Frequency of overstimulation

[daniegirl6224]

I am not sure if this is a “wrong” question to ask. I do not mean harm, I am just trying to understand. Are there some autistic people who are overstimulated ALL the time? Like I have periods every day that I am overstimulated, and have shutdowns/meltdowns regularly, but I also have times most days where I feel self-regulated. Was thinking about this today and I am curious to understand better. Thank you.

 

[Judge]

I get tired just thinking of the possibility!

Nope...I can't recall any time being indefinitely overstimulated. With shutdowns I do require a certain amount of solitude to recover...though that's not something that's common with me as well.

 

[daniegirl6224]

I get tired just thinking of the possibility!

Nope...I can't recall any time being indefinitely overstimulated. With shutdowns I do require a certain amount of solitude to recover...though that's not something that's common with me as well.

Yes the longest I can think of in being in constant overstimulation myself lasted for a bit over a week- it was a constant shutdown/meltdown/burnout cycle due to intense psychosocial stressors. It was really rough. But besides that I usually have periods of regulation between periods of overstimulation

 

[Outdated]

My understanding of all this is a little hazy. I have never had shutdowns or meltdowns like other people describe and I suspect this is largely due to a very strong sense of self discipline and responsibility. Maybe having a meltdown might have been a much needed release of tension but it's something I'm not capable of.

Trying to reconcile what I understand now with what my life was like back before my burn out is also very difficult, I knew nothing about autism back then and I'm a very different person in some ways now. In looking at how I used to live I think I must have lived in a constant state of overstimulation but shrugged it off as that's just the way the world is and what I needed to do in order to have a life worth living.

I had a long history of regularly quitting work and just taking a break for a couple of months and letting myself recover. I never understood why I needed to do this and was never able to explain it to anyone else but I now know that my instincts were correct. I had pushed too hard for too long and was burning out.

Eventually though these short breaks were no longer giving me the respite I needed and instead of feeling rejuvenated I just started getting depressed, probably knowing that I'd have to go earn more money and repeat the same process over and over again.

Although I don't recommend it to others, running away in to the bush was the best thing I ever did. That gave me the true respite and the freedom that I needed. At this stage I still knew nothing about autism or why I needed to do this but once again my instincts were spot on. There was no threat of me having to return to my old life and my only responsibilities were to find food and water. With no people around to try and coax me back in to what they think of as normal I found the time and the peace I needed to get to know myself better.

That time in the bush changed me quite radically, I no longer have much tolerance at all for crowds and noisy people. Industrial noises don't bother me at all but large groups of people chattering away like monkeys drives me mental.

 

[Jumpinbare]

Pretty much any time I am out among people, or driving in anything but light traffic, I am overstimulated. I had built up some resistance to it when I had to work for a living. Now that I am retired and not regularly exposed to the mayhem, I find I have less resistance to it - in other words, it now takes less to overwhelm me. At least I have my woods to retreat to.

 

[Xinyta]

I am not sure if this is a “wrong” question to ask. I do not mean harm, I am just trying to understand. Are there some autistic people who are overstimulated ALL the time? Like I have periods every day that I am overstimulated, and have shutdowns/meltdowns regularly, but I also have times most days where I feel self-regulated. Was thinking about this today and I am curious to understand better. Thank you.

Honestly. I think the crux of shutdowns/meltdowns, is a mix of autism and mental health. Namely self-esteem.

Though autistics are always going to be different in how things affect them. Mental wellbeing, or lack there of, can play a large role in how we perceive and react to things.

Things like:
- depression
- anxiety
- self-loathing
- low self-worth
- confusion/uncertainty

For me. I've always had issues with things being out of my control. It panics me. In truth though. I grew up not exactly looking at everyone as saints. I had a attitude about alot of stuff. But I created so many lies and false scenarios in my head. It's kinda psychotic really.

 

[SusanLR]

When I had to work for the need of money, I felt overstimulation most of the time.
I also had the desire to get away from it all. Like @Outdated speaks of, running away to live as I wanted away from people. In a well- equipped van most likely.

I actually had this planned out when I became disabled, and my parent's health started failing. I wanted to be there to help them and physically I was not up to it anyway. The dream never happened. I wish it had.
Now I am too old and really failing in physical health. I find the stress of being with people isn't as tolerable as it used to be.