Hi there Community,
So, yesterday and during the whole night I got a really bad case of not-so-complete shutdown. I'm sure many of you know the feeling. I thought that maybe we could create a topic where we would post our impressions of our sensory overload moments, as well as ways in which we coped with it, especially in the beginning.
For me, sensory overload means pain. It's when all the additional impulses send to me by the world cause me to cringe and want to cry out. It's when I close eyes and cover my ears to cut myself from the sources of distress. It's worse when I'm outside, with people walking, cars riding, alarm beeping, a squirrel running in the distance, pigeons flying, cooing, people talking, world buzzing, sun shining, light humming, music pounding, fingers tapping, clothes itching, cutting in my flesh... You get the point. Too much, too many things, too many thoughts in a head that can't help but analyse everything around. Chaos, a chorus of sounds, impressions, sights, smells pounding on your walls of self-control, nearly forcing you to sit down on the road with your senses covered in any way and just break down and cry, cry, cry.
This is what it is for me in the worst part outside. Later, it means migraines and nausea, blinking lights behind my eyes when I'm trying to go to sleep. Sounds and smells playing around with my senses even long after the reason for that ceased to cause distress, as if I was on the most terrifying rollecoaster ever invented. That's when I definitely need my first-aid kit.
My first-aid kit to sensory overload:
1. Switch off the lights.
If it's an evening, switch off all lights. If it's day, cover all windows. Make it dark and not visible as much as you can. Cover your eyes with hands or materials you consider not invasive. If you have a headache or a fever, you may want to consider putting something cold on your forehead.
2.Switch off the sounds.
Turn off any sound you can. Cover your ears. Use air defenders, ear plugs or earphones.
3. Lie or sit down.
Do it in a comfortable place, in a comfortable position. Gather pillows, blankets, teddy bears. Make it warm and soft.
4. Stim.
Let yourself just be for a moment. You can stop moving or rock. Do whatever makes you feel more comfortable. Most of the time, I stop moving altogether like a rabbit caught in a flashlight, then start rocking myself back-forward or left-right. Sometimes I rock only my head.
5. Massage your head.
And brain. I do this when I feel that I'm slightly less sick. I have a whole system for that and maybe you'd find it useful. I started when I was a really overhelmed kid.
- massage the temples in circular motions
- proceed to lightly touch areas around your temples and ears ears, tap, put some pressure, stop, repeat whatever feels the most relieving
- lightly go to the back of your head, especially the base of the neck and put the pressure with the fingers there; use circular motions where possible
- proceed up your head in a straight line and finish with massaging the front of your forehead
- do this slowly, calmly, quietly
6. Change your focus.
It possibly won't help everyone but it does help me. Do it with your eyes closed.
- touch the front of your forehead; focus on the impression of your fingers in that place and let the other areas of your head relax, just turn all your focus to that one place
- after you feel the weight in your head shifting, touch the base of your neck; do the same as before: focus on that area, letting the pressure in your head dissolve and shift to the back of your head
- touch your head in the middle line close to the forehead; focus, shift, dissolve
- proceed with doing it on the middle line, sometimes closer to the base of your neck, sometimes closer the forehead, sometimes at the tip of your head
- you can do it also on the right or left sight of your head, though I always feel like the weight is too heave for only one side of my head/brain to keep it
7. Relax.
Now just relax. Stay in that little quiet bubble. It's safe, warm, calm. You can listen to some delicate music, preferably instrumentals only, or nature sounds mixed with waves. I normally listen to three types of waves:
- SMR waves (low beta waves; lowering alertness)
- alpha waves (relax me)
- theta waves (makes me sleepy)
This is also when I put on my deep pressure vest inflated to full.
8. Sleep.
It's the most helpful thing.
What are your ways to ease sensory overload and help your mind? Of course, it's always better to prevent it but we all know it's not always possible. What do you use when you feel too overhelmed to function anymore?
I'm curious about your ways.
Cheers,
onlything
Edit 13.09.2017: I'm going to sort everything and gather in this post, so that people looking for advice don't have to scroll through all of the thread on their bad days.
Advice gathered from members of the community:
- Prevent where possible:
- Ease the overload:
Let me know if I missed something. Thank you for your input @Keigan , @Streetwise , @Alaska , @Ambi , @kestrel , @Gracey , @Judge , @OlLiE , @tw3
So, yesterday and during the whole night I got a really bad case of not-so-complete shutdown. I'm sure many of you know the feeling. I thought that maybe we could create a topic where we would post our impressions of our sensory overload moments, as well as ways in which we coped with it, especially in the beginning.
For me, sensory overload means pain. It's when all the additional impulses send to me by the world cause me to cringe and want to cry out. It's when I close eyes and cover my ears to cut myself from the sources of distress. It's worse when I'm outside, with people walking, cars riding, alarm beeping, a squirrel running in the distance, pigeons flying, cooing, people talking, world buzzing, sun shining, light humming, music pounding, fingers tapping, clothes itching, cutting in my flesh... You get the point. Too much, too many things, too many thoughts in a head that can't help but analyse everything around. Chaos, a chorus of sounds, impressions, sights, smells pounding on your walls of self-control, nearly forcing you to sit down on the road with your senses covered in any way and just break down and cry, cry, cry.
This is what it is for me in the worst part outside. Later, it means migraines and nausea, blinking lights behind my eyes when I'm trying to go to sleep. Sounds and smells playing around with my senses even long after the reason for that ceased to cause distress, as if I was on the most terrifying rollecoaster ever invented. That's when I definitely need my first-aid kit.
My first-aid kit to sensory overload:
1. Switch off the lights.
If it's an evening, switch off all lights. If it's day, cover all windows. Make it dark and not visible as much as you can. Cover your eyes with hands or materials you consider not invasive. If you have a headache or a fever, you may want to consider putting something cold on your forehead.
2.Switch off the sounds.
Turn off any sound you can. Cover your ears. Use air defenders, ear plugs or earphones.
3. Lie or sit down.
Do it in a comfortable place, in a comfortable position. Gather pillows, blankets, teddy bears. Make it warm and soft.
4. Stim.
Let yourself just be for a moment. You can stop moving or rock. Do whatever makes you feel more comfortable. Most of the time, I stop moving altogether like a rabbit caught in a flashlight, then start rocking myself back-forward or left-right. Sometimes I rock only my head.
5. Massage your head.
And brain. I do this when I feel that I'm slightly less sick. I have a whole system for that and maybe you'd find it useful. I started when I was a really overhelmed kid.
- massage the temples in circular motions
- proceed to lightly touch areas around your temples and ears ears, tap, put some pressure, stop, repeat whatever feels the most relieving
- lightly go to the back of your head, especially the base of the neck and put the pressure with the fingers there; use circular motions where possible
- proceed up your head in a straight line and finish with massaging the front of your forehead
- do this slowly, calmly, quietly
6. Change your focus.
It possibly won't help everyone but it does help me. Do it with your eyes closed.
- touch the front of your forehead; focus on the impression of your fingers in that place and let the other areas of your head relax, just turn all your focus to that one place
- after you feel the weight in your head shifting, touch the base of your neck; do the same as before: focus on that area, letting the pressure in your head dissolve and shift to the back of your head
- touch your head in the middle line close to the forehead; focus, shift, dissolve
- proceed with doing it on the middle line, sometimes closer to the base of your neck, sometimes closer the forehead, sometimes at the tip of your head
- you can do it also on the right or left sight of your head, though I always feel like the weight is too heave for only one side of my head/brain to keep it
7. Relax.
Now just relax. Stay in that little quiet bubble. It's safe, warm, calm. You can listen to some delicate music, preferably instrumentals only, or nature sounds mixed with waves. I normally listen to three types of waves:
- SMR waves (low beta waves; lowering alertness)
- alpha waves (relax me)
- theta waves (makes me sleepy)
This is also when I put on my deep pressure vest inflated to full.
8. Sleep.
It's the most helpful thing.
What are your ways to ease sensory overload and help your mind? Of course, it's always better to prevent it but we all know it's not always possible. What do you use when you feel too overhelmed to function anymore?
I'm curious about your ways.
Cheers,
onlything
Edit 13.09.2017: I'm going to sort everything and gather in this post, so that people looking for advice don't have to scroll through all of the thread on their bad days.
Advice gathered from members of the community:
- Prevent where possible:
- wear earphones or ear protectors like shooting ear muffs
- use sunglasses
- avoid crowds
- focus on things that need to be accomplished
- keep hydrated
- do your shopping and travel out of the busiest hours
- avoid school starting and finishing times
- if you go out for a meal go 30 minutes before most people's lunch break starts (cook is not in a rush yet, you get served quickly, eat in peace and don't have to wait to pay)
- clean regularly
- Ease the overload:
- sparkle some water on your face
- sit down in a quiet, traffic-free place, don't talk
- stim(wiggle, rock, humm etc.) or go limp: relax
- keep the temperature in medium, light low, block sounds and sights where possible
- use candle-light
- listen to calming music
- no wind, no people
- have a cup of tea or something warm to drink(avoid coffee)
- eat something(avoid junk food and sweets)
- block the windows to avoid lights and heat
- gather some food and water, so that you don't have to face anything for some time
- comfortable blankets and sheets(recommended: fleece sheets and memory foam pillows)
- acupressure
- Acupuncture Points Database - Locations, Functions and Clinical Usage
- Google Shows A Store's Busy Times By Crowdsourcing Your Store Visits
- Here Are the Best, Worst Times and Days to Grocery Shop
- The Best and Worst Times to Go Grocery Shopping
Let me know if I missed something. Thank you for your input @Keigan , @Streetwise , @Alaska , @Ambi , @kestrel , @Gracey , @Judge , @OlLiE , @tw3
Last edited: