Sensory overload?

I don't exactly know what's going on but I think I figured out something about myself today and was wondering if anyone has had a similar discovery or experience.

I freeze a lot - just stand still, can't move get overwhelmed. I've been waiting for the sun to come out all winter long and today it's amazing out. I took a walk outside to go to the post office, I did homework. But as the day progressed I got more and more nervous. I responded by letting myself relax - I opened the windows, watched a TV show I like, surfed the net, ate some food, drank some tea. But it still got worse and worse. By the height of this, I recognized a lot of anxiety type symptoms - was more aware of my breathing/breathing started to change, felt like running, thoughts were racing a bit. And I was just SCARED for no reason.

The whole time I was trying desperately not to go to my room because when I'm depressed (major depressive disorder) that's all I can do and I've learned its not always the best place to be. But TODAY, I think it might be what I needed.

I think a major cause of this other than normal stress was a type of sensory overload. It's like, all these weather changes, all the people out on the street walking, the new smells, so MUCH light when I'm used to darkness constantly, policmen, just SO MANY PEOPLE OUT, even right outside my window.... all these things are too much for me to process right now, so my room allows me to relax because it's darker and I can close things out of it.

I don't know how this relates to either people with depression or anxiety, or anything else for that matter. Anyone ever had something similar? If so how do you deal with the issues that come from this?

My current plan is to sit in my room till I calm down to the point of at least being able to breath 100% normally, and venture out as I'm able...
thanks in advance for any thoughts everyone


ps - if anyone knows a better forum for this to be in let me know, I just don't have a very good idea of what's going on

Hi turquoise. I am sorry your are feeling the overload of activity all around you. You are not alone.

I have similar responses to sounds and activity. When anxiety symptoms are particularly active I am extremely hyper-sensitive to sounds and rapid or sudden movements. My automatic response is to meltdown into tears and start to feel dizzy. While 'normally' I love to listen to the birds sing and the chipmunks chirp, when the anxiety is high they drive me over the edge. It can be totally paralyzing. More then once I have let out terrifying screams to get my son to close the window to muffle the noise.

Anytime I am triggered by sounds I will cover my ears and hum as loudly as I can in an attempt to block out the disturbing outside sounds. I will close my eyes when too much movement starts to cause the same reaction.

Once I catch my breath enough to move I will flee to get away either back into my house or into my truck. When at home I will shut all my windows and put on the tv or turn soothing music up load to help muffle the sounds. It is the suddenness of sound and the business of movements that are the biggest triggers for. When the anxiety is low I may not even noticed sounds and movements that when it is up set me off.

I think you are doing the best thing to remove yourself from the stimulation. To label it for what it is.... hyper-sensitivity and then to give yourself permission to protect yourself from its effects. That often helps me from letting it pull me down into depression. It is not my fault. It is my brain playing tricks on me. It is a symptom. It is not me. I tell myself it will pass and let my retreat from the stimulation be a healing time. It is not isolation in the same sense as we might be drawn into when depression hits.

I hope you are reassured a little to know you are not alone. Honour your need to separate from those things that having you feeling overloaded. It is called good self care. As you sit in your safe place you will begin to be able to attend to your breathing and fill your mind with more pleasant things.

I often like to emerse myself in doing something artistic or creative once I get over the peak. It has a way of keeping my mind from echoing the sounds or feeling movement all around me.

Hope you feel better soon.

I sometimes have a hard time later in the day if I go to a shopping mall. By the time I come out all the people "milling around" and the strange, echoey way the sounds in the mall can be, etc. just build up on top of having had a day already before I went there so I freak when I get out and have all the cars and no clue where mine is anymore on top of that. I'd never thought of it with the weather changes and all though, good thought/observation!

I'd probably take a shower and then go to bed for awhile with a book. Are you sleepy at all? I get sleepy when I am working "hard" in stressful surroundings (therapy :-)

Hello, turquoisesea. You have a good plan. You are in my thoughts.

Hey Turquoise...

I hear what your saying about the over-stim. I have similar experiences and sometimes I am more sensitive than others.

I think it's good that you can realize that being in your room too much can be counter-productive for you. At the same time, it sounds like it can also be something positive you can do for yourself....something self soothing.

It sounds like you have some good insight about how this behavior can benefit you, but also how it could be mal-adaptive and since you are able to see the difference, I think it's safe to let yourself have some rest. Knowing what you know, I think you will be able to identify when too much is too much and that you will be able to take the steps to pull yourself out.

So let yourself rest and have some downtime if that's what will help you feel better. I'm proud of you for being able to recognize how this could be a positive or a negative. That's a good thing.

I wish for you peace and relaxation!!

I get exactly what your saying (((sea)))) love to you and remember the aqua colored warm sea with the dolphins taking you for a nice ride, it's the most amazing feeling...

Ahhhh you feel it?

((Sea))) Crew

I get what you're saying, turquoisesea. It sounds like anxiety, but I also wonder if you have something called "Low latent inhibition" simply meaning one tends to be very sensitive to the surrounding environment. Here's a link I found intriguing: http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/001684.html

The article basically states what I have felt for some time, that such sensitivity can be a powerfully positive thing, but works against a person in times of stress.

I, too, can feel the sensory overload at unexpected times. I avoid situations where I know it's likely to occur: parades, professional sporting events, malls at peak times, etc. But I have from time to time been taken by surprise. Funny thing is, one of my favorite places SHOULD cause overload in me: a country dance hall, packed with people, loud music, big screen music videos, lights, etc. I think I tolerate it b/c I chose to block out pretty much everything except the music. And I stand at the edge of the crowd, not in the midst of it.

I think your awareness and having a plan will take you a long way toward a healthy way of dealing with it!!

yes, i can totally relate. and sometimes like u the best thing for me to do is sit in a dark room doing nothing, no noise. sometimes it's hard to talk even. i find places like walmart, etc can cause to be too much stimuli. i can avoid sometimes a full overload by leaving the store. if i'm like this i don't drive. pretty much stay at home. maybe get on the phone if i can. takes my mind off it.
sounds like you had a full blown anxiety attack. my T said it starts with free floating anxiety. then manifests the symptoms. i take an extrra anxiety pill, pdoc said ok, and it helps some too but not totally. it's like the panic attack has a mind of it's own once it starts. i have less episodes now partially knowing the signs and taking measures to minimize the attack.
sounds like you were on the right track to calm down.
hope you feel better today.

Yeah I think your interpretation of what you're going through is very good. It sounds like too much all at once, after being shut in for a time. I would do what you are thinking, to just take it slowly, and allow yourself to become acclimatized again to the sun and all the stimuli.

I have suffered from being highly sensitive most of my life. I found that I had to just do what I could do, no more or less. Over time I have learned what I can handle and what is too much for my at any given time. I have had to be very caring with myself, and not let the opinions or pleadings of other people sway me into doing things I know are too much for me. It's been an ongoing balancing act, and I have learned a lot, and continue to do so...