Tips, tricks and practical advice on overcoming sensory issues

[Jellomn]

Hello all!

I've recently found out and come to terms with being on the spectrum. I lived how I lived most of my life up until now, but since going through benzodiazepine withdrawal, my sensory issues have gotten much worse than they ever were. After six months, and after a couple of almost public breakdowns, I started using sunglasses, gloves, and headphones as often as I could whenever I was in public or in places where there were a lot of people present. I also changed the lighting in my room and made it more comfortable for myself. Since then, my quality of life and mental state have been much better, and I've started feeling good in my body again, but I feel like I have a lot more to learn and improve on.

I mostly have issues with bright lights, physical contact, and random loud and unpredictable sounds. I live in a third-world country and have no access to counseling or any professional help, and I'm doing things on a budget as well. So most of the time, I'm figuring this stuff out by myself through trial and error and searching for answers online. I will soon be moving out and living by myself. So, I'm interested in what you generally use to protect yourselves from external stimuli and what you do to make both outdoor and indoor environments more comfortable. Also, I would be extremely grateful if you have any advice to share on overcoming hypersensitivity.

I would also like to ask what types of sunglasses you use, if you use any, and what your experiences are with them. I have had luck with my cheap, lightly tinted yellow UV400 sunglasses. They have made my life a lot easier since I started wearing them both indoors and out. I'm looking into getting a pair with my prescription, but I'm also wondering if there are better solutions: different tints, filters, etc.. or if maybe just having a cheap pair of lightly tinted ones, the simplest solution, is already close enough to the best option.

Thank you in advance for your time and patience. I hope you're having a pleasant day/evening!~

 

[Outdated]

There's no "overcoming" your sensitivities but as you're discovering, you can work around them if you think about it.

I don't have very much over sensitivity in my sight but some frequencies of flashing lights are very disturbing for me. I do however live in a very hot and sunny country and good sunglasses are a necessity here. They don't have to be expensive and they don't have to have a dark tint but they do need to be Polarised. Polarisation cuts the glare without making the world look dark and dingey.

I do have very sensitive hearing and to help with that I have some noise cancelling headphones. I hate wearing them, they're not very comfortable, but having them there for the odd times when I really need them is very helpful.

I think you'll enjoy living by yourself, that makes it a lot easier to set up your home environment the way you like it.

 

[Rodafina]

I haven’t had any luck overcoming hypersensitivity, but like you, feel like my quality of life really improved when I started managing it.

I like orange tinted glasses because of the instant calming effect they have on me. These ones to be exact: Orange Glasses

Also, like you, hats are essential. My favorite hat is a bit too big for my head which is perfect so I can pull it over my eyes. I also really benefit from an eye mask that entirely blocks all light. Of course, it’s not very practical to use outside the house, but it can really help me reset when I am feeling overstimulated.

Noise canceling headphones changed everything especially when playing a white noise app on my phone. I like to listen to the sound of trains on tracks. Youtube has that stuff, too.

Regardless of the temperature, I like to wear clothing that covers all of my skin and has a nice texture to it. Comfortable socks are probably the most important thing to me. My socks have to be just right and I don’t leave the house with socks that I don’t like. I like wearing gloves like this, too as they still allow me to do things and even use my phone: Gloves

One of the most helpful changes that I made was to be more aware of exposure to sensory stimuli. Whenever possible, I try to plan breaks in the day and avoid “sensory onslaught.“ For me, sensory over stimulation seems to have a cumulative effect, so if I notice that I have been particularly exposed to sights, sounds, or smells that are uncomfortable to me, I tried to balance that out with the time in quiet darkness.

Lastly, I have a strong aversion to food smells and this can make it difficult to eat. But, I have found that separating the cooking process from the eating process can be helpful. I cook my food and then just put it away in the refrigerator, to be heated up quickly right before I eat it.