Some people struggle with what I call Sensory Overload. This essentially means receiving more input from our five senses that our brain can handle, process, and sort through.
Sensory Overload is not solely linked to specific kinds of people, but some research shows it affects children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) as well, around 5-16% to be more comprehensive.
In addition, anyone can experience sensory overload. No matter what page of the DSM best describes you, I can confidently say without a doubt, sensory overload is mentally demanding. The struggle can easily leave you feeling exceptionally exhausted.
So, let's explore the five senses.
touch
sight
hearing
taste
smell
Touch, Sight, Hearing, Taste, and Smell - these are heightened and amplified when experiencing sensory overload. Let's say I'm in a coffeehouse waiting to take my order. It's crowded. I hear multiple conversations. The buzz of the far too bright overhead lights become louder with each tapping of a student's pen against the table. The heavy whoosh of the espresso machine. Ice dispensing. My brain is competing sensory information, but there's just too much to interpret at the same time.
Similar scenarios occur far too often in my day to day life and when it does happens, the best way to describe this overwhelming sense of discomfort: stuck. My brain simply cannot absorb the numberless information and it feels trapped, leaving my body to panic.
I guess you can say the disco isn't the only place I panic. Super awkward if nobody gets that reference. :)
Do you experience sensory overload? Comment below and share your story.
Very informative
Helps even more understanding about autism.