Sensory overload more common as I've aged.

[Marcus]

I don't know if anyone else has this issue, or if I'm just absolutely crazy, but I'm no stranger at all to having sensory overload.

I didn't use to have much of an issue with sensory overload that I remember when I was younger, but as I've gotten older it has become more common, I don't really know what the cause of that could be.

Some of the situations/things that have caused an overload for me are brand new, like being in a room with absolutely no one else, but the room is crowded with furniture and other items like that.

Going to the mall where there is a ton of people going every which way constantly and the ear destroying hum that is their various conversations drives me to the point to where I've had to leave and have someone else do my shopping for me. (I'll probably get flak for that one.)

Don't even get me started on strobe lights... those are an absolute nightmare.

It's hard for me to even keep it together being in a room with just a few people that are talking all at once anymore, I really hope I don't sound like a huge wuss, but I'm sure that'll be what some people think when they read this.

 

[Progster]

I've found that I have shut downs more frequently as I've got older, and some of my sensory sensitivites have got worse, or new ones appears. I can't tolerate as much as I used to, and have to stop. I'm finding my noise sensitivity has got worse - I've been told that I probably have hyperacusis, I can't tolerate bright lights or flashes or fast-moving images like the special effects you get on TV.

 

[Coupe]

I'm in my 20s and have also noticed that my sensory processing issues have increased. Meltdowns too The thing I wonder about now, though, is whether this is a new-ish development or if I've always had these kinds of sensory sensitivities. You see, all during my adolescence (I was officially dx'd at age 12) I tried incredibly hard, almost to the point of becoming ill and developing anxiety and depression, to "pass" as NT, because if I managed to do that well enough, no one made me go to all kinds of compliance-based therapies the way they did when I was first dx'd. It wasn't until I discovered the neurodiversity paradigm and the concept of NT society's ableism in college that I began sort of giving myself more permission to be autistic. Having said that, however, I am unsure as to whether I've always had sensory sensitivities and just pushed myself to ignore them in order to pass and to please others, or if they've cropped up more recently as a result of autistic burnout, or something.

....I do have a few ways to cope, though. I have stim toys to use when I become anxious, and some big pink headphones that I re-purposed into noise-reducing headphones (I've thought about getting some actual noise-cancelling headphones, but idk what brand/size to get or if I can afford a pair - and since I had the pink pair just lying around, I figured, why not just cut the cord off and use those). I'm shy about wearing them in public, but I've worn them a couple of times, say, during the night while watching fireworks, and I always take them with me when I leave the house for extended periods of time, just in case.

 

[clg114]

I guess that I am weird even here. I am just the opposite, my sensory issues seem to affect me less and less as I get older. They are still there, but do not bother me as much. I have not left a half full shopping cart in the middle of a super market in at least ten years. The crowds, the noise and the lights still bother me. But now it is just annoying, instead of having to get out of there immediately.

 

[Mia]

You're not crazy, as I've gotten older I'm affected more by loud noise, random people's voices, all speaking at the same time. I was in the center part of a museum recently and it was like an echo chamber of hundreds of peoples voices. Wanted to bolt out a side door, but I had just paid to get inside. So I took a big breath, and slowly moved toward a gallery where it was quieter. Felt like screaming from all the noise, and for everyone to shut up just for a minute.

When I got to the particular gallery of paintings that I had wanted to see, there were two people there, among many. In loud voices, talking about their families, holidays, children, not about the art. Their voices carried all over, as that sat in the middle of the collection. I waited for them to leave, but they never did. I had been in transit for an entire day, a six hour flight, taxis, hotel, walking in the rain for half an hour, to see those paintings. I went back the following day, to look at them again. And it was quiet finally.

 

[Marcus]

@Coupe I've tried blasting heavy metal through my earbuds to try and counter all of the noise and other things, but it never works. The sight of all the people rushing around and seeing them stare at me still gets to me... too much.

There are some environments where that isn't even an option either, so I have to go back to putting on a mask like everything is fine until I break.

 

[Katleya]

I find that I'm more prone to sensory overload if I've been weakened by ongoing stress. Now, with greater age comes increasingly greater stress, and I am yet to reach a place in life where I get the smallest bit of respite, so I'm still unable to fully verify my theory, or to see if it is in fact aging rather than stress.

But it could be worth analyzing the larger context (say, weeks/months prior bad overload episodes) to see if there are additional factors that could have increased your sensitivity and propensity to sensory overload. Why? Because if that's the case, you might have more chances of being able to somehow fight it or lessen the effects, whether there isn't much you can do to reverse the effect of time.

Unless you have a time machine? Do you? If so, hit me up, there are a couple of events in my life I'd love to not live and make different choices to avoid them

 

[WereBear]

I was diagnosed a year and a half ago, and prior to that I had never noticed sensory overload. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have it, just that it wasn’t until my diagnosis that I got shutdowns ... I thought they were panic attacks. And they were!

I had spent years prior to that slowly running down like a laptop battery in the red zone; no doubt compensating until I could not any more.

Fortunately I get a visual aura when I’m getting into my red zone. I don’t know if I will get that energy back or not, but things have gotten better since my diagnosis.

I can also say that in a lot of ways there is more to pick up than there used to be. Our local hardware store has headsets and I get a headache if I am in there for long. I am much more sensitive to EMF. Use my phone on speaker.

And the morning shows (I see them in my doctor’s office) are like a pack of yappy little dogs.

 

[Marcus]

@Katleya I wish I did have a time machine. I'd change so much nonsense that has happened in my life.

I've always hated going somewhere in public alone, I'm always worried about what the other people I encounter are thinking, especially with the permanent limp I have. Social anxiety has haunted me for years, and I don't see myself ever overcoming it.

 

[Katleya]

Hey, a fellow limping person! Tell me about it: being a woman in her thirties, looking otherwise healthy and often not quite my age, using a walking stick... yeah, people stare. But that's their problem, I can't make it mine; my plate is full enough already.
I know it's easier said than done, but trust me, if you find it in you to own your difference rather than have it, it can make life a lot less anxiety-inducing.

Also, usually while we're overthinking about what other people might be thinking about us, the other people in question are busy wondering what we think of them, or just staring at their social media, so the level to which they notice you is very likely far below your self-consciousness level.

 

[owlet]

I've found my sensory issues have definitely gotten a lot worse as I've gotten older. That's partly because when I was young, I used to hang around with my twin sister all the time she would compensate for me in things like social situations (she's always been very into people, whereas I didn't have much interest), as well as not having as much structured time (I've currently got health issues which mean I can't work and it sucks), and not as much time to myself (I used to pretty much read fiction every spare moment of the day from a very young age). There's also the increase in people living in my city, so going out can be troublesome in terms of getting overwhelmed by crowds, and going shopping can end up draining all of my energy for the day in less than an hour.

 

[onlything]

Yes. It's like with time the amount of energy I received in the beginning is depleted every day so much that I don't have time to regenerate it at all. Count in the additional tiredness due to depression and well, I get overloaded every day.

 

[Progster]

And the morning shows (I see them in my doctor’s office) are like a pack of yappy little dogs.

I love this description!

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

You're not crazy, as I've gotten older I'm affected more by loud noise, random people's voices, all speaking at the same time. I was in the center part of a museum recently and it was like an echo chamber of hundreds of peoples voices. Wanted to bolt out a side door, but I had just paid to get inside. So I took a big breath, and slowly moved toward a gallery where it was quieter. Felt like screaming from all the noise, and for everyone to shut up just for a minute.

When I got to the particular gallery of paintings that I had wanted to see, there were two people there, among many. In loud voices, talking about their families, holidays, children, not about the art. Their voices carried all over, as that sat in the middle of the collection. I waited for them to leave, but they never did. I had been in transit for an entire day, a six hour flight, taxis, hotel, walking in the rain for half an hour, to see those paintings. I went back the following day, to look at them again. And it was quiet finally.

I'll get what I call the 'urge to bolt'

Sort of a pressure building.. building.. then I'm off

Could happen in a museum or in the post office. There doesnt always have to be a lot of people to get that feeling of people crowding in...

I used to feel the pressure a lot at airport security but i rehearse what can go wrong beforehand and that helps.

One extra thing added in and i forget everything.

A lot of times I can imagine these things arent a problem anymore but it's more because I avoid them.

Apart from ironically - airport security, which I am very familiar with.

Now and again I venture into those places... worth it for the times it is okay. Getting their early or late helps.

 

[onlything]

I'll get what I call the 'urge to bolt'

Sort of a pressure building.. building.. then I'm off

Could happen in a museum or in the post office. There doesnt always have to be a lot of people to get that feeling of people crowding in...

I used to feel the pressure a lot at airport security but i rehearse what can go wrong beforehand and that helps.

One extra thing added in and i forget everything.

A lot of times I can imagine these things arent a problem anymore but it's more because I avoid them.

Apart from ironically - airport security, which I am very familiar with.

Now and again I venture into those places... worth it for the times it is okay. Getting their early or late helps.

I know what you mean. Agh, I remember how my baggage had to be checked fully during control because of a pack of larger than normal playing cards... didn't expect it and though I'm going to panic. Stressful.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

I know what you mean. Agh, I remember how my baggage had to be checked fully during control because of a pack of larger than normal playing cards... didn't expect it and though I'm going to panic. Stressful.

One time i had to go through the scanner three times..

Shoes off, watch off, back through.

By that time i had no idea what imhad passed through in terms of hand baggage.
An hour later had to go back to get my watch..
What does it look like?

'A watch' - not good enough. I persisted, cluldnt remember it was a citizen or what colour 'watch colour'

Yep. Im ready next time.

 

[OlLiE]

went to see my parents that live in the countryside recently
you could actually hear a pin drop
it's not just the noise, it's also just simply knowing that there will be no noise
that provides such a huge sense of comfort

it's just another argument for me to move out of the city

 

[Mia]

One time i had to go through the scanner three times..

Shoes off, watch off, back through.

Hands out, me too. Drug wipe twice, scanners not working properly. Standing on the two feet diagram on the floor! They found no drug residue on my hands or anywhere. But they had to try. Just random they said. Did the scanners pick up the purel? The metal fillings? Then on return there was no ringing. Tried not to scream and I was successful.

 

[Judge]

The Mall at Christmas some years ago. The site of my last really nasty shutdown.

A venue with classic sensory issues that can overwhelm us.

 

[Ruby Tuesday]

I began sort of giving myself more permission to be autistic. Having said that, however, I am unsure as to whether I've always had sensory sensitivities and just pushed myself to ignore them in order to pass and to please others, or if they've cropped up more recently as a result of autistic burnout, or something.

Wow, I love that! I admire you have so much insight already in your 20s!
"Permission to be autistic", yep, exactly! It took me decades to get there. It is the only way. Otherwise the stress of the sensory overload gets compounded with the stress of selfconsciousness and the certainty that you are being judged and found inadequate.

I'm a big fan of earplugs. Specifically Howard Leight Laser Lite LL-30 ear plugs, corded
They are made for industrial purposes, as safety gear. They are *really* comfortable. Also, they are bright pink and yellow. I wear them to the mall, the bank, the supermarket, hey, even at home sometimes. Or at a coffee shop to block out inane small talk.

When people asks you "are those headphones?" you smile and say "no, earplugs. I don't like noise". And you smile again and go back to your stuff.

People tend to stare and blink and say "Oh!" and leave you alone.
I like to think that somewhere in their NT heads they get a glimpse of the notion that maaybe some people are different or that maybe life is indeed too noisy and they just hadn't noticed

I like to think that perhaps after several interactions with people who give themselves permission to be autistic (thanks @Coupe for the phrase) some NTs will get it and we will have an easier life...