When Everything Feels Like Too Much
Adult Overstimulation and What Can Help
By the time you close your laptop, you want silence. No music on the drive home. No questions for a minute. And the outfit you felt good in this morning suddenly needs to come off immediately.
Your day may not have included one major crisis. It included notifications, overlapping conversations, bright lights, interruptions, and a waistband you have been adjusting since lunch.
When you describe yourself as “stressed,” part of what you’re experiencing may be sensory overload.
Sensory overload happens when sensory input feels overwhelming. It can show up as irritability, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, or an urgent need to leave the situation. Sound, lighting, smells, and uncomfortable clothing can all contribute—and what overwhelms one person may barely register for another.
As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Autism Specialist, and Certified ADHD Specialist, I see how easily adults turn this experience into self-criticism.
Why am I so irritated? Why can’t I handle one more conversation?
A more useful question is: What am I asking myself to tolerate right now?
Think about an ordinary workday. You’re trying to finish a task while messages arrive, someone talks nearby, and your phone keeps lighting up. Meanwhile, your collar rubs, your chair feels uncomfortable, and the room is too bright for your preference.
Each detail deserves consideration. You don’t have to wait until you’re overwhelmed to make an adjustment.
Sensory overload can happen to anyone. Experiencing it alone does not establish an ADHD or autism diagnosis. Understanding your own patterns is more useful than assuming everyone who feels overwhelmed has the same underlying experience.
Start by noticing what you need less of—and what feels comfortable.
There is no single product, fabric, or routine that reliably “resets” every nervous system. These are practical starting points you can adapt:
Reduce one competing input.
Silence nonessential notifications during a task. Step away from overlapping conversations. Adjust a bright lamp or screen. Ask yourself, What is the easiest source of discomfort to change right now?
Let your clothing give you information.
Notice what you keep pulling, loosening, scratching, or taking off. Try a softer seam, a roomier sleeve, or a different waistband. If you enjoy a closer fit or a substantial fabric, notice that too. Fabric weight alone does not tell you whether a garment will feel calming.
Try a simple tactile focus.
You might experiment with tracing a smooth ring, touching a preferred fabric, or moving a quiet tactile accessory. Pay attention to whether the sensation feels pleasant and helps you focus. If it becomes another distraction, choose something else. The useful part is your response to it.
Give yourself a quieter transition.
Try a few minutes without scrolling between meetings or before moving from work into home responsibilities. You could sit somewhere quieter, look away from your screen, or take a few slow, comfortable breaths. Breathing and focused-attention practices can support relaxation, especially with regular practice.
Track what actually helps.
Keep it simple: What was happening? What felt uncomfortable? What did I change? Did it help? Over time, your answers can guide more intentional choices about your space, schedule, and wardrobe.
This is part of what I explore through Diagnostic Fashion™: what our clothing can teach us about our sensory needs, psychology, identity, and regulation.
An outfit has a visual effect, but it also has a physical feel that stays with you throughout the day. Paying attention to both gives you more information to work with.
If overload happens frequently or disrupts your daily life, a qualified professional can help you understand the pattern and explore appropriate support.
The next time you catch yourself thinking, Everything is irritating me, pause and ask:
What could I adjust before I ask myself to push through?
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Sources
Cleveland Clinic, How To Manage (and Even Overcome) Sensory Overload: background on sensory triggers, symptoms, and seeking support. (health.clevelandclinic.org)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 5 Things To Know About Relaxation Techniques for Stress: background on breathing, focused attention, and relaxation. (nccih.nih.gov)
By Carla Haughton, MS, LMHC | The Neura Architect™
