How to Identify and Reduce Overstimulation

Overstimulation is a popular term amongst those in Gen Z, especially across social media platforms. But what does it really mean, and how does it apply to our daily life? Is overstimulation a state of mind, an emotion, a mood, or just a slang term? In actuality, overstimulation refers to an excessive stimulation experienced by individuals. Another term for this is sensory overload. This experience is common among people of all ages, and it’s helpful to know what it is you’re dealing with when it happens to you. While it might just be annoying, it can have harmful side effects for certain populations. Knowing what is happening and how to face it can help mitigate these consequences.

Causes of the Problem and Vulnerable Populations

There are many causes of overstimulation. For example, social situations, high sensory input, physical environments, or emotional stress can all be triggers. Living or existing in an environment with high levels of sensory noise, such as loud construction or a crowded party, can be an example of these triggers. Experiencing anxiety or a negative mental health condition can also worsen the symptoms of overstimulation. In times of emotional stress, being able to regulate your emotions is the best skill you can have. Regulating emotions will allow you to respond to these stressful situations with calmness, courage, and positivity. It’s important to be able to surround yourself with a supportive environment to destress and recharge in moments of overload. 

In addition to these common causes, certain populations of people are more susceptible to experiencing overstimulation. In fact, some mental, psychological, and physical conditions include sensory overload as a symptom. People with autism often experience a different perception of sensory input. Autistic people may even experience what’s called a meltdown when this happens. This could involve crying, shouting, or running away. In addition, those with Associative Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have competing sensory outputs in the brain, which can cause an overwhelming sensation. Some types of sensation, like a new food texture or an unfamiliar environment, could trigger this. Individuals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can become extremely sensitive to the environment around them, which can trigger traumatic memories. The sensory overload might act as a reaction to these triggers. There are also specific disorders involving difficulty responding to sensory input, such as being overly sensitive to smells or tastes (hypersensitivity), or people who are looking for more sensory reactions (hyposensitivity). 

These disorders increase the negative effects of overstimulation for those who have them. Extra guidance and assistance might be necessary for individuals who will be further impacted by overstimulation. 

Common Signs of Overstimulation

Overstimulation is, unfortunately, a common issue. So, how do you know if you are experiencing it or if you are just overwhelmed? There are several key signs and symptoms of this experience. Some of these include aggression, irritability, headaches, bodily pain, lack of concentration or focus, fatigue, or muscle tension and stiffness. Symptoms can be both physical and mental. In fact, many different types of oversaturation can occur. 

Sensory: This is one of the most common types of overstimulation. This involves the processing of intense sensory input, such as loud noise, strange tastes, irritating sights, or strange odors. For example, eating a food with a strong texture or being in an area with a poor smell can trigger this. This overwhelms our brain and body with more sensory input than we can process at once. 

Emotional/Cognitive: Emotional overload results when we are experiencing something like anxiety or stress. Our brain may become tired and succumb to fatigue. This can be directly caused by sensory experiences, and could involve something like having a long and tiring conversation or having a stressful job interview. Anything that weighs too strongly on our minds can impact cognitive overload. 

Physical: This might include being overwhelmed by a physical sensation. This could result in sweating, dizziness, fatigue, muscle tension, or headaches. Being in a sensory-rich environment increases these physical consequences. Another example of this could be being unable to regulate temperature, such as being in a room that is overly hot or cold. 

Social: One of the most common types of overstimulation occurs in social settings. Crowded parties, music festivals, and conversations can create stressful spaces. This can lead to a desire for isolation and to be away from others. Stressful social situations can also lead to irritability and tension with friends or peers. It’s best to step away from a gathering for a moment if it is causing anxiety. 

Why This Issue Is Increasing

In modern times, this problem is increasing even more. Our frequent usage of phones and digital technology leads to faster emotional and cognitive burnout. The constant advertisements and hyperfocus on consumerism can easily overstimulate us. Even just doomscrolling on our phones can expose us to mind-numbing commercials, apps, games, etc. These apps use high volume and high sensory images to keep you entertained for longer. Many games use playing songs and background music that is high-pitched and noisy. Our brain experiences this short-term dopamine hit and is excited, but long-term, this is very harmful. 

Social overstimulation, which can also show on our technology, if we are using social media apps that have constant communication with friends or acquaintances. We feel a constant need to reply to everyone, whether this is via Snapchat, WhatsApp, or Instagram. Whenever you check these apps, there is always something new to draw your attention towards. Specifically in the United States, technology is meant to be overstimulating to grab our attention and hook the viewer. For example, when you drive along many interstate highways, huge billboards with messages grab your attention. Older movies and shows reflected calmer and less stimulating narratives, especially shows for children. 

To avoid the harmful impact of technology, we can turn off our phones and computers when doing unproductive tasks. This way, we won’t overwhelm our brains with useless information. 

How To Calm Down 

There are several ways to manage symptoms and effects of overstimulation. This can include emotional regulation and physical activities. For starters, meditation is a great way to live in the moment and clear your mind of unwanted stress. This can especially aid with mental stress and anxiety experienced by sensory overload. It's also important to embrace relaxation and self-care. If you aren’t taking care of yourself physically and emotionally, overstimulation is more likely to occur because of brain fog and fatigue. Finding a safe space, like your room or a space in your house, can be a beneficial way to escape overwhelming sensations and calm your mind. Adjusting your sensory input can also change. If you are in an environment with stressful noises, try to drown them out or go somewhere quieter. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries with friends and make some quiet space for yourself. Spending time with the right people can also decrease your likeliness to experience overstimulation. Do your best to take care of your emotional, mental, and physical health. 

Managing Overstimulation for Wellness

Experiencing overstimulation can be overwhelming. Developing a good routine and habits to deal with physical or emotional stress is crucial to managing signs of overstimulation. Check out more resources on emotional and physical wellness on our social media.