Sensory Overload

[AR-10]

Do any of you suffer from sensory overload?

When I was really ill, I couldn't ride in a car and look out the windows. I'd either look down or close my eyes. Trying to make sense of the images flooding in would make me disoriented, dazed, and confused.

It's a lot better now, but sitting down to a meal with three other people in a restaurant wears me out from trying to make sense of what is going on and keep up with the conversation.

If I'm talking with someone face to face, like my wife, and there is a TV going in the background, it's not only distracting, it's disturbing.

I just spent an hour at my BIL's house, to visit, and his TV was up a bit loud, and I almost went crazy trying to have a conversation. Three or four times I had to ask what we were talking about. The stupid loud TV was making me want to run screaming from the house. Very unpleasant.

At this stage, I think it's more a case of difficulty in processing information than it is sensory overload, although it was bad enough at one point that the phrase is not an exageration.

I just can't handle unexpected input, and processing input from multiple sources at once is difficult. I don't watch much TV, because the input is always unexpected, and the commercials drive me crazy.

I listen to music, and at high volumn, but only songs I am familiar with. New stuff is unexpected input, and grates on me. If I'm talking and somebody interupts me, it's like a short ciruit happens and I freeze mentally for a split second and it throws me off badly. Almost like an electric shock.

I can drive and chew gum at the same time, but not if the radio is on and my wife is talking. Does anybody know what I'm talking about?

[ChitChatNine]

For me it is more the overall anxiety that causes me not to be able to handle the sensory integration as you describe .. for me, once the Synthroid is regulated all that you describe goes away, too .... a lack of concentration and jitters is how I explain it and reading your reviewes of how you guys explain it sounds familiar to me, too, with ill-fated Synthroid dosing (too much med).

C~

[imedicmommy]

Yes!!! The more people at my house, the crabbier I get. I just can't tolerate the noise level anymore. Glad to know we are not alone!!! I thought I was just nuts (as usual)

[Sugarmag719]

Yup, me too!  Loud noise and bright lights freak me out!!  I can not handle having a conversation with my husband with TV going on, I can not focus and go nuts!  I love music, and even though I normally can crank up my tunes I love....I've had to tone that down a bit.  I recently went to a big 3 day music festival...and some of the crowds there freaked me out!  Normally, I feel right at home at those music festivals.  

[Rite760]

I used to be real good at multi-tasking before this all started. Could listen to my husband talking, whilst TV or music played in the background, kids shouting "MUM". But now I can't bear noise or too much going on at the same time. I want to cringe and wrap my head in my arms. It's much worse when a loud noise comes on out of the blue, I nearly jump out my skin and when this particular thing happens, I too feel almost as if I've had an electric shock.

[stella5349]

Remember when we talked about me playing rock band that one day and I totally broke out into a sweat.

We'll right now , Dan is playing it downstairs and I totally can't think straight. My heart is beating out of my chest and the bass booming through the house is driving me crazy

He's beating on the drum and it is going right through my body along with the bass sounds.

I think I can relate to what you are talking about here.

[rita122]

see with me im very jumpy. when i was at mickey ds i had to wait at the drive thru for my food and when she arrived i darn near jump out of my skin. The people i work with and family say im too easy to scare. and they dont even try well most of the time. its like this all the time i get so angry at myself. why am i so skidish?