If you get overstimulated easily, how do you deal?

[Anonymous]

Isn't this one of the criteria in diagnosing an autism spectrum disorder? My autistic son is sensory avoidant. Everything is too loud. Many of the autistic kids in his various schools (elementary, middle and high) wore noise-canceling headphones.

You need to communicate with your family that noise has to be kept to a minimum. I know some people are naturally loud... but they'll just have to make an effort around you. Also institute quiet time, and alone time. Get your spouse to help, and point out that you'll be a better wife and mother if you can be accommodated.

Advocate for your needs, OP!

[Anonymous]

Why would you marry a loud man? Have multiple kids? This makes no sense. I’m like so but it sounds like mine is not as bad. I married a quiet man, and I did have two kids but both are super quiet and it’s still even a lot.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why sensitivity to noise would indicate a disorder. Humans evolved outdoors. Living indoors makes everything louder. I bet most people who are sensitive to noise would not have this problem as much outside.

[Anonymous]

op i think it's worth considering whether you have auditory processing disorder or potentially autism. People with autism are highly highly sensitive to noise, find many scenarios to be overstimulating to an intolerable degree and need a lot of downtime and alone time.

[Anonymous]

I 100% understand OP. I have incredible hearing which I guess makes me fortunate but I often don’t feel lucky. I feel exhausted from hearing *everything*.

Please ignore the lame posters asking you why you married a loud man and had kids. My husband has gotten louder in the last 20 years b/c his hearing has deteriorated. How could I have predicted that?!

Anyway, I WFH 100%, take long walks in the quiet woods whenever I can, wear ear plugs every night, use noise canceling headphones quite a bit and build in alone time whenever I can. Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. I had a hairdresser who wore earplugs. She could hear me, but they helped her with the noise of all the hairdryers and music and people yelling to be heard over them. Can you wear earplugs?
2. Train your kids. Sure sometimes toddlers will be loud but really work on yours learning to not interrupt, no whining, only being loud when on the playground or in an emergency. Teach the older one they can only complain about something ONCE. They state their complaint, you acknowledge hearing them, and that's it. Or let them have a Complaint Log, where they write out their complaints to you and you write back each night.
3. Turn your ringer off or super low.
4. Train your dog to not bark.

I hear you on this - I had to go to a dinner at Benihana and found it VERY overwhelming and by the time we were walking out I'd shut down quite a bit. It was too loud to make conversation, my nerves were frayed from all the slamming of spatulas on the grill and lights flashing and people yelling, etc. I truly couldn't go to another event three nights later - just couldn't make myself show up.

I agree with teaching your kids. This is the biggest thing. At the table, teach your older child not to interrupt. Teach the toddler not to scream.

I get overwhelmed easily and my husband is a terrible interrupter. I try very hard to nicely say "hold on Bill. Ok as I was saying...." I interject when he interrupts our 12 year old too. It works sometimes. It was much easier to teach my child how to not interrupt.

My husband is not sympathetic - he doesn't understand why being interrupted is hard for me or why I can't hear the movie over him inexplicably taking a full minute to roll the top of the chip bag over to close it up.

But you can work on your kids op.

[Anonymous]

Try noise canceling headphones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t have more kids!!!

The teen years are quieter, they are gone more or retreat to their rooms. Then you’ll miss them

Have your dh take your kids out of the house more. Sunday mornings, 3 hour dad date. Something you can look forward to.

Yes I think I have the same problem as OP as does DH! We only have one kid so he doesn’t make as much noise. He does talk a lot (it feels like constantly, but I know that not true).

[Anonymous]

ear plugs are the easiest and fastest thing to use.

[Anonymous]

A plug for Loop earplugs. They don't solve all the problems, but they dampen the din. I wear them in overamplified meetings. They're very small and light and come in fun colors.

Also sending sympathy. I find my noise aversion has become worse as I've aged. My hearing isn't as acute overall and my distractability if there are overlapping stimuli coming at me is much worse.

[Anonymous]

I also get overstimulated, but it’s less focused on sound than what you seem to be describing. Here are a few things that help me reset:

1. Darkness
2. A weighted blanket (I now have four different sizes, from a mini to one for my side of the bed)
3. Yoga/gentle stretching
4. Walking outdoors

I think I tend to be visually overstimulated, and the things that calm me down tend to involve a calm, predictable setting.

Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

Deep breathing helps me

[Anonymous]

Lexapro.

[Anonymous]

Get loop engage ear plus. In a skin color. I wear them at dinner, while giving baths (soooo loud!) and while playing with the kids. I understand everything people say to me and I hold conversations. It just takes the volume down a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get loop engage ear plus. In a skin color. I wear them at dinner, while giving baths (soooo loud!) and while playing with the kids. I understand everything people say to me and I hold conversations. It just takes the volume down a lot.

*loop engage ear plugs