[franz kafka]

Anyone else here deal with sensory overload?

I'm not sure if it's a bipolar or anxiety thing, or even a psychosis thing (I've had one doc tell me it's related). Basically I get into situations where everything seems louder and more irritating than it should be. I nearly had to leave class in the middle today because the sound of everyone's voices was painful to be near. I just want to hide and hide and hide.

Advice on how to handle this?

[zijax]

Stay away from Wal Mart and Casinos are the worst

[Moose72]

Yeah this time of year stores are pretty much off limits.

That said I've experienced the same. You just have to let it run its course I'm afraid.

[venusss]

I get that. I just try to stay grounded, if that makes sense. I shitf my attention to feeling surface of my jewerly or my perfume, instead of trying to take in all at once.

[Victoria'smom]

I get that too. I think it's due to psychosis for me.

[MtnTime2896]

I get this problem a lot. I tend to listen to music to drown everyone around me out. It's a constant struggle with me and people have gotten used to me drifting off and listening to my music.

[Wander]

I definitely get that, especially when mixed. Too much sensory information is coming into my brain and I cannot keep up with it. it can be overwhelming. Where possible take as many breaks from the sights, sounds, smells ect that are triggering you. A quiet dark room is best and put on some noise cancelling headphones.

When I have to remain in the situation I occupy my mind with random stuff like counting trees along thats section of road, focusing on my breathe, watching the world go by from a bench or finding a retail store I can find refuge in such as an antique book store.

All this depends on where you are. The key is to take as many short breaks as possible to keep the overload down to a dull roar.

[franz kafka]

Thanks for suggestions, everyone. I think what's going on is a mix of my usual low-level psychotic experiences and huge anxiety. Music sometimes helps but sometimes it revs me up and that makes it worse. Gym helped a bit today.

[PamPote65]

I get this as well. I believe it is related to being a "highly sensitive person," bipolar and also somebody who has comorbid migraine. All of these are related to having hyper sensitive dopamine receptors or something like that. When I take a medication that blocks dopamine receptors (antipsychotic) this symptom vanishes along with all the other symptoms. Other meds have no effect on over sensitivity to stimulation. If anyone knows of one let me know!

[PamPote65]

Over sensitivity is from a sensitivity to dopamine. That's why anti-psychotics work for this; they block dopamine receptors.

[still_crazy]

I sometimes got these states in which the colors were too bright, super-saturated or something, and noises were too loud. Going up to 30mgs/Abilify from 15 helped tremendously. When its related to not getting enough sleep, of course a sedative the next night is in order.

[Moose72]

Well there's why I haven't had this symptom in quite a while- zyprexa!

[Thais Mazucanti]

Does anyone knows about an app that could tell which kinds of shops and cafes are not so overwhelming for sensory overload?