• Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 81 subscribers
  • Views 56 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

Overstimulation

Larissa

It's not as easy as, oh, I just get overstimulated by loud noises. It depends on how my day's gone, how my week's gone. Sometimes I can tolerate it, sometimes I absolutely can't. I have a threshold for how much I can tolerate and when that threshold is already over the top, then obviously that's when my overstimulation kicks in and I might have a meltdown.

  • What you're describing is normal.

    It is what spoon theory is based on. You gave so much energy each day, if you use it up then you become dysregulated. It you gave some left you can cope.

    The trick is to work out how to avoid using it up each day and not to borrow too much from the next day without allowing recovery time.

    Stress in general plays a big part. It biases the system. Even first thing in the morning you can be pushed too hard.

  • Dear Larissa,

    Welcome to the online community, I am Olivia one of the community moderators. Thank you for sharing your experiences with the online community- I know a lot of our members have similar feelings about overwhelm and hopefully they can give some advice that might be helpful. 

    I have linked some of the NAS advice and guidance pages .I hope that some of them might be helpful for you to take a look at:

    Meltdowns

    Autism and sensory processing

    Best wishes,

    Olivia Mod

  • I get that. For me, overstimulation isn’t just one thing it’s a build-up. A long day or a stressful week can lower my threshold, and then even small noises or crowds feel impossible.