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PSA: I used to think my noise cancelling headphones were enough for sensory overload. | Autism - Discusd

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PSA: I used to think my noise cancelling headphones were enough for sensory overload.

I was at a crowded grocery store in Portland last Tuesday, wearing my usual pair. My friend texted me 'you look like you're in a bubble, but your shoulders are still up to your ears.' That made me stop and actually check in with my body. I was still clenching my jaw and squinting, just without the direct noise. The headphones helped one sense but I was ignoring all the other input like lights and movement. Has anyone found a good combo for handling multiple types of overload at once?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor3056mo ago

Ugh that's so real. I've been there with just blocking sound and still feeling fried. For me it's sunglasses plus the headphones, like the cheap foam earplugs under big dark shades. It cuts the light chaos way down. Turns out my brain needs both to actually chill in busy places. Maybe try adding one more layer for your eyes.

casey_fox686mo ago

My buddy Dave tried just the earplugs at a packed food court last week. He said the noise was gone but all the bright signs and people moving around still made him feel tense. Then he put on his big aviator sunglasses over the plugs on a whim. He told me it was like someone turned the world's volume AND brightness down at the same time. He finally felt like he could breathe and just eat his fries.

willow_ellis6mo ago

Oh man, does that ever make sense. I had the same thing happen at the grocery store. I wore my loops and the cart clatter was gone, but the fluorescent lights were just screaming at me and everyone's jackets were so bright. I grabbed my tinted glasses from my bag and put them on right there in the cereal aisle. It was instant. The world just got softer, like going from a harsh TV show to a calm movie scene. I could finally pick a box of oatmeal without my brain feeling like it was vibrating.