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~

[stella5349]

I am with all of you and think of my job!! Noise all day phones ringing - kids crying

interruptions all day long!! By the time I leave I am exhausted.

Then I have to be home and punch in there.


Something changed for me - patience maybe-- or multi tasking-- I don't know. My curcuit fried out along with my thyroid.

[kipland]

YES, AR!!!  I didn't realize it until I read your post, but now that I think about it, I feel a lot the same way.  I honestly can't remember the last time I turned on the TV to watch.  And I'm not sure when that happened.

I'm with you on the radio thing too.  I don't have a clue what the new songs are, because I rarely listen.  Has to be familiar things.  We have a station that plays songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's.  Perfect for me!

I was just riding with my 16 year old the other day, and yes - they want their music up loud with the bass as high as it can get.  Made my stomach upset, and I finally had to tell him that it was NOT cool for people on the outside to hear that (which is the effect they're looking for, I think), only to look up and see a 40-something woman sitting in the car!!!  Ugh.  For a minute I felt like I was going to become the tazmanian devil and spin myself out of the car.

I also realized that I'm having a hard time focusing at work.  We have the typical cubicles, with walls around 6 feet.  Then they cram as many people as they can on a floor.  You can hear EVERYTHING going on.  I don't recall this bothering me before, but I've had to resort to headphones so I can get work done.

So yes......I know what you're talking about.  :-)

Lori

[skymax2000]

Yes! Loud talking bothers my eyes and bones.

[AR-10]

Yeah, crowds are definitely out, and Oprah's on my "freak me out" list. :-/

[skeeter42]

In some aspects I do know what you mean.  I can't handle loud things anymore at all.  Music or the radio on in the car drives me up the wall.  My kids like their music loud and I feel like I'm going to explode.  Noise seems to be my main problem as far as that is concerned.  I don't know if that is what you were meaning for sure or not.  I also have a problem with keeping my attention span when someone is trying to have a conversation with me.  I'm just all whacked out.  That Hawaiin retreat is sounding real good.  I really do wish that someone could find a wall to e-mail her and have her look at this forum to see the hypohe// everyone goes through and how many sunsets we miss due to being paralyzed from the extreme fatigue.  

Wow, I feel sorry for Oprah!!  She has it rough!!