Sensory Overload

Oh, you know, sensory overloads are just the BEST. Who doesn't love their brain getting completely overwhelmed by all the wonderful sounds around them? It's just so delightful when your brain is just in overdrive processing all the noise that it can't focus on anything else. And don't even get me started on those moments when you have too many competing noises happening at once - pure bliss!

I'm sure many out there will resonate with this.

This happened to me recently attending an event to see the cricket legend, Sir Geoffrey Boycott. Crammed into a small room, leading up to the start, the noise of the many conversations started to become rather overwhelming, it seemed to get louder and louder, my temperature went up and felt like my head wanted to implode and struggled to concentrate on the conversation directed at me.

Of course, we struggle on, mask it and pretend everything is ok but it is hard work and can leave you feeling rather drained with a spinning head.

So what's actually going on?

In simple terms, Sensory overload occurs when one or more of the body's senses experience over-stimulation from the environment. This could be in the form of Light, Sound, Taste, Smell or Touch and is a common trait with Neurodivergent conditions.