Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone has experience of this - it's basically being overly aware of your bodies needs - even if you don't know how to deal with them - hunger, thirst, hot cold etc. I'm trying to read into it but most sites are aimed at treating children and limit interoception to being aware of your own heartbeat - when it's much more complicated than that.
Basically, not being able to shut my body up, or ignore it's discomforts is the main source of my meltdowns/ shutdowns and I need to learn how to manage it, but there appear to be very few resources that will help.
Does anyone else have similar issues - if so, do you have coping mechanisms? Are there any good sites out there that look at the adult experience?
I'm just very frustrated that I've pinpointed a core issue, and seem to have no access to learn how to deal with it!
I have other sensory processing issues, but they fade into insignificance compared to interoception. The only time I get a break is when I'm immersed in research (which is rare, as I run a household and have a full time job) or asleep.
I have this but I didn't know what it was called until now. My GP has always just said it's due to anxiety.
Most of the time it is just being aware of my own pulse or heartbeat, but not necessarily in my chest. It happens in various pulse points around the body. It is more noticeable when in contact with something such as a chair or a bed. Whichever side I lie on I can feel the pulsating sensation at various points, most noticeably near my ear but sometimes in my arms and legs as well. If I turn over it then moves to the other side. When I am sat in a chair the pulsating is usually in my back. The only thing that really helps is if I can distract myself by getting totally absorbed in one of my special interests.
I tried attending a mindfulness course, recommended by my GP for my anxiety. However that just made the problem even worse. Having to focus on my own breathing, even for a very short time, felt unbearable and very quickly resulted in sensory overload. The 'body scan' mindfulness session, which usually sent other participants to sleep, would send me into a complete state of panic as I became totally overwhelmed by all my internal body sensations.
I'm also extremely sensitive to noise and have been trying various things to try and block out a specific noise that I have become highly sensitised to. However whenever I wear earplugs, ear defenders or earphones it amplifies my internal bodily sensations even more. I hate trying to walk around wearing them, as every footstep seems to vibrate and reverberate throughout my whole body. If I become anxious or angry the beat of my own heart pulsing inside my head and the noise of my blood rushing becomes so loud and overwhelming that I have to take them off.