What Is Overstimulation?What Overstimulation Feels LikeDoes Overstimulation Cause Anxiety?How To Cope With Overstimulation

What Is Overstimulation?

What Overstimulation Feels Like

Does Overstimulation Cause Anxiety?

How To Cope With Overstimulation

Overstimulation, also known as sensory overload, occurs when a person experiences too much sensory information for their brain to properly organize. This can lead to confusion, feelings of anxiety, or inappropriate behaviors. A sensory processing disorder is not a standalone diagnosis and is often associated with ADHD or ASD.

Who Experiences Sensory Overload?

Anyone can experience sensory overload. It’s hard not to when we live in a world that constantly asks for our undivided attention. Notifications, screens, and other elements of technology have been added to what humans experience in the “real world.” Instead of finding a balance, we are expected to live “online” and offline at the same time. No wonder we are overwhelmed!

Children are more likely to experience overstimulation, as their brains are still learning how to organize and respond to sensory information. Overstimulation is also more common in adults with ADHD or ASD.

Overstimulation feels uncomfortable, physically or emotionally. Too much noise, too many people, or too many screens may overwhelm you. Feelings of dread may come over you, or you may feel that you are tired and want to go into a dark room until you can “come back to normal.”

Again, everyone feels different. Here’s what happens when someReddit usersfeel overstimulated around screaming children:

If you start to notice yourself feeling overstimulated, take note of your emotions. The more you do this, the more you will be in tune with how to prevent overstimulation and how to cope if you do start feeling discomfort.

Overstimulation and anxiety are closely related to each other. Anxiety can cause overstimulation and vice versa. We might feel “anxious” in response to sensory information. As little as three dots on our phone screens can let our brains know we are “stressed.” Our brains send out various neurotransmitters as a response to thatstress, and our whole body undergoes a change. This change may make us more sensitive to sensory information.

Stress managementis so important for reducing our risk of overstimulationandother physical or emotional symptoms that cause us discomfort. If you are experiencing a lot of stress in your life, take some time and findcoping strategiesfor that stress. More sleep, boundary-setting, and establishing a routine can all help reduce stress and prepare our bodies and minds better for sensory information.

Practice mindfulness.If you are not telling your mind to pay attention to one or two things, it will try to process everything at once. You can train your mind to stay focused through the practice of mindfulness.

Put down the phone.Until we think about how much sensory information we are taking in, we may not realize how close we are pushing ourselves to overstimulation. Think about how much information you are consuming in this scenario: you are getting ready to go to a party, so you play music as you order a rideshare and have a few drinks. When the car arrives, you scroll through TikTok, Tinder, and Instagram, headphones in your ears. The rideshare also has a screen with trivia in front of your face. There is little time for your brain to process what you saw in the car before you enter a party of 100 people!

Don’t be embarrassed.Everyone gets overstimulated. We all have different thresholds for how much we can “take” at a time. If you find yourself feeling discomfort, don’t be embarrassed. Take a moment to excuse yourself and practice mindfulness. Put down the phone, put down the alcohol, and find a place where you can sit and return to the present moment. After a few minutes, you will likely feel better. If the environment is wildly overstimulating, excuse yourself and go home. Do what feels best for your body.

If you think overstimulation is a sign of more serious sensory processing disorders, reach out to a mental health professional. They can offer coping strategies for times when you experience overstimulationorexplore your symptoms further.

Related posts:MBSR: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (Examples)HPA Axis (Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis)Sensory Memory (Definition + Examples)Diathesis-Stress Model (Definition + Examples)Mindfulness Meditation

Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2022, October).Overstimulation (Examples + FAQ).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/overstimulation-examples-faq/.Practical Psychology. (2022, October). Overstimulation (Examples + FAQ). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/overstimulation-examples-faq/.Copy

Reference this article:

Practical Psychology. (2022, October).Overstimulation (Examples + FAQ).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/overstimulation-examples-faq/.Practical Psychology. (2022, October). Overstimulation (Examples + FAQ). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/overstimulation-examples-faq/.Copy

Copy