Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsConditionsDiagnosisTreatmentCoping
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Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Conditions
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping
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Sensory overload occurs when one or more ofthe five sensesbecomes overstimulated. For instance, your sense of hearing may become overloaded when music is too loud, or vision impaired if lights are too bright. In some cases, more than one sense can become overwhelmed at the same time.
Learn more about what causes sensory overload, its symptoms, and common co-occurring conditions—such as autism spectrum disorder.If you’re experiencing an overload of the senses, it’s also helpful to know treatment options and some ways to cope with your symptoms.
At a Glance
Causes of Sensory Overload
When the brain receives more information through your senses than it can process, sensory overload occurs. Common sensory overload triggers include:
Sound
You may find certain sounds overstimulating but not react to others.
Touch
Everyday things like the feeling of your clothes or a person touching you could feel overwhelming. The texture of certain materials might also be uncomfortable (i.e. some people don’t like certain fabrics). For some, a certain touch or the feel of certain things can be painful.
Sight
Some people experience a sensitivity to light, especially if it is bright or flashing. A vision-related overload can also occur if you’re in abusy environment, such as a bustling city street, and unsure what to focus your eyes on.
Smell
A person whose sense of smell is over-responsive or highly sensitive might find scents like perfume overwhelming. They’re also likely to notice smells others might not and can begin to feel unwell if they’re around too many strong scents.
Someone with a smell overload mightavoid places with strong smells, like kitchens, bathrooms, or certain stores. They may even refuse to eat certain foods due to the way they smell.
Taste
Symptoms of Sensory Overload
Symptoms of sensory overload vary from person to person. While some people experience only mild symptoms resulting in slight feelings of discomfort, others report symptoms so intense that they areunable to functionuntil their senses normalize.
In some cases, more than one of your senses might feel overloaded. However, there are some shared symptoms that anyone experiencing sensory overload might have. They include:
Identifying Sensory Overload in Children
Research suggests that one in six children has sensory processing difficulties.Additionally, while they may be either over-responsive or unresponsive to sensory inputs, it is more common for children to be over-responsive.
How do you know if a child might be experiencing sensory overload? Here are some symptoms to watch for:
If your child shows these behaviors, it’s important to use a quiet voice to support them. Take note of their triggers and attempt to eliminate them before an overload occurs.
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Conditions That Heighten Sensory Overload
People with certain medical conditions are more likely to experience sensory overload. Here are a few to consider.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A common symptom ofpost-traumatic stress disorderis heightened sensory sensitivity. People with PTSD often experience flashbacks of the traumatic events they lived through. Sometimes these flashbacks are triggered when their senses are overwhelmed.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
People with sensory processing disorder receive and respond to sensory inputs in a non-typical way. As such, they can either be under-responsive or over-responsive to these inputs.
An over-responsiveness to sensory cues can show up in a variety of ways. For instance, someone with sensory processing issues related to sight or sound mayexperience migraine headaches.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
People withattention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—whether it’s inattentive, hyperactive, or combined type—might experience sensory overload.They may also be more likely to develop anxiety when their senses are constantly overwhelmed.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Anyone can experience sensory overload, but it is more common for people withmental health conditionssuch as PTSD, ADHD, SPD, and ASD.
Diagnosis of Sensory Overload
Medical professionals can identify sensory overload issues with tools such as:
In many cases, being on the lookout for the most common symptoms of sensory overload is the easiest way to identify it.
Treatment of Sensory Overload
There are many ways to help manage sensory overload symptoms when they emerge.
Sensory Diet
A sensory diet is a schedule of sensory activities tailored to your child’s needs. It’s designed to help your child manage their sensory inputs and cope with triggers that might overwhelm their senses.
Speak With a Professional
While an adult might simply remove themselves from a situation triggering their sensory overload, children may not be able to do so or may not be able to fully communicate what they’re experiencing. A pediatrician can help provide ideas if your child is having a particularly difficult time coping with sensory stimuli.
For people with sensory overload as a result of another condition, medications that help treat that condition might also reduce the frequency or severity of sensory overload.
Coping With Sensory Overload
To live a healthy life when dealing with sensory overload, work to optimize your coping mechanisms. Somecoping methodsinclude:
9 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Clancy K, Ding M, Bernat E, Schmidt NB, Li W.Restless ‘rest’: intrinsic sensory hyperactivity and disinhibition in post-traumatic stress disorder.Brain. 2017;140(7):2041-2050. doi:10.1093/brain/awx116
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