• Replies 43 replies
  • Subscribers 84 subscribers
  • Views 10421 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

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

  • Yes, one of my three main problems with autism is I overwhelm myself with ideas that need actioning and lists. And then I exhaust myself.

    I've improved with "doing non-doing," and mindfulness type stuff. I'm also trying a "not do list," consciously choising ideas not to do. I have a 'projects for other people list' and a 'not now' list at work.

  • in reply to Mark (NicheMarket)

    That's an interesting idea, a 'not to do' list. I can totally relate to overwhelming myself, actioning, lists and yes it is totally exhausting, for me this generally leads to some sort of meltdown. I think all the people who have discussed this thread have suggested simplifying in one way or another is probably a very good starting point. I shall revisit these posts tomorrow and take out all the advice that I think I am capable solving. Thanks!

Reply
  • in reply to Mark (NicheMarket)

    That's an interesting idea, a 'not to do' list. I can totally relate to overwhelming myself, actioning, lists and yes it is totally exhausting, for me this generally leads to some sort of meltdown. I think all the people who have discussed this thread have suggested simplifying in one way or another is probably a very good starting point. I shall revisit these posts tomorrow and take out all the advice that I think I am capable solving. Thanks!

Children
No Data