Sensory Overload: What It Actually Feels Like (And Why Your Brain Says NOPE)
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One minute you’re fine.
The next, the lights are too bright, someone’s chewing too loudly, your clothes feel wrong and somebody has made the terrible decision to ask you a question.
Welcome to sensory overload. 🫠
For autistic, ADHD and AuDHD brains, everyday sensory input can sometimes go from manageable to WAY too much.
And when it does, your brain isn’t being dramatic.
It’s overloaded.
🧠 Everything Starts Competing for Your Attention
Most brains are constantly filtering out information they don’t need.
But when that filtering gets overwhelmed, suddenly everything gets through.
The conversation.
The music.
The lights.
Someone tapping their foot.
The label scratching your neck.
The person trying to talk to you while ALL OF THIS is happening.
Nothing stays in the background anymore.
🔊 Normal Sounds Can Suddenly Feel Unbearable
A sound doesn’t have to be objectively loud to become too much.
It might be:
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People talking over each other
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Cutlery clattering
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Repetitive tapping
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Someone chewing
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A TV playing in the background
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Notifications going off
Individually? Maybe fine.
Together?
Your brain would like everyone to kindly STOP MAKING NOISE.
👕 Touch Can Go From Fine to ABSOLUTELY NOT
Your favourite jumper suddenly feels itchy.
Your hair touching your face becomes infuriating.
Someone hugs you and every part of your body wants to escape.
When you’re already overloaded, even sensations you normally tolerate can become unbearable.
💭 Thinking Gets Harder Too
Sensory overload isn’t just uncomfortable.
It can make it genuinely difficult to think, speak or make decisions.
Suddenly:
“What do you want for dinner?”
feels less like a normal question and more like the final round of a game show you did not agree to enter.
You might lose words.
Forget what you were doing.
Struggle to answer.
Or just need everyone to stop asking you things for five minutes.
🌋 It Can Look Like Irritability — Or Complete Shutdown
Not everyone responds to overload in the same way.
You might become:
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Snappy
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Restless
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Tearful
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Panicky
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Desperate to leave
Or you might go completely the other way:
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Quiet
-
Withdrawn
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Unable to speak much
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Frozen
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Desperate for somewhere dark and peaceful
Sometimes your nervous system fights.
Sometimes it shuts the doors.
🚪 “I NEED TO LEAVE” Can Feel Very Real
When overload hits, getting away from the sensory input can feel urgent.
Not:
“Hmm, I think I’m ready to go home.”
More:
GET. ME. OUT. OF. HERE.
And once you finally escape?
You may be absolutely exhausted.
🔋 Recovery Often Means Less Everything
After sensory overload, adding more stimulation usually isn't particularly appealing.
Your brain may want:
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Quiet
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Lower lighting
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Comfortable clothes
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Familiar surroundings
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No decisions
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No conversation
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Time alone
Basically:
less noise. less light. less people. less EVERYTHING.
🌱 What Can Help?
The trick isn't proving how much sensory discomfort you can tolerate.
It's noticing when your brain is getting overloaded before it reaches breaking point.
That might mean:
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Wearing headphones or earplugs
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Using sunglasses or softer lighting
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Choosing comfortable clothes
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Taking five minutes outside
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Leaving busy places earlier
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Reducing unnecessary decisions
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Planning recovery time after social events
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Simply telling someone, “I need some quiet”
Catching yourself at 6/10 is much easier than trying to negotiate with your nervous system at 47/10.
✨ Final Thought
Sensory overload isn't being difficult, rude or “too sensitive.”
Sometimes your brain has simply reached its limit for how much input it can comfortably process.
And sometimes the solution really is that simple:
Less input. More recovery.
Your nervous system will thank you. 💛
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