how do you deal with sensory overload

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mid-lower functioning autistics if you are high functioning or aspie feel free to answer as well im just want to see how people similar to me who may go to programs or camps ect for people with developmental disabilities would answer.

also how does it make you feel? and what causes it?

when I get sensory overload I usually start to feel disy headache or sick to my stomach some times my vision may get more blurry then usual and I will get really tired or cranky and it has not been easy especially while in the car or crowded places but loud sudden noises are also the culprit

Last edited by jenisautistic on 30 Nov 2013, 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I am high-functioning Aspie. I have a weighted blanket and a 12 foot mayan hammock. I turn off the lights except for a soft blue nightlight and the combination of a hammock and a weighted blanket works wonders for me.

When I get overloaded my thoughts start running really fast. I feel anxious and have a need to escape to somewhere dark, quiet, and open (I hate enclosed spaces). Once I am somewhere safe, like in my room, it takes me about 1-2 hours to come back to baseline.

I've wanted a hammock for quite some time... When I find some spare cash I think I'll get myself a portable nylon one.

When I wake up, unless it's warm outside I zip up my favorite hoodie immediately after getting dressed. Drinking tea usually wakes me up and calms me down all at once, but failing that I tend to goof around on the internet, study something random (arachnology lately - the study of spiders) or start some reading. Reading may not be an obvious solution to sensory overload but I find my creative capacity extremely lacking when I don't have any trivia, news, research or humor to take in.

I crawl into bed at 9pm, turn on a fan,turn off lights, put a heavy towel over my eyes, and think till I fall asleep. Sometimes I might wake up at 1am when all is quiet to finish whatever work I missed by sleeping so early.

I dealt with it in a few ways.

I had my headphones in on low volume listening to the radio nearly non-stop for over a year. I'd keep them in while having conversations, too.

Meditation & breathing exercises.

Annnd, smoking marijuana.

I shut down.

By that, I mean:

At it's worst, I can no longer cohesively understand any of my soroundings. Every sensory element is taken in with equal priority and not linked with memories to make sense of anything. Speech isn't understandable. I do not recognize objects or people, know who I am, what I am, or even that I am. At this level of overload, I only experience it this way for a short span of time. It's highly distressing though.

Lesser levels of overload may feel like tingly uncomfortable waves in my body (from human touch or proximity), banging in my ears echoing every sound I hear until my ears just ache, or just a rising anxiety, restlessness, or general grumpiness.

My preferred reaction is to go into my room, put ear plugs in, shut the lights off, shut the door, and get under my heavy blanket. I do this way more than I would like or is appropriate. If I am away from home, I may dissociate a little (at times I may watch from above or have an experience as in my "at its worst" scenario, above).


I am considered to be functioning fairly well. I am married, have children, and am employed.

I guess I have coped in the past by having nightmares.
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When I am out in public. I look for and map out where all the restroom and any possible quiet rooms (i.e janitor closets) are. So when stress levels get to an unbearable levels. I immediately find the nearest one and retreat there and stay there until my mind drains of all the stressful noise and then come out and repeat the cycle all over again.