Does anyone have tips on dealing with overstimulation?
After a day in crowds or with a lot of noise, colors or even too much reading I'm so sick. I'm confused, disoriented, feel "drunk" and exhausted. It takes days to weeks sometimes to feel better.
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Answer transcribed from the Brightway Answers interview with clinical specialist Marlene Rivera:
Yes, one of the things that we do at ReMed (where I work) is we look to create the type of structure and support that will help with managing overstimulation. That structure and support is your schedule - we help to create a schedule that works best for you.
When you think about what causes overstimulation - it might be the pace of your day, because you do have a choice to say this is what I’m willing to do in my day to maintain my mental health and medical stability. Whether it's physical, mental, spiritual, social, or emotional, there's a stability factor that we take into account. The way you stabilize yourself is by setting a pace for yourself that fits your current needs: your medical needs and the needs of a lifestyle that you find meaningful.
So it's a combination of the two: identify what activities in your life are considered high-stimulation for you and what are considered low-stimulation. Meditation might be relaxing and a low-stimulation activity for most people, but for some people, meditating might be too overwhelming and would be considered a high-stimulation activity. Or maybe meditation itself is a calming experience, but the planning process to meditate may be considered overstimulating. Identifying high- and low-stimulation activities for yourself is an important first step.
Figuring out what other environmental factors you can avoid or change is also going key to managing overstimulation. You want to set a time limit for yourself for activities. I've heard individuals talk about overstimulation when they're going out in crowds, for example, or a card game, or a dinner reservation with six other people. You don't do that every day, but you want to go and participate. You should do things that are meaningful for you. But take into account that if you have a history of overstimulation for these activities, then maybe that's the only thing you do that day. Maybe the next day is a low-key kind of day.
Managing overstimulation is about making these compromises and identifying what's the pace that works best for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2qoocmyD84&t=34s Noise sensitivity desensitization
You must try Bose quiet comfort noise canceling earbuds. I went to a nhl hockey game with them! ALSO great for riding in the car! Or restaurants.