answers...
1. Noisy environment, too many requests at the same time, messy and confusing layouts (visual overload).
2. Getting into panic attack, nervous feelings, anger.
3. Mostly I get angry/moody, or panic. In any way it is difficult to hide.
4. That I just need some time for myself, that sensory overload does not mean I handle all stress badly, I would like to show them what it feels like.
5. At that moment I want to be left alone, no questions/comments of any kind.
6. Quiet environment, cool down when I sense it is a bad day, take regular moments for myself. delay reactions to requests.
7. Sleep, daydream, obsessive thinking.

Sensory overload, #1 face to face, or phone interactions with individuals, #2 loud noises, #3 bad smells
I get overwhelmed and distracted, jittery and nervous. Sometimes aggressive.
I can't hold a conversation very well, I get spazzy and over talkative about random things and laugh when it's not applicable
I wish they would know that that's what's happening, I'm just overstimulated not uninterested or crazy
I practice yoga daily, removal of myself from the situation and breathing exercises to help with overall anxiety
I have to stop and think about the situation, realize I'm overstimulated, calm myself down by breathing and clearing my head. Knowing that the environment is too much is half the battle for me. Daydreaming about my favorite topic or obsession at the time helps calm me.

Apparently, I'm quite a lucky aspie, as I have either never had any issues with sensory overloads, or I have had them and learned to cope with them. Either way, there are very few instances that I can recall that ended in something one could call a "sensory overload".

One example that I believe somewhat approaches this notion is when I'm at a meeting or another serious, non-casual dialog. In those instances, I tend to become a lot more introverted, quiet, and I begin to focus on any object I can fidget with , or, failing that, my hands.

Owww. Too many questions!

* What leads to overload?
Sudden and/or very loud noises. Surprises; even nice ones like gifts etc. Unannounced changes to a routine. People trying to touch or cuddle me. Noisy crowds of people chattering away. Kids screaming. "Busy" or pebbled surfaces (like a beach) - way too many patterns going on. People getting angry at me when I have absolutely no idea why but telling me that I do. I don't.

* What does it feel like?
Like I've suddenly been wrapped in a reality-insulating blanket. I just shut down and can't feel or react, so I usually just stand/sit absolutely still and stare very hard at something. Sometimes my mind is racing and that's very difficult to pull back.
Emotionally I feel crushed & exhausted and if chattering crowds are involved I also start to feel threatened and angry, so have to leave immediately or I'm likely to lash out.

* How do I feel if others expect a reaction while I'm "away"?
Even more anxious/crushed/drained/threatened and as I remain unresponsive or grunt in response, I generally get "the look" - that odd combination of fear/worry/condescension which I just can't work out, before they start moving away - apparently in case they catch whatever it is they're afraid of, going by the expressions and exchanged looks. Well, that's how it seems.

* What do I wish they'd understand about it?
You won't catch it and no, I'm not barking mad. Just leave me alone and I'll reboot.

* What do I wish they'd do?
Don't look at me and DO NOT touch me. Don't even come close.

* What helps prevent an overload?
Keeping away from situations which are likely to trigger it (see first answer) - but I still get caught out.

* What helps me to recover?
Leaving me alone for a while. I just need to sit quietly as I refocus.

Thank-you all very, very much for your replies.

I am now going to collate them all. I have copied and pasted, and so far there are twenty A4 pages. I will be formatting everything nicely so that it looks like a proper book, and if I have time before I print and bind it on the 27th, I will illustrate it as well.

Please note: I will be editing some of the text, cutting out a bit here or there, and I will also be making the formatting of the numbering consistent. I hate it when someone edits what I have said and then presents it as my words, so I would imagine you would also feel that way. Therefore, wherever I have cut away something, I will make a note of having done so below the pseudonym.

On the 27th I am flying to the city where my friend lives. Please pray that her parents will actually read all this properly and consider it deeply. I also think it will help my friend a lot, as you have given many tips, and I think she will feel supported in seeing how many people can relate to what she goes through.

Pensieve, that which you wrote in a different thread about meltdowns, I will be including as well. Unlike me, my friend does not have outbursts -- she suffers inwardly, taking everything into herself. I think you put that into context nicely. Her health is in a poor state.

When I return to my own city, I will upload the book as a .pdf so that others can download it and distribute it if they want to. I will be giving it to my former psychologist and my psychiatrist as well and to an occupational therapist and sensory expert, so that they can gain more understanding and make use of it with their patients.

Thank-you again.

Not bothered by the number of questions, but not sure how to answer them all.

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
Brightness in general, it can be artificial or natural light especially if combined with intermittent lights or flickering.
Noise, especially high pitched ones.
Some fabrics, especially the ones that don't breath well.

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
It feels like being very tired but having something bothering you not allowing you to get the much deserved rest. And that makes me angry, very angry. I also feel helpless and like someone has to do something NOW.

3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
Like I need to give them some sort of (polite) answer and just endure it until I can flee the scene. But as more time passes and I can't seem to get out, I start losing my "filters" and awful things come out of my mouth, eventually I just walk out with no full explanation. It rarely happens, 'cause I'm pretty good at saying "hey, I need a brake", but it has happened.

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
That in that precise moment I'm not thinking through what I say, so most things that sound like insults, are not really thought to be exactly that, that I'm mostly trapped in a mental place where all I want is to GET OUT. And that I need someone to watch over me for a bit, but in silence.


5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
If I say I need a break now, it does not mean I can wait 10 more minutes, it means now. If I ask someone to lower their voice or just keep quiet for a few minutes, it doesn't mean I want them filling the space with random remarks about the architecture of the building or lowering their voice for one sentence and then speaking at normal volume again. Also, that is not something I want to happen to me, but it does and it's very exhausting.

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
Sunglasses, noise cancelling headphones, 100% cotton clothes and preparation, knowing in advance where I'm going, what are we doing, where the exits are, and such.

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?
Laying down, closing my eyes and enjoying the silence. If laying down is not possible or the place is too noisy, then walk around with music loud enough to drown the back noise and stay silent or talk only for very important things (say someone asks if I'm allergic to something in the menu, I have to answer, but if I'm asked something that need a no or yes kind of answer, I just nod).
Mostly I just need to slow down and get some rest.

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

Overpowering fowl smells, too many conversations at once, too many verbal instructions at once.

2. What does sensory overload feel like?

Stressful, immensely confusing, triggers 'Fight or flight' response, anxiety, it aggrevates me too. Everything goes blurry and like a whirlwind and I don't manage to pick up on much of what is happening around me.

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

Frustration, anxiety, I try to get away from the situation but it's highly impracticle to do so a lot of the time, which leads to more frustration and anxiety. I don't take in much of what people are saying or doing particularly well either.

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

That I'm not being awkward for the sake of it, or that it a 'teen thing', and it's not that I'm just stupid.

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

Just shut up for a bit and leave me alone to recouperate.

6. What things help you to prevent sensory overload?

Being in a comfortable, familiar surrounding (my bedroom is best.) Having some calming music that I like. Sniffing my gloves when I smell something bad, they smell nice, like linen.

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

Pretty much the same as above with an added snooze.

_________________
THINGS I LIKE
Parasaurolophus, Plesiosaurs, Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Music, Tuna, Chocolate milk, Oreos, Blue things

Parasaurolophuscolobus. Parasaurcolobus. Colobusaurolophus.
....And Nunchucks are my friends.

[quote="Alphabetania"]
1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
2. What does sensory overload feel like?
3. What effect does it have on you when people expect you to engage with them while you experience sensory overload?
4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload?[/b][/quote]

1. Noise, social situations, and touch.
2. Like I can't move. All I can do is stand there and cry.
3. It just adds to the problem.
4. Leave me alone, don't touch me, don't talk to me.
5. Nothing I just want to be alone to calm down.
6. I can't prevent it if I am in crowds or hear the humming of floresint lights i just need to leave.
7. Getting away from the problem

1. What 3 things that lead to sensory overload for you?
More than 3 things: lots of people talking at same time, a crowded room, yelling, sunlight, glare, traffic, cold wind

2. What does sensory overload feel like?
I get tired, hot and sweating, during exposure, or I get very tired after an exposure. Sometimes, especially in crowd or traffic, I get angry, or I get nauseated and dizzy. When someone is yelling to me, I get a pannik attack and I can't talk for minutes. When a cold wind hits my face, I get tired and hot then sweating on the rest of my body

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

4. What 3 things do you wish people would understand about you when you experience sensory overload?
When I get sensory overload, I want that people understand my situation an leave me alone to let me calm down for several minutes to hours.

5. What 3 things do you wish people would do for you when you experience sensory overload?
Nothing, but leave me alone

6. What 3 things help you to prevent sensory overload?
Avoiding crowds, traffic, and having a good mood

7. What 3 things help you to recover from sensory overload??
Sitting on bed, eating sweets to stimming