How to help when overstimulation gets really bad

[bearfan]

I’m desperate guys, My sensory stuff has worsened rapidly over the last six months, and I don’t know why. I only had it to a moderate extent before March, and I didn’t really affect my life. Also, sorry if there are typos here because I am using voice dictation because typing makes me feel too bad.

What happens if I get to a point where I can’t take it anymore? Does the sensory stuff boil over? What would happen? A seizure? Would I pass out?

Right now I am in agony. I need some help. It is starting to affect my sleep where I can’t even fall asleep or stay asleep. For any of you that have the sensory issues please, I am begging for help. Anything that I can help. I don’t want my whole life to be sitting in a dark room doing nothing. If you can help at all or give a tip please please help me. I am in bad shape right now. Really bad shape.

 

[bearfan]

Please help me somebody. I’m getting to the point where I can’t take it. In fact I’m already at that point but I don’t want to die.

 

[bearfan]

Please help somebody. I’ve already been to the hospital numerous times and they can’t do anything for me. I am literally at my worst. And the agony is awful. Please please help

 

[Wolfcub]

I am so sorry you are suffering so much @bearfan
I don't know enough to be able to suggest anything, and am sure others will be able to help in that respect maybe?

But I empathise, and send you gentle kind thoughts right this minute, and tell you that you are not alone.

 

[Eve18]

I’m so sorry.

My brain slightly "relaxed" after few weeks on LDN, 3 grams of Omega 3 and Turmeric (by Gaia Herbs, I don’t remember dosage). Right now I think it was neuroinflammation and LDN with supplements were anti inflammatory.
I also was putting ice packs on my head for more immediate results. Some people take cold baths.

I hope you will find something that works for you.

 

[Richard7]

Hi @bearfan I have read through your intro post and a handfull of thoughts occur to me.

The first is that what is known as glare and pattern glare can trigger headaches, migraines and epileptic seizures. Same triggers with different symptoms in different people.

Glare you probably know. Pattern glare is a high contrast pattern in time or space. A pattern in space is pretty obvious the shadow a palling fence paints on the bright concrete in summer : light dark light dark and so on. A pattern in time would be walking past that fence and having sunlight, then shade, then sunlight on your eyes.

It can also happen with changes in colour, what we perceive as blue - red- blue is from the point the blue and red cones in our eyes light - dark - light or dark - light - dark.

LED lights and fluorescent lights also flicker and are examples of pattern glare that trigger headaches, migraines and epileptic seizures.

Migraines are not just a kind of headache, they can have a great range of weird sensory symptoms, nausea and photophobia. They are also a kind of sterile inflammation, and inflammation can lead to anxiety and worsen the symptoms of PoTS (idea 3)

Second If you are suffering from anxiety you may want to try Hip's mixture of 1tsp turmeric 1Tbsp flaxseed oil and 2x 700mg n acetyl glucosamine a day. His thread is here https://forums.phoenixrising.me/ind...nxiety-symptoms-with-three-supplements.18369/.

Hip finds this works for about half of the pwme/cfs who try it.

Third a lot of people here suffer from PoTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) which is often misdiagnosed as anxiety. PoTS is a complicated autonomic disorder, but typically someone with it will find that their blood rushes to their legs and their heart has to speed up to try to get blood to the brain. I do not know that anyone really knows, but the suggestion is that this is misinterpreted as anxiety/flight response because it feels the same, but is not anxiety because it has a different cause.

Frankly it feels like panic or anxiety (depending on how severe it is) and is truly appalling. I found this video and other information provided by the Bateman Horne Centre useful l

Fourth the only other thing I can think of is gut issues. Dysbiosis can lead to photophobia, nausea, headaches and anxiety. Personally I have found that taking yakult (or another strain of l paracasei in another brand's product) seems to reduce PoTS and therefore anxiety. I did it after reading this https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19338686 paper. The anxiety measure they use is strongly bound up in the physical symptoms of anxiety - which are the same as PoTS.

So I think it is about reducing PoTS and therefore the symptoms of anxiety. But it could also be crowding out pathogenic bacteria that would otherwise cause intestinal inflammation which could worsen anxiety even in the absence of PoTS.

I hope that this helps.

 

[Rebeccare]

I am so sorry that you are suffering. Overstimulation can be terrible and so painful.

I have a couple of tips, which aren't earth-shattering but may be somewhat helpful:

• Think about all of your senses and try to figure out which are sensitive. Are you just sensitive to light and visual stimuli? Or would you also benefit from earplugs and a scent free environment? Perhaps you need to wear soft clothing that doesn't overstimulate your sense of touch. I know that you don't want to be in a dark room, but for right now that is what your body and brain need.
• Be sure to relax your muscles and make sure to take slow breaths. Sometimes when people get overstimulated they tense up without realizing it, and that can make matters worse. If you're feeling really ambitious you could try meditating. Just breathe in for five seconds, breathe out for five seconds, and repeat. Try to focus just on the breathing. If any other thoughts come into your brain, acknowledge them and then turn back to your breathing
• Consider trying a weighted blanket or lap pad for some deep pressure

 

[Howard]

@bearfan

There are many great suggestions here.

I'm sorry you are suffering so badly. I was in the same exact position no more than two and a half years ago.

It was necessary for me to wear sunglasses and earplugs underneath soundproof earmuffs while keeping the blinds closed.

I couldn't watch television, much less listen to music. Even the briefest conversations with my wife were painful. And the list goes on.

A change in diet may have been slightly impactful overall, but my saving grace was meditation. It helped quiet my mind.

The process was gradual, more gradual than I would have liked, but now I'm to the point where I can function mentally, and for the most part, with a clear mind. And my overall anxiety is greatly diminished. I can even self treat myself.

The only way, and the simplest way for me to quiet my mind is to focus on two separate things at one time, that way, all of my thinking thoughts are eliminated, if only for a short time.

Example:
Focus on an object with your eyes, while also concentrating on relaxing your shoulders.

Do this for 30 seconds, keeping your eyes focused and your shoulders relaxed.

The more you practice, the longer you can do it, and without all of these random thoughts ruminating in your head, you can more easily relax.

The feeling of being overwhelmed eases.

It is imperative that you focus on both of these at the same time, or else thoughts will come back into play, cluttering your mind.

If the mind is calm, the body is calm.

Another one is to listen to background noises while also relaxing your gut.

Focus on both things at the same time for as long as you can. 15 seconds, 30 seconds, two minutes, it doesn't matter. Gradually increase the duration when you can and practice this throughout the day, or even at night so that you make it back to sleep.

As long as you pick two things to focus on at the same time, your mind will stop racing.

This practice literally saved me. Before, each day was extremely painful, and I thought I was going insane.

You can get through this. You can do it. Aim for small victories. Cherish the moments when your anxiety is relieved, however briefly. It gets better. Trust me. The external stimuli will bother you less and less as time passes.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me. I learned many techniques from the therapist who I speak to online. He's quite good, and his focus is mindfulness.

Speaking to a professional may also be your preferred option. I'm just a regular guy who was going through something similar.

I hope this wasn't too much information to take in...

H

 

[Moof]

@bearfan, I'm sorry you're having such a rough time.

An odd question: do you have a partner, or a good friend who lives nearby?

I'm autistic, and sometimes suffer badly from overstimulation. The best answer for me and lots of other autistic people is to go somewhere quiet, and then have deep pressure applied to the proprioceptive receptors near the main joints of the body. And the best way to do that is have someone hug you very tight, or (if your pain levels aren't too bad) squash you against a wall / lie on top of you.

I know – it sounds utterly bizarre! But it's very well-known in the autistic community, and many people who're not autistic benefit from it too. Most of us feel calmer after a bear hug, provided we're not in acute pain.

If you don't have anyone who can help you with it, the next best thing is weights. A lot of autistic children sleep under weighted blankets, though the good ones (where the weights don't all travel to the edges as soon as you turn over) are expensive. I've never bothered, I lie on my back and pull a couple of large heavy sandbags over my hip joints. It gives me an instant feeling of deep relaxation, the overstimulation is forgotten, and because they're on the bony bits of my pelvis, they don't hurt.

If you do a bit of reading on deep pressure stimulation and autism, it might convince you that I'm not barking mad! It might also help you find things that will work for you.

One other thing that might be easy to do is a Therapressure brush. This is a very soft plastic brush that you brush your skin with. It uses a different response to calm your overstimulated nervous system. You can usually get them from Amazon.

I hope you find some relief, anyway.

 

[Richard7]

Oh I should have added that when I was suffering from bad hyperacusis I found listening to yoga nidras through noise isolating headphones worked well.

I would not have handled silence or hearing the noises of my own body well, so ear plugs were out for me. But choosing a yoga nidra with a comforting voice worked well even though I could not really do the yoga nidra.

Back in 2015 when someone here suggested yoga nidras to me I could not really feel my body, so someone saying "feel your right thumb" or "feel the way your feet rest on the floor" was of no used to me but the more creative yoga nidras with with "imagine yourself sinking into the ground" or something of the sort were somehow easier/more effective.

I found some at this website http://www.yoganidranetwork.org/downloads and some more in the podcasts section of itunes.

 

[Tallen]

You are in my thoughts. I hope you feel better soon. I'm sending you feelings of peace and healing.

 

[bearfan]

Thank you all so much for your kind reply’s. Sadly, I cannot read them right now, but I will have a family member read them to me.

 

[Thinktank]

@bearfan, have you been on a benzodiazepine or SSRI?

 

[bearfan]

I am on a low dose of Klonopin, and also a low-dose of Luvox That I went on to help control intrusive thoughts or obsessive thinking that would just lead to more anxiety.

 

[Seven7]

For me is inflammation, so when I get this way the best help is antiinflamatory foods, and take advil religiously or celebrex until I get back to normal.

 

[panckage]

@bearfan it's really interesting how the say the sensory overstimulation became really bad after the concussion. I'm not sure if its the same thing but whenever I have a simple injury that limits my mobility (eg. Lower back) I find that I overstimulation and brain fog become hugely worse and as a result I become horribly decondtioned.

I wonder if recovering from the concussion could be a key to fixing the new overstimulation issues

 

[jesse's mom]

I have been sick for at least 7 years, I got worse after yet another infection and high doses of antibiotics and steroids in hospital last year. For me, I need a dark room and quiet just after I am overstimulated. I have realized that wheat gluten is a bad trigger for me. That means any beer as well.

I ahve found that pharmacuticals are not favorites of this community. I love this community, and I choose to do what works for me now.

Meditation helps.
Staying out of any and all drama helps.
Complete sleep hygiene helps.
Klonopin helps me, you might hear a bit of pushback here on that.
Lyrica helps me. Less unpopular I am a bit of a renegade.

When I get worse I find that if I will rest, really rest. No light, light sound, just breathe, I drink chicken bone broth and meditate. Major organs take lots of energy to just digest food.

Please try to relax the best you can. Many of us get better and better at dropping into a resting mode, with a quickness!

Keep getting your family read our posts!

 

[bearfan]

Thanks guys. Once again, I cannot reply to everyone right now or read every post. Whenever I feel better I will try to get back to anybody that I can. Thanks again

 

[Hip]

@bearfan, this thread might be of use to you:

Five ways to reduce your ME/CFS "wired but tired" hyperaroused brain state

 

[Thinktank]

I am on a low dose of Klonopin, and also a low-dose of Luvox That I went on to help control intrusive thoughts or obsessive thinking that would just lead to more anxiety.

Did the overstimulation start before or after the use of klonopin?