ChibiChick
New Member
I'm relatively new to the autism world and autism in general, so I need some help here.
What's the difference between meltdowns, sensory overload and panic attacks?
Because, today, like most days, I experienced what I thought was a panic attack but lately I've been thinking it might be sensory overload (or a combination of the two?)
Like, I was sitting at my kitchen table, eating dinner with my family. My father was watching football and shouting at the T.V., my siblings where chattering away, and most of the lights where on.
Then, suddenly, I got this overwhelming feeling of anxiety pop up and start making me anxious. I start to sweat. My body tenses. I start to fidget. I have trouble swallowing my food and everything happening around me is just too loud. Too stimulating. Too much.
I try to maintain it, try to calm myself down so I can eat without the possibility of choking on my food but every little thing that happens seems to just grate on my nerves.
Eventually, I have to take my food and go finish in a quiet room with no one around.
It takes a little while after that for me to get my overall panic to finally subside but I eventually am fully able to relax.
To me, it feels like I'm having a sensory overload that leads to a panic attack or vice versa?
I'm honestly just not sure. I've never been diagnosed, and I've never talked to anyone about these symptoms because no one I know has what I have.
Could someone please explain this to me so I can understand this better?
What's the difference between meltdowns, sensory overload and panic attacks?
Because, today, like most days, I experienced what I thought was a panic attack but lately I've been thinking it might be sensory overload (or a combination of the two?)
Like, I was sitting at my kitchen table, eating dinner with my family. My father was watching football and shouting at the T.V., my siblings where chattering away, and most of the lights where on.
Then, suddenly, I got this overwhelming feeling of anxiety pop up and start making me anxious. I start to sweat. My body tenses. I start to fidget. I have trouble swallowing my food and everything happening around me is just too loud. Too stimulating. Too much.
I try to maintain it, try to calm myself down so I can eat without the possibility of choking on my food but every little thing that happens seems to just grate on my nerves.
Eventually, I have to take my food and go finish in a quiet room with no one around.
It takes a little while after that for me to get my overall panic to finally subside but I eventually am fully able to relax.
To me, it feels like I'm having a sensory overload that leads to a panic attack or vice versa?
I'm honestly just not sure. I've never been diagnosed, and I've never talked to anyone about these symptoms because no one I know has what I have.
Could someone please explain this to me so I can understand this better?