Autism and Overstimulation

By Patty Laushman

Our days are filled with a constant stream of emails, social media notifications, demands from those around us, and background noise that never seems to quiet down. Doesn’t that sound uncomfortable? Unfortunately, this fairly common scenario leads many autistic individuals to experience a state known as overstimulation.

Overstimulation is the brain's response to excess. It's what happens when the input we receive exceeds our cognitive processing capacity, leading to a cascade of psychological and physical symptoms. Sadly, many interventions for managing overstimulation tend to focus on improving one’s capacity for doing more, more, more – and in neurodivergent individuals, this can further exacerbate the situation because it doesn’t address the root cause.

There are four types of overstimulation: sensory, emotional, social, and informational. In this blog post, I will focus on sensory overstimulation, which includes excess sounds, light, smells, etc. I will explore what sensory overstimulation is, its effects, and strategies for managing it to help you reclaim your quality of life if this is something you struggle with.

What is Sensory Overstimulation?

Imagine your brain as a radio, but instead of tuning into one station at a time, it's picking up every station simultaneously, at full volume. That's a glimpse into what overstimulation can feel like for many autistic individuals. 

For autistic individuals, sensory overstimulation occurs when they experience more sensory information than their brain can effectively process. One or more of their senses becomes overloaded and they become overwhelmed by the input they are unable to process.

Sensory Processing in Autism

For most people, the brain is able to filter information and prioritize important stimuli and deprioritize the less important information. However, for many autistic individuals, this filter doesn't work the same way. Instead of filtering out extraneous sensory information, every sound, sight, touch, and smell can come through with equal intensity.

Autistic individuals often experience the world in a uniquely intense way because of differences in sensory processing. This means that the brain's interpretation and response to sensory information—everything we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell—can be vastly different from neurotypical processing. For some, this might mean that a flickering light isn't just annoying; it's painfully distracting. For others, the background hum of a refrigerator might sound like a roaring engine.

Each individual sense can be either hyperresponsive or hyporesponsive. A hyperresponsive sense heavily responds to sensory stimuli while a hyporesponsive sense barely responds to sensory stimuli. In my experience, I have hyporesponsive senses that only seem to catch the strongest scents or tastes. These sensual responses result in input that is comfortable for neurotypical people but either painfully intense or barely recognized in autistic individuals.

Common Triggers of Sensory Overstimulation

The triggers of sensory overstimulation are as diverse as the autistic community itself, with each individual having their own set of sensitivities. Some common culprits include:

Loud or Sudden Noises

Sudden sounds like alarm blares or constant city noise can be overwhelming.

Crowded Places

Busy environments, such as shopping malls and sports arenas, can overwhelm the senses with their activity, noise, and visual chaos.

Uncomfortable Lighting

Different kinds of lighting can be uncomfortable for autistic individuals. For some autistic individuals, bright, flashing, or rapidly changing lights can make environments disorienting. For others, it could be fluorescent lighting that is torturous.

Textural Sensitivities

Certain fabrics or textures can make clothing choices and physical touch stressful for some individuals. The feel of these materials against the skin can cause significant discomfort.

Strong Smells and Tastes

Strong or unusual smells and tastes can overwhelm those with heightened sensory sensitivities. A scent or flavor that's a minor nuisance to many can be intolerable to others. This impacts how comfortable autistic individuals are in certain environments, as well as their food choices.

Effects of Overstimulation

The effects of sensory overstimulation can range from mild irritations, like a temporary lack of focus, to more severe manifestations, including chronic anxiety, sleep disturbances, emotional exhaustion, and ultimately burnout. The consequences of living in this heightened state can ripple through all facets of life, affecting ability to work, maintain relationships, and even enjoy downtime.

Emotional and Physical Manifestations

Sensory overstimulation can lead to intense emotional and physical responses in sufferers, including the following.

Anxiety and Stress

When an autistic individual is hyperresponsive to a relentless stream of sensory information, it can leave the nervous system on high alert. Imagine the stress of hearing a smoke detector that you can’t turn off. This is the intensity with which an autistic individual might experience everyday stimuli that is perfectly comfortable to more neurotypical people.

Meltdowns and Shutdowns

Meltdowns are intense external responses to feeling overwhelmed. They are often mistaken for tantrums when they are actually a loss of behavioral control due to sensory overstimulation. Shutdowns meanwhile, involve involuntarily withdrawing and becoming unresponsive as a way to cope with too much sensory input.

Physical Symptoms

Sensory overstimulation doesn't just affect the mind. It can lead to physical symptoms like headaches, nausea, and profound tiredness.

Impact on Daily Life

The day-to-day life of an autistic individual can be significantly shaped by the need to avoid sensory overstimulation. This might mean:

Avoiding Certain Environments

Noisy, brightly lit, or crowded areas may need to be avoided, affecting access to social events, education, and work.

Needing More Time to Recover

Recovering from sensory overstimulation often requires extended periods of rest, limiting time for other activities.

Strategies for Managing Overstimulation

Navigating the world with a heightened sensitivity to sensory inputs can be daunting, but with the right strategies and support, managing overstimulation becomes more feasible. Here are some tips and interventions that can help autistic individuals mitigate the effects of sensory overstimulation.

Identify Personal Triggers

Think about what settings cause you to become overstimulated and write them in a journal, so you can better anticipate or avoid these triggers in the future.

Create a Sensory Toolkit

Having a toolkit with sensory-relief items can also help. This toolkit should house items like noise-canceling headphones, stress balls, sunglasses, or soft textures. You can use these tools to ease sensory overload when you become too overstimulated.

Schedule Downtime

Including quiet breaks in your daily schedule helps reset your senses and prevent overstimulation buildup, keeping you balanced and resilient.

Design a Comfortable Environment

Adjust your living and working environments to reduce sensory stressors. Opt for softer lighting and quieter settings to lessen sensory input. Keeping spaces organized and clutter-free can also help create a more calming environment.

Practice Grounding Techniques

Deep breathing, focusing on an object, or repetitive activities can shift attention away from overwhelming stimuli.

Set Clear Boundaries

Communicate your sensory needs and set boundaries to everyone close to you. This might involve asking for quieter music from housemates or skipping certain activities. Asserting these preferences helps maintain your sensory comfort by letting others know what bothers you.

If you find yourself wanting additional help for sensory overstimulation, one of Thrive Autism Coaching’s specialized coaches can be of assistance. Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Final Thoughts on Autism and Overstimulation

By knowing how autism and sensory overstimulation relate, you can use this knowledge and tools to reclaim your calm, enhance your focus, and nurture your sense of well-being in a world that's always "on."

Sensory overstimulation is the result of autism and sensory overload interacting in a way that overwhelms the brain. These sensory triggers can cause anxiety, meltdowns, shutdowns, headaches, and more. However, with the right strategies, such as grounding techniques and creating a sensory toolbox, you can counteract the effects of sensory overstimulation.

Managing overstimulation is about understanding and responding to constant sensory information. By identifying triggers and making adjustments you can create create sensory-friendly spaces in which your brain no longer has to worry about overwhelming sensory information. Once overwhelming spaces become places you can thrive!