Insight Wanted - Sensory Overload
08 Aug 2021, 8:54 pm
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
11 Aug 2021, 7:30 am
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.
11 Aug 2021, 5:19 pm
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.
Thanks for this reply. It's really helpful and insightful.
I work as a classroom teacher in a primary school, with my colleagues being predominantly female. It is a highly demanding job and after 5 years I think I'm reaching burnout. Ironically, 50% of teachers leave the profession after 5 years in Australia. I am lucky in that I'm not in the classroom full-time and have two days in a leadership role. Whilst the time out of the classroom is a relief, it can be hard switching between the two roles on any given day. They have different requirements and are demanding in different ways. My leadership role is more independent work, which takes the pressure off me having to perform in team meetings or in the classroom all the time.
I am in the process of self-discovery, not formally diagnosed but I have a strong suspicion and there's likelihood that I am (online tests confirm and therapist agrees!). However, I'm in an environment where we work closely with ASD children everyday so my team, overall, accepts my quirks. I do let them down though, and this is always likely due to sensory overload and stress. I have spoken to one of my close team mates about my suspicion and she is incredibly supportive and thinks I'm more 'myself' with her since disclosing. She is the only one who knows though...
I think what's most exhausting is like what you've said: I expect people to understand, but they don't usually and I often feel really really alone and childlike.
13 Aug 2021, 2:16 pm
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
_________________
"I'm bad and that's good. I'll never be good and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me."
Wreck It Ralph
