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- Overstimulation
LET’S GROW
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I made a major mistake. It was Sunday afternoon and I needed to grab groceries. For us sensory issue friends, Costco on a Sunday afternoon is hell. I was in the middle of shopping when I got overwhelmed and all I wanted to do was escape.
What Is Overstimulation?
It’s when your brain gets flooded with too much input from sounds, lights, people, screens, pressure, expectations. Your nervous system hits the red zone, and suddenly even “simple” things feel impossible. PANIC
Signs You’re Overstimulated
Can’t focus no matter how hard you try
Suddenly feel irritable, anxious, or frozen
Start doomscrolling or dissociating
Everything feels loud—even silence
You want to cry but don’t know why
Your Overstimulation Game Plan:
Remove at least one source of input—or even just remove yourself from the situation. In the Costco situation, I literally left my cart and walked out. Sorry to any employees for the inconvenience, but I had to escape.
You have to give your body a chance, and that comes with stopping the bombardment of stimulus.
Grounding Techniques
The 5-4-3-2-1 technique (name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, etc.)
Sit or lie down on the ground. I have no idea why this works, I just know it does
Hold something cold. If it gets bad, I recommend a cold shower—the shock has always helped me
Tell yourself the truth
“I’m not lazy. I’m not broken. My system is just overloaded. I am allowed to pause.” This can bring you back to a logical place.
Give yourself permission to stop
Most of the time when I push through this feeling, I regret it. You have nothing to prove, and doing what is best for you is important. Fight that battle when you are back to center.
Tools That Actually Help:
Noise-canceling headphones or earplugs. Especially for me on a plane, noise-canceling headphones are amazing. Earplugs I struggle with because of sensory things, but there are wax versions that are nice.
Everything on dark mode. It’s to the point now where if a screen isn’t on dark mode, it’s like looking into the sun. Do the switch—I promise it’s worth it.
Gentle sensory input (weighted blanket, warm bath, calming scent). Weighted blankets don’t work for me because I am always warm, but people swear by them. Get a good bath bomb and soak for a bit.
Your brain isn’t designed to process 1,000 tabs at once. You don’t have to be constantly “on” to be worthy. You’re allowed to power down and come back when you’re ready.
If you want to go more in-depth with me, join the besties where we grow together. Now go forth and be UNFILTERED.
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Affirmations
❓
My nervous system deserves peace.
It’s okay to unplug without explanation.
I am allowed to step away when things feel too loud.
A pause is productive when my brain is overloaded.
Overwhelm is a signal, not a failure.
I honor my limits without shame.
Every deep breath helps me return to center.
I am safe to slow down and ground myself.
I don’t have to respond to everything right now.
I am not too sensitive, this world is too loud sometimes.
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