Sensory overload is when one or many of your senses become overstimulated. This overstimulation happens because of external stimuli in your environment. It’s when your senses take in more information than your brain can process. 

Erin Eatough, PhD

I wonder at what point I began to experience such high sensitivity to my surroundings and thus sensory overload. Did it begin when I was younger and I just don’t remember?

When you were a child, did parents or teachers seem to see you as sensitive or shy?

What Does It Mean To Be Sensitive? Serotonin, Stress, and the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

I was frequently described as a shy child, by my family and by myself. 

Or did it happen recently, during COVID and my increased anxiety and depression? I’ve always been more aware of my environment than most people – smelling odors before others, hearing faint sounds that others couldn’t hear, and being easily distracted by what was happening in the surrounding environment.

Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). People with higher levels of SPS, or heightened awareness and reactions to their environment, are also known as highly sensitive people. Being highly sensitive is a personality trait, with about 1 in 5 people fitting into this category.

Courtney Telloian

It wasn’t until recently that I discovered what a “highly sensitive person” is and how much it resonated with me. (The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron) The amalgamation of my “highly sensitive” traits turned out to perfectly lead to sensory overload a few nights ago. My first indication of being overstimulated was feeling irritable. Since that night, I’ve been thinking about why I became so irritable. I knew it wasn’t the people I was with because I loved spending time with them and I was enjoying myself outside of that environment. It was easy to pinpoint that it was that exact environment that caused me to be irritable, and I can only hypothesize that it was due to sensory overload.

I decided to go see one of my favorite DJs (SLANDER) at a nightclub this past weekend. We arrived closer to midnight and it was my first time going to that venue, so I wasn’t aware of how small the venue was inside. The dance floor was already packed and the only other standing room was the walkways, so I already felt uncomfortable with how crowded the venue was. Most other venues have larger dance floors and subsequently their walkways are more sparse. All I wanted to do was listen to my favorite DJs play live and dance. I wasn’t worried about getting as close as possible or getting the best view, I just wanted to enjoy the music and dance.

Are you deeply moved by the arts or music?

What Does It Mean To Be Sensitive? Serotonin, Stress, and the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

I enjoy going to see my favorite artists live because I do feel deeply connected to the music and I enjoy dancing. When I used to go to festivals and raves with friends, I was always the sober one and yet I always fooled everyone else into thinking I was not sober because of just how much I enjoyed the music. I can easily just feel the music within and the music itself calms me down despite how energetic and chaotic everything else is.

So it was no wonder that I felt overstimulated when my friends wanted to try to get on the dance floor or move to a different area altogether. I was already content with where we were and trying to get onto the dance floor seemed like a fruitless hassle. I was able to see the DJs where we already were, so I was happy. I also didn’t want to be in the crowd because I don’t like unsolicited physical contact, which would happen frequently in a packed dance floor. It seriously looked like a can of sardines packed tightly. I guess that was my first overstimulation.

Are you annoyed when people try to get you to do too many things at once?

id.

Of course, being in a club packed with many other patrons, loud music and alcohol, it’s quite easy to be overstimulated. For me, I was lucky that I was also not around the scent of alcohol. The people we were standing next to already finished their drinks by the time we got there. I’m especially sensitive to strong odors and just smelling alcohol makes me nauseous.

Are you easily overwhelmed by strong sensory input?

id.

In that particular environment, there was loud music, people in very close physical contact, people pushing past, bright lights, and unsolicited or unsuspecting physical touch.

Do you find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once?

id.

I was mainly overstimulated when I would be touched without being prepared for it (not seeing it coming) from friends, being touched by strangers, or being too physically close to my date that night because I would feel overcrowded. I was able to correct the physical space between me and my date early in the night because I did need space to dance anyways, and I knew I was getting irritated by the close physical contact. Sorry – it’s not you, it’s me.

Are you bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes?

id.

It’s weird to say that one of my aversions is “unsolicited physical touch,” because it’s hard to explain. I wonder, was it triggered by my trauma, anxiety, or depression? It’s even more difficult when I feel irritated just by someone giving me a hug or other sign of affection because it’s not a bad gesture yet it may irritate me. It’s also difficult when being highly sensitive intrudes on my work life.

It wasn’t until recently that I became easily irritated some days at work, and mainly because of the excessive socializing going on. It would be difficult for me to focus when two conversations were going on at once around me or when there seemed to be an engaging conversation (not work related) while I tried to focus on my own work. I work in a cubicle setting, so it’s very easy to overhear anything happening around me. If I’m not able to drown out the conversations using my Air Pods, then I get easily distracted and can’t concentrate because of the sensory overload of just being aware of two conversations occurring at the same time. It is because of this reason that I feel especially exhausted on some days, leading to needing a break from the office.

Do you find yourself needing to withdraw on busy days, into bed or into a darkened room or any place where you can have some privacy and relief from stimulation?

Does your nervous system sometimes feel so frazzled that you just have to go off by yourself?

id.

Another fun fact about being highly sensitive is that, for me, when I get hungry, it creates a very strong reaction in me. I can go from not hungry to hypoglycemic in thirty minutes – and I’m not diabetic. I can go from carrying a conversation to no longer being able to concentrate, becoming panicked, and beginning to sweat. I have been trying to seek medical answers for this, but my doctors have been stumped because I’m not diabetic and my blood results are always normal.

Does being very hungry create a strong reaction in you, disrupting your concentration or mood?

id.

HSP’s are described to be particularly sensitive to being hungry. […]

Some have described this as possibly a sensitivity to changes in blood sugar levels.

The Most Recognized Traits of Highly Sensitive People

I am also particularly sensitive to caffeine, but I thought it was related to my anxiety. If I have more than one cup of caffeine in a day, I become jittery, restless, and it may even induce an anxiety attack.

Are you particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine?

What Does It Mean To Be Sensitive? Serotonin, Stress, and the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

I actually didn’t know the following point until I read the cited paper:

Do you make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows?

What Does It Mean To Be Sensitive? Serotonin, Stress, and the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

I always knew I didn’t like particularly violent or gory movies/shows, but I did not know it was related to being highly sensitive. I also typically avoid movies/shows that are extremely erotic, graphic, or involve full-frontal nudity – anything sexual that seems excessive for getting the point across. Example: American Horror Story – the season starring Lady Gaga. I wonder if avoiding movies/shows in different languages or anime is also related, because of the need to read subtitles while watching the show/movie. I usually attributed it to my lack of concentration related to anxiety. I usually always need to be doing something with my hands while watching a show/movie such as playing an easy mobile game or eating snacks – something to keep my hands busy so my mind can focus on the show/movie. This is also why it is difficult for me to read regularly – it’s difficult for me to sit still and focus on one task at a time.

While it is complicated trying to navigate social situations while also being conscious of my limits, it’s eye-opening learning about this particular trait and knowing that it’s “not just me” and there’s an explanation to what I experience. I’m also fairly proud of myself for being able to not let my irritation disturb me that night. I do succumb to my emotions much more than my logic typically. Character development, I guess. Slowly but surely.