Do You Experience Sensory Overload?

Did you ever hear a certain sound that bothered you greatly in a way that didn’t seem to make sense but that you also couldn’t describe? I have, and I think almost everyone has. Some sounds are widely recognized as atrocious, like fingernails on a chalkboard or a fire alarm. These sounds grind our gears in a way that evokes action. They might even cause something known as Sensory Overload.

What is Sensory Overload?

  Sensory Overload happens when one or more senses become intensely overwhelmed. Most of us have heard that there are five senses, including sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. However, neurologists tell us that there are much more than five! We can also sense balance (equilibrioception), movement (proprioception), heat (thermoception), the condition of our internal bodies (interoception), and the passage of time (chronoception), just to name a few. In fact, it is now widely recognized that humans have at least 20-30 actual senses!

Having more senses means having more potential for overload! I have vivid memories of times in my childhood when overstimulation in the area of balance was a problem. In one instance, I was at a MARTA (subway) station in Atlanta with my 8th Grade classmates when a long escalator stopped while we were on it. The subway tiles lining the walls of the escalator tunnel were installed at an odd angle, creating a visually confusing effect that disrupted my balance. We all eventually stumbled our way through, but I still remember the overwhelm I felt to this day! 

Prevalence

Neurodivergent people often struggle with managing sensory input. We are wired differently than most other people in this way. For instance, we might feel hypersensitive toward a sensation, meaning that we abhor it or feel it “too much” or too intensely. Some of us can also be hypersensitive, meaning that we crave it, dwell on it, and would like it to be constant.  

  95% of autistic adults report distress associated with processing their senses differently. Likewise 60% of adults with ADHD report symptoms significant enough to be diagnosed as Sensory Processing Disorder.

We may think of sensory overload as being more common among autistic people, but it is also quite prevalent among people with ADHD. Both of these conditions are considered “neurodivergent” and indicate that the neurology (or internal “wiring”) of a person’s senses is different from that of a neurotypical person. In my experience, most of the distress caused by autism and ADHD is sensory in nature. When we mix in the social distress caused by reactions to external sensory stimuli, the problems can get really tricky really fast.

How Sensory Overload Happens

Several of my neurodivergent clients have told me about instances of sensory overload while trying to work retail jobs in big-box stores. While I was expecting them to complain about difficult customers, this was usually not the source of their distress. Instead, they have more often been bothered by the high-pitched whines of the all-too-powerful fluorescent lights, the volume of the store’s loudspeaker system, the monotony of the music, the temperature and sounds of the warehouse, the textures and smells of the merchandise, and the constant need to engage in awkward small talk with hundreds of people in the checkout lines. 

Sensory Overload and Anxiety:

Whenever a person is subjected to distressing stimuli from which they cannot easily free themselves, they are naturally going to experience strong emotion. Anxiety and anger will almost always emerge in this situation. For the neurodivergent person, the sensory stimuli is extra powerful, causing greater anxiety and anger. Sounds stressful, right? But now imagine feeling this way and knowing that no one else around you is perceiving the same level of stimulation that you are. Surely, this compounds the distress even further and multiplies the anxiety.

Sensory Safe Zones:

Since the anxiety that most neurodivergent people experience is due to feeling a lack of control over their surroundings, the best strategy for them is generally to regain at least some small form of control. This doesn’t have to look like a full-fledged military coup in the baked goods department. Self-soothing can be something as simple as going to sit in the controllable comfort of a car during a work break. Maintaining calm can be using ear plugs or noise cancellation tech while working. Managing emotion can be adjusting or altering a uniform for greater comfort and less agitation. 

[A Note to Churches: Turn it down. I run sound for church, and I mix loud. It’s easier to mix loud, and It arguably “sounds better”. But you’re gonna run off some really great neurodivergent folks if you don’t turn down. It’s not about personal preference, it’s about neurology.] 

But What About Hyposensitive Folks?

Let’s remember that some needs are hyposensitive, so calming down might mean over-exposure to a stimuli that is calming – even if that stimuli would be considered “too much” by neurotypical standards. 

For an example of hyposensitivity and using overwhelming sensory tactics to soothe oneself, check out this clip from the movie The Accountant. Note: This video depicts what might be considered self-harm. I do not EVER recommend engaging in self-harm for self-soothing. As the video explores, this can be a fine line for an autistic person. It is a question of intent and motivation, and may require guidance from a mental health professional to develop appropriate coping routines. Likewise, Ben Affleck’s character does not appear to be particularly “soothed” at the end of the clip. He has, however, transitioned from the overstimulation of being at work to being at home.  (This TikTok was one of the only clips of this scene available.)

Other Self Regulation Strategies:

Neurodivergent individuals who are looking to manage anxiety might find it helpful to engage in a large number of helpful coping strategies. I always recommend engaging in exercise, especially activities that use the same muscles you would use in an active fight-or-flight response. So, go for a run, take a walk, punch a punching bag or a large cushion, scream into a pillow, do push-ups or deep lunges – Any workout activity that would help the brain use up some cortisol will help!

In addition, you might find it helpful to:

Take a bath or shower

Eat or drink something (an appropriate amount)

Do a puzzle or play a board game

Play video games (particularly if non-violent)

Pet an animal

Go for a drive (safely)

Wrap up tightly in a blanket, particularly if it’s weighted.

Distract yourself onto one of your favorite things.

Listen to or play music

Engage in your creative outlet

Phone an encouraging, empathetic friend or family member.

Stand on one foot or do safe balance exercises. (Physical balance helps restore emotional balance)

Talk it out

Google a list of coping skills for anxiety. DBT has lists that are hundreds of items long.

Get Help for Sensory Overload and Neurodivergence:

I work with creative professionals across Georgia who deal with Anxiety, ADHD, or Autism (Level 1). If you’d like help with these or related issues, give me a call at 770-615-6300.

You can also schedule a session here. I offer both telehealth and in-person sessions, and I’m in-network with Aetna and United Healthcare insurances and Lyra EAP. We provide paperwork if you want to file with your out-of-network insurance.