ADHD Overstimulation & Sensory Overload at the Holidays
Do you ever have so much to do that you don’t do any of it?
Do you avoid watching movies in a theatre?
Do you take off your underwire bra or pants with a zipper the minute you walk in the house?
Maybe you avoid certain restaurants or the cosmetics counters at a department store because of the smell.
Did you know there’s a chance that your avoidance of or resistance to certain tasks or situations may be because of your ADHD?
A busy schedule, bright lights, loud noises, crowds, tight or uncomfortable clothes, and certain smells could all lead your ADHD brain to feel overstimulated.
And seeing as it’s the season for busy schedules, bright lights, loud noises, crowds, ugly itchy sweaters, and perhaps strong smells (even the ones we like), it seemed a good time to discuss what overstimulation is and how it may manifest itself in your life as well as some ways you may be able to manage what triggers your overstimulation.
Emotional regulation is an executive function. Which is just one of the reasons why some of us ADHDers, especially during hectic times of year, may struggle with stress, anxiety, and depression.
In addition to emotional dysregulation, many of us ADHDers struggle with rejection sensitive dysphoria… you know, when we experience emotions or criticism deeper and for longer periods of time than our neurotypical counterparts.
But it’s not just stress, emotions, and criticism that can evoke these heightened reactions and emotions.
Some of us (meaning me) may experience feelings of stress, anxiety and depression due to a lower threshold for sensory input, especially when our emotional regulation is already skating on thin ice.
Overstimulation and our reaction to it isn't part of diagnosing criteria for ADHD and isn't necessarily something like struggling to focus or initiate tasks that you may experience regularly as an ADHDer.
But there are certain times when your brain may go into overdrive trying to process a lot of information at once.
It becomes even more difficult than normal to choose what to focus on because there are so many possibilities vying for our attention.
Because we can't possibly do it all or pay attention to everything.
But darn it, us ADHDers will certainly try.
And in doing so, we may cause additional stress and strain to our brains, bodies, and relationships…and nobody wants to end the year like that!
So let's discuss what may trigger overstimuation, how overstimulation might look or feel if you’re experiencing it, and ways you can try to manage or even mitigate overstiumlation before it starts.
ADHD Overstimulation Triggers
Tactile Triggers – Tactile overstimulation might mean you struggle if your clothes feel too tight or a tag is rubbing you. There may be certain food textures that you often avoid. You may even have a hard time with physical touch.
Visual Triggers – Visual overstimulation might occur if lights are too bright or if they are flashing. Something like seeing a movie in a movie theatre could evoke a response.
Olfactory Triggers – Certain smells such as perfumes, cleaning products, food, or other humans may cause you to feel overstimulated.
Crowds – Crowds and busy spaces may also feel overstimulating because they combine many of these triggers at once.
Multitasking – And finally, multitasking can also trigger an overstimulation response because it’s like being in a crowd, only the crowd is in your brain!
ADHD Overstimulation Symptoms
What does it look or feel like when your poor ADHD brain is overstimulated?
Well, like most ADHD symptoms, it will look a little different for everyone. But in general, you might experience:
Increased restlessness and inability to sit still or control your fidgeting.
An inability to feel comfortable in your clothes or the way you’re sitting or standing.
Extreme or unexplainable fatigue or exhaustion.
Severe Headaches and/or migraines.
Sleep issues.
And you might be thinking…well, that pretty much sounds like my everyday mom life, Christy.
And you may very well be right.
But you also may very well be overstimulated on a regular basis without realizing it.
How to Prevent or Manage ADHD Overstimulation
So what can we do to prevent when we start to feel overly stimulated?
Here are some strategies for managing your overstimulation and protecting your vibe:
Identify & Manage Your ADHD Overstimulation Triggers
If you know what causes your overstimulation, it is much easier to prepare or even better avoid those triggers.
Once you know the cause, practice setting boundaries to protect your time and energy (more on energy management in a moment) so you can keep any overstimulation fallout to a minimum.
Remember it is ok to say no, which, trust me, as a recovering “yes person” I know can be difficult.
Remove tags or buy tagless shirts. Get rid of clothes that irritate your or feel uncomfortable because you’re never going to wear them.
Watch movies at home instead of going to the theatre to help avoid too much visual or audial stimulation.
Eat dinner out on weekdays rather than Friday or Saturday when restaurants may be more crowded and noisy.
Declutter your home, and especially your bedroom. Because if the last thing you see when you shut your eyes at night and the first thing you see in the morning is clutter, it can make it harder to fall asleep and disrupt sleep patterns.
Managing Your Energy to Help with ADHD Overstimulation
A holiday party or family event at the end of a busy work week might feel like it will put you over the edge.
Shoot, even every day tasks like getting the kids ready for school or doing the dishes can feel overwhelming and exhausting when you add all of the other commitments a holiday season and end of year for a business owner bring your way.
And while I have an entire episode on energy management that I’ll link to in the show description that you can check out after this, I want to give you a quick overview of a handy tool for managing your energy called “the Spoon theory”.
The Spoon Theory posits that everyone has a certain amount of spoons each day.
And every activity you do from brushing your teeth to writing a blog post requires a different amount of spoons.
How many spoons it takes for a specific task varies from person to person…
For instance making dinner may be a 4 spoon task for me but a 2 spoon task for you.
Photo courtesy of https://dysautonomiainternational.org/
This infographic by Christine Miserando from the Dysautonomia International website gives an excellent example of a day of activities and using your spoons.
It asks “If you only had 12 spoons per day, how would you use them?” because your energy is a finite resource.
If your everyday, must do tasks take 8 of those spoons away and you only have 4 remaining, it stands to reason it may be difficult to motivate yourself to do 10 spoons worth of activities.
You just do not have the spoons for that.
And seeing as we are in that time of year where there are lots of extra opportunities to use spoons, it can be helpful to start observing how much you have left to give.
Creating a daily routine can be very helpful in managing your energy because you’ll know exactly how much energy you need on a daily basis, where you may need to ask for help, or which days you may need to alter your schedule so you have more spoons left for out of the ordinary activities.
How Decompression & Sleep Help ADHD Overstimulation
Rest is incredibly important during this season of overstimulation.
And I’m sure you’re thinking “Um, I’m a mom. It’s the holidays. Rest? Yeah, right?”
But making time for decompression and trying to get a good night’s sleep (when you can) will go a long way in helping you have the energy you need for activities, social situations, or just every day life when everywhere you go feels overstimulating.
Evaluate your schedule or to-do list to see if there are some things you can let go or delegate in order to free up time.
Ask your spouse, friends or other family members for help or hire help if you’re struggling to manage everything.
You know how your cell phone won’t work when it runs out of battery.
Well, the same is true for you.
Pushing yourself over and over when you have nothing left can lead to additional stress, anxiety, and even sickness.
And no mom wants to be sick during the holidays. Right?
How Talking to Someone Can Help with ADHD Overstimulation
Finally, if it all feels like too much and you’re feeling incredibly overwhelmed, find someone you can talk to so all of that overwhelm and overstimulation doesn’t stay bottled up inside.
It could be a friend, it could be a family member, it could be a health care professional.
Pushing your stress and strain down and ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.
It just builds up that pressure to the point where eventually it can erupt like a volcano.
I know because I’ve done it. More times than I care to admit.
Taking care of yourself as a mom during the holidays isn’t a luxury. It is a necessity.
Setting boundaries around your time and energy can ensure you are able to give your best to your family.
Getting rest and expressing your frustrations helps keep anxiety from building up to caustic levels.
And knowing what or when you tend to feel overwhelmed, and then subsequently planning for or avoiding those situations can help protect you from feeling overstimulated.
If you’re struggling with where to begin or how to follow through on your plan to de-stimulate your life, I’d love to help. Click the button below to book your free, no obligation call with me to discuss how my programs can help support your executive function and provide accountability so you can feel successful in your work and home life.
