Did you know that overstimulation can trigger symptoms similar to anxiety attacks? If you’re a parent, chances are you’ve felt the crushing weight of noise, chaos, and constant demands. I know I have.
Overstimulation and Parenting: How to Cope and Regain Control
It’s easy to become overstimulated when you are a parent. Any combination of sound, touch, taste, sight, smell, and loud noises can cause an overwhelming reaction leading to physical symptoms. Does that mean at any given time in your family’s waking hours you are susceptible to overstimulation? My family knows when I say “I’m tapped out” I am going to step away to reset before I spontaneously combust.
For twenty years, I have always preferred to listen to music while studying, writing, or even cleaning my house. At nighttime, the sound of an air conditioner, fan, or white noise machine is necessary, as the soothing sounds allow me to turn off my racing thoughts and fall asleep. I have never been able to do any of the above in a crowded room, let alone a college library echoing with whispers or a house full of chattering children. I have never understood why my brain prefers to do more than one thing at a time, but I perform best when I turn off the outside noise.
My ability to function in an overstimulating environment has not been an issue impeding my quality of life – until a few years ago. Well, aside from toddlerhood and a few select moments in childhood, I have had things under control. Enter my third child and someone took the calm out of my system.
Overstimulation, Anxiety, and ADHD
Feeling overwhelmed can happen to anyone, but overstimulation is more common in people who suffer from certain types of anxiety disorders, PTSD, ADHD, and more. My Mom always says she thinks I was born with my nerve endings exposed – perhaps that sensitivity to the world contributed to my diagnosis of generalized and catastrophic anxiety? Add in a very recent diagnosis of mild Adult ADHD last year and it all makes sense as to why I feel out of sorts when there is too much going on at the same time that is out of my control.
One new way I have found to cope with daily overstimulation is adding in a background sound to my day. It may sound weird to think adding in noise calms me down – but it does. I came across a reel on Instagram sharing the sound and video a person with ADHD may enjoy. The white noise and falling snow is supposed to calm your nervous system after 30 seconds of listening. After seeing the reel multiple times I tried it out… and it kind of worked. A stream of consistent noise has always helped me tune out the world when I need to focus on something else.
5 Simple Strategies To Try When You Are Overstimulated
When overstimulation takes over, finding quick and effective ways to reset can make all the difference. Here are five simple strategies to help calm your nervous system and regain control.
1. Turn your iPhone into a White Noise Machine
Apple released iOS 18.3 in January, but when the company released iOS 15 in 2021 that operating system brought a hidden feature to your iPhone called Background Sounds. It lets you turn your iPhone into a white noise machine! Why have I not known about this feature for four years?
Background Sounds allows you to mask unwanted environmental noise, minimizing distractions and helping you focus, calm or rest. You can play these sounds by themselves or under any podcast, music or video streaming app. (source). My favorite sound is Balanced Noise, but there are 8 different sounds to choose from. Here is how to turn your phone into a white noise machine:
1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Tap Audio & Visual.
4. Tap Background Sounds.
5. Tap the toggle next to Background Sounds near the top of the menu to enable the feature.
2. Take a Tech Break
When I am overwhelmed there is a huge impact on my mind and body when I turn to something to help me calm down. I have been experimenting with my phone – and thus far it has been the worst solution for overstimulation. When I am at my peak of feeling overstimulated, I actually plug my phone in the charger and close my laptop. Then I turn to something else: deep breathing fresh air, listening to a favorite song, opening my book, or even hugging my family.
3. Practice the “5-4-3-2-1” method
The “5-4-3-2-1” is a grounding technique that helps you focus on the environment around you. To practice it, simply identify to yourself:
- 5 things you see
- 4 things you feel (like the shirt you’re wearing, socks on your feet, the floor beneath your feet, and so on)
- 3 things you hear (cars driving by outside, the sound of your heartbeat, birds chirping, etc.)
- 2 things you smell (if your environment doesn’t have any smells, just take two deep breaths)
- 1 thing you taste
4. Water
Whether it’s the warm bath, shower steam, or splash of cold on your face – water is a great way to reset when you are overstimulated. Calm your senses with an escape to the bathroom. Bonus: the sound of rushing water is soothing.
5. Accept, Acknowledge, Find a Solution, Move On
When I finally acknowledged the fact that overstimulation can happen in motherhood, I was able to see a more clear path at how to handle it. If you can try to accept the idea overstimulation is possible, rather than fight it, you can find ways to personally cope with it.
It is so important to prioritize your mental health – whether or not you are a parent. I have spent a lot of time exploring different ways to reset my body and mind when I am overstimulated. After sharing my emotional outbursts with fellow Moms, I learned I am not alone. Parents of all ages experience overstimulation and the feelings that result from too many things going on at the same time. Do you struggle with overstimulation? What’s worked for you? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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