Coping with Brain Overload (Overstimulation)

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11

DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist or trained mental health professional of any kind. Everything I write is based on my own personal experience with coming to terms with my differences and adjusting to how my brain works. Please do not take my word as gospel of any kind – these posts are only meant to help further open the dialogue around mental health and dispelling the stigma around mental illnesses and disabilities.

When I was little, I wouldn’t say I liked the mall—not shopping, per se, but physically being present in a mall. There was always such disharmony of activity, with every noise and sight trying to crawl to the center of attention in your brain as you tried to navigate the maze of stores. Additionally, you can barely remember what you originally came to the mall for as you get distracted by all the “sales” around you. After one or two hours, I was always exhausted, close to tears, and ready to go home.

Later in life, once I realized I am neurodivergent, I figured out that I don’t hate malls; I hate getting overstimulated. This tracked since I would also get tired quickly at loud, boisterous events like parties and outdoor events. After these events, I would always be “out of words” when other people tried to engage me in conversation, and I would need at least a few hours to rest my brain before I would be back to “normal.”

What is Overstimulation?

According to an article in PsychCentral, overstimulation is “a type of sensory processing difficulty, occurs when your senses relay more stimuli to the brain than it can handle”. The article also mentions how being overstimulated can send you into a kind of fight-or-flight mode. I think that this is one of the reasons why when people get overstimulated, they want to go to somewhere familiar and comforting because they can be vulnerable and comfortable there.

When someone experiences overstimulation, their senses can become overwhelmed, causing distress and anxiety. This can lead to heightened alertness, commonly known as the “fight-or-flight” response. When you enter this mode, you can sometimes feel like your body is overreacting or overdramatic. However, it is a perfectly normal response. Fight-or-flight mode is a natural reaction to help individuals survive in threatening situations.

In such moments, seeking a familiar and comforting environment can provide security and relief. This stems from the need to find a safe space to feel in control and reasonably calm once again. Familiar settings offer a sense of predictability, stability, and reassurance, which can be especially comforting when feeling overwhelmed. This environment can serve as a supportive backdrop for processing intense emotions and regaining a sense of equilibrium.

How Do I Recognize Overstimulation?

If someone is not familiar with ADHD tendencies, specifically overstimulation, it can be hard to identify. Here are some indicators that someone is overstimulated:

• The person is withdrawn and closed off, both emotionally and physically.

Generally, when neurotypical people see me get overstimulated, they notice right away that I seem quiet and closed off. This is a defensive response, never due to the people I am with. It is always because of the environment we are in at that moment.

• The person lashes out when you try to talk to them.

When I feel overstimulated, all the sounds around me bleed together. I want the noise to stop, including any conversation I might have at that point. It is not personal; it is just that I have identified a noise source that I can stop, and sometimes, I try to do so rather harshly.

• The person is fidgeting or picking at their skin or clothes.

When I am feeling overstimulated, I try to focus on one small thing to keep myself grounded. This could be anything from fidgeting to picking at my nails. The physical action helps me feel like I am in control, and usually, I do not realize that I am doing it until someone points it out to me.

How Do I Recover from Overstimulation?

While you cannot exactly stop yourself from getting overstimulated, I use a couple of methods to calm down when I feel sensorily overwhelmed. They are not exactly ground-breaking in terms of psychology, but they have certainly helped me whenever I am in a crowded place and feel like I am drowning in sound and motion.

ONE: Focus on your breathing

When you feel that everything is out of control, it is important to remember and focus on what you CAN control. The controllable action that is most important when overstimulated is your breathing. Chances are, your breathing has gotten shaky over the time you have felt overwhelmed, and the best way to make your brain feel a little better is to calm your breathing.

TWO: Go to your “happy place”

When you get overstimulated, chances are the first thing you want to do is run and hide. There is no problem with that; we generally forget to tell those we are with what is going on inside our heads. The people around us care about what we are going through, even if they do not completely understand it. If we express that we need to leave a place where we feel overstimulated, the people who love us will be willing to step out of the party, store, or social event to help us calm down. 

THREE: Rest your mind and body

Being overstimulated can be exhausting. Processing and compartmentalizing many kinds of stimuli simultaneously for an extended period is hard work for a neurodivergent person. Don’t feel embarrassed if, after leaving a place where you feel overstimulated, you need to take a nap or have time to read a book or watch a movie (basically any activity where you can rest your brain). 

Let me know if you have any other tips that you utilize whenever you feel overstimulated! Feel free to comment down below.

Please like, comment, and subscribe if you connected with my post and if you would like to see more of my crazy, exciting journey through life with Christ while experiencing mental illness. Every interaction I receive here means the world to me. Thank you, and God bless you!

Until next time!