Sensory overload?
Try this quick reset.
Hi,
I'm Kori.
I'm a late diagnosed ADHD therapist.
Before anyone said a word to you,
Your body was already negotiating with the room.
The hum of the fridge,
The tag in your shirt,
The temperature,
The humidity.
And maybe even the sound of all three conversations happening around you.
For an autistic nervous system,
Every single sensory input can land like a demand.
No one's even asked you for anything yet,
And your body might be very close to capacity.
This is why sensory overload can feel like it comes out of nowhere.
It doesn't.
It's been working in the background since you walked in.
Your brain is a prediction machine.
Constantly checking in,
Asking yourself,
Is this safe?
Is this familiar?
Do I know what's coming?
Can I predict the outcome?
When there's too much input to predict,
Your amygdala fires first.
This is something that not everybody knows about the autistic brain.
The amygdala is supposed to be the fight,
Flight,
Or freeze part of your brain.
It's only supposed to show up when you're in trouble,
When you need to make a quick decision.
But autistic bodies process so much more in the amygdala than neurotypical people do.
Before thinking can happen,
Before you even know the words you're about to say,
Your amygdala might jump in already in defense mode.
So when you're overloaded,
You can't think your way out of it.
Logic doesn't help us here because the thinking part of your brain is completely offline when you're in your amygdala.
Have you ever felt this way?
Have you ever looked back at your response and asked yourself,
Why didn't I just handle that logically?
Why didn't I say the thing I would normally say?
Why did I freeze up and have no words?
This is why.
There is no logic in the amygdala,
And you don't have access to the things that you already know how to do,
The things that you're prepared for,
The scripts you might use when your brain is online.
The way that we feel when our amygdala takes over is not unlike being a lizard that's backed into a corner.
There's only so many things you can do.
Fight,
Flight,
Or freeze.
It's all we've got.
Telling yourself to calm down doesn't really work,
But here's a quick reset that might.
You can do it in the bathroom,
In your car,
Or right where you are right now.
The first thing you can do is reduce your input.
Whatever you can control,
Control it.
Turn down the volume.
Close your eyes.
Put on your headphones.
Look at one still spot on the wall.
Put your headphones on.
Use your earbuds,
Even without the music.
Step out of the room if you can.
Less coming in gives your brain a chance to catch up.
Two,
Find one familiar sensation,
Something your nervous system already knows is safe.
Days.
The weight of your own hands pressing on your legs.
The texture of your sleeve,
A familiar smell,
A soothing stim,
A song you know every note of.
Familiar input tells your brain,
I've been here before,
And I know this one.
This is why singing in your car alone or watching a show you've seen a million times feels so good.
Your body knows exactly what's coming next.
Three.
Give your body something to push against.
Press your feet hard into the floor.
Press your palms together.
Squeeze your own arms.
Lean against a wall.
Deep pressure is one of the fastest ways to tell your nervous system that it's held.
Maybe you have a weighted blanket or something really heavy you can put over top of yourself.
Every little bit helps.
Four,
Move or stim on purpose.
Rock,
Tap,
Sway,
Bounce your leg,
Flap your hands,
Crack your knuckles,
Tap a pen.
Stimming is regulation.
It's absolutely nothing to hide.
There's nothing to be ashamed of.
It's a normal human reaction to overload,
And it's one of your best tools if you're autistic.
And five,
Then and only then,
After you've tried one through four,
Decide what's next.
Stay,
Take a break,
Ask for a quieter spot.
Ask someone for help,
But whatever you do,
You'll make a much better decision once your body has come down a little.
One small thing to try,
Before your next overwhelming place,
Pack a sensory anchor.
I have a go bag.
I call it my autism bag.
I pack headphones,
A little ring I can clip on my nose with essential oils if a smell is overwhelming,
Sunglasses,
A fidget,
Rescue meds for anything that might be going on physically,
Something that smells good,
Maybe some ginger chews in case you're having tummy troubles.
And any medicine I might need if I'm on the go and not feeling like myself.
I might bring something warm to wrap up in.
I might keep a blanket in the car.
It's important to have these things before the meltdown.
Have them accessible to you so you don't feel guilty using them and you don't have to ask for them.
Your body is going to need sensory accommodations.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
If you want more sensory tools and guided practices,
There are more on my page for you.
When the world gets loud,
Find something to help you bring the volume down.
Thanks so much for listening.
I'm so glad you're here.
Here.
