Expert: Trey McGowan - 3/22/2010

Question
Hi My name is Adam Bennett and I attend a high school in New Zealand.
I am doing an assessment on sensory and am wondering if you could answer these questions
What is sensory overload?
How do people become affected by sensory overload?
When does sensory overload most occur?
How do you control sensory overload?
Why does sensory overload occur?

Answer
Hi there, Adam!

Technically, we're not supposed to do homework questions on AllExperts. ;) However, I can see that a lot of these seem to me to be very personal, as opposed to a very general answer. To that end, I think I can help out. :)

"What is sensory overload?"
It is exactly what it says on the tin. It is the senses... becoming overloaded. Now, if you want a slightly more clinical definition than that, I suggest asking someone a bit more clinical. But at it's most base, that's pretty much it. Nothing fancy.

"How do people become affected by sensory overload?"
This really depends on the person. Me, myself, I am affected primarily through sound and smell, which are the most common 'easily overloaded' senses to the autistic mind. It is not just a matter of 'particularly bad smell' or 'particularly loud sound', but instead specific degrees or types of either that will seem to fill up my senses and make it impossible to deal with. When this happens, the most common effect for me is total panic attack; I will break down into tears, and potentially start lashing out at those around me if I am prevented from getting away from them. It's simply a very primal reaction to trying to get away from something.

"When does sensory overload most occur?"
Sounds, for me. In particular, sudden loud sounds, or layered voices. A baby crying can also throw me into overload very quickly, and if I am somewhere there are two or more children crying, I generally need to move away from there very quickly! It's a sound that most people can't stand (and for good reason!), but for me it nearly sends me off the deep end. Needless to say, I do much better with children above 'infant' age.

"How do you control sensory overload?"
I personally find there are a few ways to 'best' control it.
A) Listening to a sound that I enjoy and can control. This usually means music through headphones, or turning the sound up on a video game or television show. Music is probably the best for this, since it is soothing and something that I can focus on. Eve nif senses have been overwhelmed by something else, the use of sound is the most powerful 'shaking out' for me.
B) Moving away from the source of the overload. Simple, direct, to the point, but really something that people often forget. There are times that getting away from it, settling myself, and then moving back to what I was doing (even in the presence of the overloading influence) is all I need to keep it from happening again.
C) Self-stimming. Now get your mind out of the gutter: I'm referring to the use of various powerful sensations that I can give myself to be able to return focus of my senses to something that, as you say, I have more control over. The use of rocking, for instance, if I am sitting down. I will scratch myself (not to the point of blood and damage; just the scrape of fingernails against skin). Squeezing or rubbing something with a lot of bumps and projections between my hands is also a good way to help with it.

"Why does sensory overload occur?"
Both the first and last question of this bunch are ones that I can't answer as 'personally' as the others. :) I'm not sure with the 'why' whether you mean 'what things make it happen' (which is answered above), the medical 'why' (you're better off with doing some deeper research on that one, or at least asking someone with a better knowledge of the physiological aspects), or the more indefinite 'why' ("Because I am autistic and sensory overload is quite common in autistics.").

Hopefully I was able to help out with this question! If I can help more, feel free to ask further. Additional questions, comments, feedback, and follow-ups can be sent here!

Trey