Reducing Overstimulation

Autistic people, Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), those with Sensory Processing Disorder, and others that identify as neurodivergent, often recognize how they can get overstimulated more than the average person. What is meant in describing feeling “overstimulated” is that sensory experiences that most people don’t even notice become overwhelming. This is because everyone experiences stimuli differently, and those that get overstimulated more easily experience that due to a heighted sensitivity.

Being neurodivergent myself, I notice my own sensitivities around certain stimuli, and I recall just how awful that experience was growing up, and at times, it still frustrates me that I can’t just “get over it”. You might be asking, what helps then? Dr. Elaine Aron, the author of The Highly Sensitive Person, phrased it this way, “… when we have no control over stimulation, it is more upsetting, even more so if we feel we are someone’s victim.” So, in essence, giving as much control as possible to the person who feels overstimulated is what helps. It is giving choices, flexibility, and agency back to the person to make adjustments as needed. It isn’t always possible to avoid overwhelming environments, but it helps to give room for making something more comfortable.

For parents, I urge reflection upon what is really necessary for your child and choosing to support their autonomy where able to do so. For yourself, let go of limiting beliefs, “shoulds”, shame, and putting oneself in discomfort without a way to escape as needed. If you find it hard to think outside the box to make what adjustments are possible, therapy might help either brainstorm relevant resources or can work with you on what emotional barriers exist.

“… when we have no control over stimulation, it is more upsetting, even more so if we feel we are someone’s victim.”

~ The Highly Sensitive Person, by Elaine N. Aron