ELI5 , Is it common?
In: Biology
Anyone can get sensory overload in an extreme environment. For example, some neurotypical people experience it after they have spent time in a “float tank” undergoing sensory deprivation. Alternating sensory deprivation and sensory overload on a prisoner is a method of torture.
Nearly everyone has experienced mild sensory overload at some point in their lives. People who hate crowds, or loud concerts, or hate highly stimulating places like game arcades, are probably experiencing a mild degree of sensory overload, which is unpleasant.
A relatively mild instance of sensory overload can make a person feel anxious, irritable, distracted, or tired and withdrawn.
ADHD, sensory processing disorders, and autism spectrum disorders can lower a person’s threshold for sensory overload and give them a more severe reaction.
A more serious instance of sensory overload could lead to an emotional meltdown because the person feels overwhelmed and can’t control or filter the intensity of the stimuli.
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