sensory overload sensory seizures - HELP

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love2connect
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15 Oct 2020, 8:58 pm

jimmy m wrote:
Agoraphobia is a product of stress. So another alternative treatment is to attack stress itself. Stress is physical in nature. It is caused by a release of a chain of hormones. Unless these chemicals are used up in dealing with the stressor, they are stored in the muscles and nervous system. They will build up over time unless they are vented. These stress chemicals are normally stored within 6 regions of the body: the core, the two arms, the two legs, and the neck. There are various types of therapies to deal with each of these areas.

In my humble opinion, in this particular case, I believe it is stress in the core.

David Berceli developed a form of exercise called “TRE - Trauma Releasing Exercises” that teaches individuals to generate “neurogenic tremors” to vent stored stress energy locked in the bodies core.

The following YouTube video will give you a glimpse of this process.





Right, but the CBT/DBT stuff doesn't work for seizures. I spent over 3 months in a partial hospital coz they believed I needed to learn CBT/DBT and i ended up back as inpatient b/c it actually did more damage

I actually do the poses in the video pretty naturally , usually in the middle of the night , but I have never been able to get to that shaking experience



Spunge42
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15 Oct 2020, 9:33 pm

I don't have epilepsy but I do have chronic "complicated" migraines. Which is the layman's term but the medical term is really long. Anyway, it means when I have a severe migraine it presents as a stroke. My left arm starts to go numb, I'm disoriented, I lose words, or can't speak, I lose time ( end up in places and have no recollection of going there) etc.

Many of my triggers are bright lights, smells, noises and just overall to much sensory input.
I didn't know I had autism when I started having these in college. Since I was diagnosed they've gotten a bit better bc I'm understanding that the migraines are kinda acting like an autistic meltdown. My brain is flipping out. The neurologist said the blood vessels are spasming around my head and eyes, my brain if firing signals it shouldn't etc.
I was always taught to act with decorum so most of my stims were subtle ( I didn't even realize I was doing them since childhood till it was pointed out to me recently). My point is I internalized all my stress and frustration and it came to a boiling point in college. Long story short I started having these terrifying migraines.

When they happen, along with the stroke symptoms its much as you describe. I can hear everything, taste strong smells, and everything slows down like its in slow motion.

The main thing thats helped me through them was finding a grounding force (This was before my autism diagnosis). I had to do something that shut out everything else. For me that was curling up with my german shepherd Morgan in a pitch black freezing room with headphones on turned up so loud it hurt so I could focus on just that one sense. Some days it would take 10 minutes for the world to stop bombarding me and some days itd take hours. Morgan and music were my only salvation so to speak. When Morgan passed away at the age of 12 I had a total meltdown, which lead to me finding out I was on the spectrum. ( but thats a whole other story)

I'm doing better now, 2 years later. Me and Appa my other furbaby became closer in our grief of losing Morgan. Hes become a stable friend to retreat to my room with me when I need it. I also, take him with me to any place that allows dogs, when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I bury my hand in his fluffy fur and it calms me and helps me focus my senses so I dont get swallowed by the waves of chaos around me.

I'm not an expert, but I think finding something to ground you, is the best thing you can do. Its the only thing thats gotten me through.


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love2connect
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15 Oct 2020, 10:19 pm

Spunge42 wrote:
I don't have epilepsy but I do have chronic "complicated" migraines. Which is the layman's term but the medical term is really long. Anyway, it means when I have a severe migraine it presents as a stroke. My left arm starts to go numb, I'm disoriented, I lose words, or can't speak, I lose time ( end up in places and have no recollection of going there) etc.

Many of my triggers are bright lights, smells, noises and just overall to much sensory input.
I didn't know I had autism when I started having these in college. Since I was diagnosed they've gotten a bit better bc I'm understanding that the migraines are kinda acting like an autistic meltdown. My brain is flipping out. The neurologist said the blood vessels are spasming around my head and eyes, my brain if firing signals it shouldn't etc.
I was always taught to act with decorum so most of my stims were subtle ( I didn't even realize I was doing them since childhood till it was pointed out to me recently). My point is I internalized all my stress and frustration and it came to a boiling point in college. Long story short I started having these terrifying migraines.

When they happen, along with the stroke symptoms its much as you describe. I can hear everything, taste strong smells, and everything slows down like its in slow motion.

The main thing thats helped me through them was finding a grounding force (This was before my autism diagnosis). I had to do something that shut out everything else. For me that was curling up with my german shepherd Morgan in a pitch black freezing room with headphones on turned up so loud it hurt so I could focus on just that one sense. Some days it would take 10 minutes for the world to stop bombarding me and some days itd take hours. Morgan and music were my only salvation so to speak. When Morgan passed away at the age of 12 I had a total meltdown, which lead to me finding out I was on the spectrum. ( but thats a whole other story)

I'm doing better now, 2 years later. Me and Appa my other furbaby became closer in our grief of losing Morgan. Hes become a stable friend to retreat to my room with me when I need it. I also, take him with me to any place that allows dogs, when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I bury my hand in his fluffy fur and it calms me and helps me focus my senses so I dont get swallowed by the waves of chaos around me.

I'm not an expert, but I think finding something to ground you, is the best thing you can do. Its the only thing thats gotten me through.



Thank you for sharing with me!

This is probably one of the closest descriptions that I have gotten that seems close to what I experience too.

That is my issue, as well. I have literally no way of expressing the stress and distress, the only way I seem to experience it all is to internalize everything. And I know it's a problem, I have known for a long time, but no one has ever talked to me about it or tried to help.

Yes, I do have a grounding space and place and that would be my room. When it has gotten very bad, I do turn off my lights and just sort of hide. Life is much safer when there's no light. I don't have to worry about everything that exists.

I'm terribly sorry about your dog. I would love to hear about your story about getting diagnosed if you are ever up for sharing.
I cannot afford a trained dog unfortunately and also dogs make me sort of nervous unless they are the breed golden retriever. Not sure why



Spunge42
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15 Oct 2020, 11:27 pm

I don't mind sharing my story about getting diagnosed sometime in the near future. Its kinda a long story and I'm a bit worn out from a trip to Costco. It was so busy in there and everyone wanted to pet Aria my moms service dog. I get it, shes super pretty but she's working and I want out of this place. Lol.

And I get why you like Goldens. They always look so happy and their fur is a super beautiful color and so soft! Aria's trainer said my Appa ( my snuggle buddy i mentioned before) looks like a great pyreenes ate a golden retriever. Lol. He's actually a great pyreenes/ german shepherd mix and is 110lbs. He's my profile pic.

And I dont know where you live but I'm learning to be a service dog trainer. So if you live anywhere remotely near Texas, when I've furthered my training more I wouldn't mind helping you find a good golden campion and help train them. We didn't get Aria as a trained service dog ( like you, we couldn't afford it). We got her at 6 weeks old at the local shelter for $10 ( they were over capacity so needed dogs gone). She had parvo so the vet bill a week later was over $1000 but she was worth it. Once she survived and was clear of parvo she started her training. Her trainer came once a week and worked with her and taught us what to do. So we had homework the rest of the week working with her. It was a lot of work but so worth it. And a fraction of the cost!! ! Its how I found my calling too. I realized its what I wanted to do with my life.


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"I sat with my anger long enough, until she told me her real name was grief."


love2connect
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16 Oct 2020, 10:03 pm

Spunge42 wrote:
I don't mind sharing my story about getting diagnosed sometime in the near future. Its kinda a long story and I'm a bit worn out from a trip to Costco. It was so busy in there and everyone wanted to pet Aria my moms service dog. I get it, shes super pretty but she's working and I want out of this place. Lol.

And I get why you like Goldens. They always look so happy and their fur is a super beautiful color and so soft! Aria's trainer said my Appa ( my snuggle buddy i mentioned before) looks like a great pyreenes ate a golden retriever. Lol. He's actually a great pyreenes/ german shepherd mix and is 110lbs. He's my profile pic.

And I dont know where you live but I'm learning to be a service dog trainer. So if you live anywhere remotely near Texas, when I've furthered my training more I wouldn't mind helping you find a good golden campion and help train them. We didn't get Aria as a trained service dog ( like you, we couldn't afford it). We got her at 6 weeks old at the local shelter for $10 ( they were over capacity so needed dogs gone). She had parvo so the vet bill a week later was over $1000 but she was worth it. Once she survived and was clear of parvo she started her training. Her trainer came once a week and worked with her and taught us what to do. So we had homework the rest of the week working with her. It was a lot of work but so worth it. And a fraction of the cost!! ! Its how I found my calling too. I realized its what I wanted to do with my life.


Hey, sorry for the late response
Yes, I would be more than interested and I am so happy you found your calling. That must be a nice feeling honestly.

I think I might be experiencing burnout, I just came across the word on quora, I can't seem to recover from what I am feeling every single day, I am very confused and hurt, it is starting to confuse me.
My psychiatrist will probably want to stuff me with more drugs, I might have to tell her to quit doing that because it will just make things worse.

Maybe a future pup could be helpful



Mountain Goat
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16 Oct 2020, 10:12 pm

What are your sleeping patterns like, as when I hit burnout I found I was spending so much time awake not being able to sleep, that I hardly had any sleep. It seems to be a pattern which go hand in hand with burnout which could be due to the need to over analyse everything from the day and mentally preparing for the day ahead, along with anxiety effecting my bowel movement so I would spend ages on the toilet. A bit of a pattern I am in now though I have not burnt out yet and I hope I do not.. Is due to current family situation due to covid lockdown where brothers wife and brother are having to stay here. Is only temporary. It is just a background stress. I love them to bits, but they are extroverts and find my introverted life a mystery so brothers wife keeps trying to change things... Like she is up early playing music etc thinking I will be so tired that my sleep patterns will match hers (It does not work. Instead of midnight or 2 am going to bed... Well. It is 0426am as I write!)... And it makes me go to bed later as I get the days stress hitting me. Only small subtle things but when I am on the fringe of anxiety it ends up being a bit too much. But anyway. Nothing I can do. If I try to explain I will make things worse, so I have to continue like this until the nearby town they normally stay in is out of lockdown.


But dissrupted esculating sleeping patterns are the one thing which is noticeable when I hit burnout, though I am guessing that everyone is different?


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Last edited by Mountain Goat on 16 Oct 2020, 10:27 pm, edited 3 times in total.

love2connect
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16 Oct 2020, 10:15 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
What are your sleepingpatterns like, as when I hit burnout I found I was spending so much tima awake not being able to sleep, that I hardly had any sleep.


it is not much different than usual



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16 Oct 2020, 10:28 pm

Another pattern I have noticed is that burnout comes when outside sources are stressing me. Outside sources that I have no direct control of. If I had control, I could manage them and avoid burning out. But what I find is when thw sleeping patterns and my bowel movements are effected it all starts esculating so I have to be careful to slowly turn things back if i can or I will end up in a mess.

Though everyone is different so one could hit burnout in a different way. I know if I hit burnout it can take me a few years to fully recover if I ever do. (Hopefully as I really want my health back so I can cope with anything again!)


I apologize as I am overtired so I am over writing and over thinking etc... Uhmm. Nite... :D


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love2connect
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16 Oct 2020, 11:50 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Another pattern I have noticed is that burnout comes when outside sources are stressing me. Outside sources that I have no direct control of. If I had control, I could manage them and avoid burning out. But what I find is when thw sleeping patterns and my bowel movements are effected it all starts esculating so I have to be careful to slowly turn things back if i can or I will end up in a mess.

Though everyone is different so one could hit burnout in a different way. I know if I hit burnout it can take me a few years to fully recover if I ever do. (Hopefully as I really want my health back so I can cope with anything again!)


I apologize as I am overtired so I am over writing and over thinking etc... Uhmm. Nite... :D


I've been in a slow cooking burnout mode for much of my life but what I have been currently experiencing is something different. I don't know how to describe it. Different kinds of sensations of pain and discomfort almost 24/7. A different state of being that I really don't want to be in. My body is screaming, "OH COME ON........"
I seroiusly doubt I'll fully ever recover from this



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17 Oct 2020, 6:04 am

Don't give up hope. That is one thing I have learned through life. Never give up hope.


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madbutnotmad
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17 Oct 2020, 7:13 am

Hello Love2Connect

Your sensory abnormalities are a common symptom of ASD and part of the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the present (current) American Psychiatrists Association DSM-V

In the diagnostic criteria, it is classified as sensory impairment.
Sensory impairment presents it self as either hypo or hyper sensitivity across the senses, and can present it self differently per sense. So a person can have some senses as hyper sensitive and some senses as hypo sensitive.

I for example, am hypersensitive to auditory sensory information, visual sensory information and to some extent tactile (touch) sensory information. I am a bit hypo sensitive to temperature changes, and have much higher threshold to pain.

These sensory abnormalities are caused by damage or abnormalities to the part of the brain that deals with sensory information. One neurological scientific researcher has carried out extensive detailed research on the brains of people who suffer from these sensory abnormalities and has found out that the brains of his test subjects have more cells in the sensory part of his test subjects brains.

The seizures that you are experiencing are called Autism Spectrum Disorder Sensory Overload Meltdowns.
Although the cause is not always sensory related and more a combination between the abnormalities in the brain that deals with sensory information, the part of the brain that deals with stress (which is usually damaged and less efficient than in the brains of normal people) and abnormalities in the frontal lobe, that again has lesser capacity than normal people causing the person with ASD to have major problems processing information and regulating their emotions.

Meltdowns are very common among people with ASD.

So how is treated? Well, your meltdowns will likely be a life long feature of your autism.
There are however some strategies that you can employ to lessen the frequency of these meltdowns.

Firstly, you could employ the use of Occupational Therapist devices that can help reduce the amount of sensory information that you are exposed to while in an environment that you have no control over what you experience.

Noise cancelling headphones that you can listen to music with while out and about can help block out any environmental noise.

Alternatively you may also be able to employ the use of special ear plugs that reduce how much sound you hear.
Such ear plugs can be specially made to fit your ears and can be purchased from an audiologist.

There are some ear plugs for example that are marketed towards musicians, as they cut what the volume of any auditory sensory information by approx 30 db across the full range of the frequencies. These allow you to still hear, while at the same time turning down the volume.

As for reducing visual sensory information, wearing sunglasses can help if you are sensitive to light.
Again, it is very common among people with ASD to get migraines due to being exposed to flourescent lighting.

The ASD visual hypersensitive can often see the flicker in these type of lights which can cause significant distress.

Now, with regards to your own living environment. I recommend getting soundproofing fitted if your living environment is prone to being exposed to other peoples noise.

You could also get soft lighting that does not trigger your meltdowns, alternatively, try and go for natural light when ever possible. And of course, blinds / curtains to block out light and any visual business would be advisable.

With regards to reducing your anxiety. I have read up on this subject extensively and have realised that a great deal of modern antidepressants aren't the best meds for people with ASD.

This again is because we have brain abnormalities. If you are a hypersensitive type, you will likely be hyper vigilant so taking any antidepressant that boosts norepinephrine (noradrenaline) is not a good idea, as being hypersensitive / hyper vigilant, your brain will likely have a higher level of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine than normal people.

Most of the newer antidepressants on the market boost not only dopamine and serotonin, but boost norepinephrine.
Norepinephrine other wise known as noradrenaline is the neurotransmitter that makes people more hyper vigilant, so if your noradrenaline is already very high due to suffering from sensory hyper sensitivities, then boosting the noradrenaline in your brain will result in you becoming more hyper vigilant and will likely increase the frequencies of meltdowns that you experience.

This is my experience of being put on SNRI's and other SSRI's. Not good. The medication was what was making me ill!

Some time ago I read an article published by autism researchers who made a survey of the use of various meds by people with ASD in the US. Survey results came from a large data source across various autism charities in the US.

The conclusion of the results basically explained that the meds that gave the best results ranged from old fashioned tricyclic antidepressant such as clomipramine, and more modern antidepressant such as Sertraline.

The results also found that some also used various tranquilizers and in some cases anticonvulsants for the treatment of meltdowns. Personally, i have used Clomipramine and think it is very effective at slowing me down a bit, and reduces the level of anxiety i experience.

I also use low dose valium (4 to 6mg) (when needed) to reduce the stress i experience during and after a meltdown.

This simple course of meds has improved the quality of life 10 fold, compared to what i was on various other more modern anti depressants such as Venlafaxine, Duloxetine, Vortioxetine.

The only bad thing about Clomipramine is that it does give some minor side effects but I guess these side effects are still no where near as horrible as life was when i was on the other stimulating antidepressants.

I hope that helps



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17 Oct 2020, 4:08 pm

madbutnotmad wrote:
Hello Love2Connect

Your sensory abnormalities are a common symptom of ASD and part of the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the present (current) American Psychiatrists Association DSM-V

In the diagnostic criteria, it is classified as sensory impairment.
Sensory impairment presents it self as either hypo or hyper sensitivity across the senses, and can present it self differently per sense. So a person can have some senses as hyper sensitive and some senses as hypo sensitive.

I for example, am hypersensitive to auditory sensory information, visual sensory information and to some extent tactile (touch) sensory information. I am a bit hypo sensitive to temperature changes, and have much higher threshold to pain.

These sensory abnormalities are caused by damage or abnormalities to the part of the brain that deals with sensory information. One neurological scientific researcher has carried out extensive detailed research on the brains of people who suffer from these sensory abnormalities and has found out that the brains of his test subjects have more cells in the sensory part of his test subjects brains.

The seizures that you are experiencing are called Autism Spectrum Disorder Sensory Overload Meltdowns.
Although the cause is not always sensory related and more a combination between the abnormalities in the brain that deals with sensory information, the part of the brain that deals with stress (which is usually damaged and less efficient than in the brains of normal people) and abnormalities in the frontal lobe, that again has lesser capacity than normal people causing the person with ASD to have major problems processing information and regulating their emotions.

Meltdowns are very common among people with ASD.

So how is treated? Well, your meltdowns will likely be a life long feature of your autism.
There are however some strategies that you can employ to lessen the frequency of these meltdowns.

Firstly, you could employ the use of Occupational Therapist devices that can help reduce the amount of sensory information that you are exposed to while in an environment that you have no control over what you experience.

Noise cancelling headphones that you can listen to music with while out and about can help block out any environmental noise.

Alternatively you may also be able to employ the use of special ear plugs that reduce how much sound you hear.
Such ear plugs can be specially made to fit your ears and can be purchased from an audiologist.

There are some ear plugs for example that are marketed towards musicians, as they cut what the volume of any auditory sensory information by approx 30 db across the full range of the frequencies. These allow you to still hear, while at the same time turning down the volume.

As for reducing visual sensory information, wearing sunglasses can help if you are sensitive to light.
Again, it is very common among people with ASD to get migraines due to being exposed to flourescent lighting.

The ASD visual hypersensitive can often see the flicker in these type of lights which can cause significant distress.

Now, with regards to your own living environment. I recommend getting soundproofing fitted if your living environment is prone to being exposed to other peoples noise.

You could also get soft lighting that does not trigger your meltdowns, alternatively, try and go for natural light when ever possible. And of course, blinds / curtains to block out light and any visual business would be advisable.

With regards to reducing your anxiety. I have read up on this subject extensively and have realised that a great deal of modern antidepressants aren't the best meds for people with ASD.

This again is because we have brain abnormalities. If you are a hypersensitive type, you will likely be hyper vigilant so taking any antidepressant that boosts norepinephrine (noradrenaline) is not a good idea, as being hypersensitive / hyper vigilant, your brain will likely have a higher level of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine than normal people.

Most of the newer antidepressants on the market boost not only dopamine and serotonin, but boost norepinephrine.
Norepinephrine other wise known as noradrenaline is the neurotransmitter that makes people more hyper vigilant, so if your noradrenaline is already very high due to suffering from sensory hyper sensitivities, then boosting the noradrenaline in your brain will result in you becoming more hyper vigilant and will likely increase the frequencies of meltdowns that you experience.

This is my experience of being put on SNRI's and other SSRI's. Not good. The medication was what was making me ill!

Some time ago I read an article published by autism researchers who made a survey of the use of various meds by people with ASD in the US. Survey results came from a large data source across various autism charities in the US.

The conclusion of the results basically explained that the meds that gave the best results ranged from old fashioned tricyclic antidepressant such as clomipramine, and more modern antidepressant such as Sertraline.

The results also found that some also used various tranquilizers and in some cases anticonvulsants for the treatment of meltdowns. Personally, i have used Clomipramine and think it is very effective at slowing me down a bit, and reduces the level of anxiety i experience.

I also use low dose valium (4 to 6mg) (when needed) to reduce the stress i experience during and after a meltdown.

This simple course of meds has improved the quality of life 10 fold, compared to what i was on various other more modern anti depressants such as Venlafaxine, Duloxetine, Vortioxetine.

The only bad thing about Clomipramine is that it does give some minor side effects but I guess these side effects are still no where near as horrible as life was when i was on the other stimulating antidepressants.

I hope that helps



Thank you very much. I very much feel your compassion and understanding.
I have asked several psychiatrists if they think I am on the spectrum and they have all said no.
So even if I do not have ASD, your reply does resonate greatly.
I'm going to ask my epileptologist to rule out ASD if possible
I don't really trust psychiatrists, aren't they the ones giving a different diagnosis to each patient so the patient ends up with like 4 different conflicting ones
I don't believe I have mental illness either, I believe all these psychological issues stem from epilepsy or some neurological condition or abnormality.

The word sensory "impairment" gives me great relief
My psychiatrist has mentioned 'sensory processing disorder' and the words irritate me. I am not processing anything too little or too much, I believe I am processing it WRONG. and from what i have read online, SPD seems to be about the knob being turned on too high or too low.
My experience, I think it is processing differently, more extremely, more severely, and wrongly. As I am stumped when I am outside.