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Too many ideas = sensory overload, any advice?

OutwardBoundBob

Hi all,

I hope this isn't a rambling post. I'm struggling at the moment with having too many creative ideas in my head. I have always been a visual, creative person and my profession, when I could work, was as a set and costume designer. I haven't worked for 20+ years due to increasing mental health problems and particularly the sensory problems that I experience. It sounds contradictory that I work best with visual material but give me too much of it and I just have a meltdown. Yesterday I had to spend 5-6 hours lying in a dark room as I was completely overwhelmed. My question is this, do any of you guys experience such a high volume of ideas that your brain simply cannot cope with them? I've tried all the 'tools' in my cognitive toolbox (I had been receiving CBT sessions) and all of my other coping strategies. I've listed all the artwork projects that I would like to attempt or complete but this in itself has led to each project being broken down into sub-categories, it is an immense list. I can visualise each project and piece of work in my mind and I think just going through these is leading to my meltdowns. I've sat down and tried to just doodle but end up getting frustrated, I've tried to allocate the projects time slots just to get myself started but then panic ensues when I cannot 'perform'. I've read many of your articles and see that meditation/mindfulness seems to help a lot of people. Meditation itself I find counterproductive and mindfulness is an abstract concept that I can't understand. Does anyone have any other suggestions? This has ended up sounding rather negative but I appreciate that I am fortunate to have any ideas at all. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Parents

  • I've felt this way in the past. Feeling overwhelmed by my own stream of ideas. 

    I feel like I want to ask you - how are your general level of routines? Are you able to structure the basic things and appreciate simple matters?

    In the past, I was in a constant search for novelty. I was the guy that (re)-inveted stuff. It was my identity that I really tried to hold on to, because otherwise I had no idea of who I were. 

    However, I come to learn how to let things go. A good idea is nothing but an idea. The key is to select one thing. Dive into it. And let it go again, if it doesn't pan out. Don't feel obligated to finish any one idea. 

    Be kind to yourself and accept that you are absolutely good enough no matter what ideas you realize. 

  • in reply to Charlie Timm

    Hi Charlie, you wanted to ask how my general levels are with routines. Like many pre-lockdown I had a good day-to-day routine and on specific days I had specific appointments or activities. Since lockdown I've struggled very much with maintaining a routine, the outside influences (appointments and activities) have ceased and with the constant changing situation, information and guidance I wake feeling totally unprepared for the day.

    I've been trying to re-establish a routine but so far days are definitely unstructured, which I find difficult.

    It's an interesting point that you make about novelty and one, thinking more and more about it, that seems to apply to me. Some ideas do come and go and again as you say let it go again if it doesn't pan out. I think I have felt obliged to complete an idea because I have had the idea and so therefore it must meet a conclusion. This makes me think, as has been pointed out to me that I am quite rigid in my thinking and so if there is a start then there must be a finish.

    I've been given some great advice since I posted the initial thread and I'm going to give all of it a go, bit by bit. Thanks for your reply and support. I hope you're finding a way through this lockdown period!

Reply
  • in reply to Charlie Timm

    Hi Charlie, you wanted to ask how my general levels are with routines. Like many pre-lockdown I had a good day-to-day routine and on specific days I had specific appointments or activities. Since lockdown I've struggled very much with maintaining a routine, the outside influences (appointments and activities) have ceased and with the constant changing situation, information and guidance I wake feeling totally unprepared for the day.

    I've been trying to re-establish a routine but so far days are definitely unstructured, which I find difficult.

    It's an interesting point that you make about novelty and one, thinking more and more about it, that seems to apply to me. Some ideas do come and go and again as you say let it go again if it doesn't pan out. I think I have felt obliged to complete an idea because I have had the idea and so therefore it must meet a conclusion. This makes me think, as has been pointed out to me that I am quite rigid in my thinking and so if there is a start then there must be a finish.

    I've been given some great advice since I posted the initial thread and I'm going to give all of it a go, bit by bit. Thanks for your reply and support. I hope you're finding a way through this lockdown period!

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