Sensory Overload / Sensory Defensiveness and Shopping
Channel: Stroke Assaulter
Date: 17/05/2019

Sensory Overload, Sensory Flooding along with Sensory Defensiveness can make something so simple as shopping a difficult, if not grueling task.

It is not completely clear what causes this disorder. There is evidence that such factors as Premature Birth, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Autism, PTSD, ADHD and Brain Injury due to head trauma, can contribute to the start of hypersensitivity to stimuli.
It is important to keep in mind that people with this condition are not deliberately behaving badly when they over react to something. This is not something they are choosing to do and would happily change it if they could.

In sensory defensiveness, multiple things are experienced as alarming, and are negatively reacted to. It is important to stress that these over stimulating items are minor and do not bother or annoy the average person. For those who with sensory overload, many or all of these things are intolerable. Commonly, there can be a startle response to irritating stimuli. Another common response is extreme anger that other people find disconcerting if not totally unacceptable.

People with this disorder have a lot of variability with regard to what things will be overwhelming and to what degree someone is overwhelmed. It is possible to have a sensory defensiveness to a degree that is mild, moderate or severe.

SOUNDS

People can have difficulty filtering out what other people may be able to ignore as background noise, such as people talking, tills beeping, babies crying. This can be unbearable for some. Some noises, like intercom announcements, are sudden, loud and unpredictable.

SMELLS

People with this may become overwhelmed with smells. Certain areas of the shop might cause them to get upset. Think about how overwhelming the scents of lots of different perfumes are when you are near a perfume counter - this could be the experience an person with this issue is having in any shop.

VISUAL

Fluorescent, flickering lights or reflecting light may hurt a person’s eyes or mesmerize them. There are many different objects to focus on in a shop and changing patterns appear in rows or on shelves. A person with a Sensory Processing Disorder can have difficulty focusing on only one or two objects and may feel overwhelmed by this complex environment, experiencing 'visual overload'.

TOUCH

If someone is very sensitive to touch, it can make it very hard to try on new clothes or shoes.  The feeling of paper on a metal can, or the texture of some foods could cause an issue.

PERSONAL SPACE

It can become confusing, frightening and overwhelming for a person with a Sensory Processing Disorder to be in a crowded place such as a busy supermarket, shopping centre or department store.

BALANCE

If you have a proprioception issue either due to a neurological issue, or a balance issue due to the side effect of medication.  This can make moving in a retail environment very difficult.  From moving in and around people and bending or stretching to get items from shelves. This can be either very disorienting or possibly fatiguing.

TOO MANY CHOICES

Just being presented with all the choices in the store, down each aisle and on each shelf.  Merely attempting to scan the shelves for your desired item, then picking the appropriate one can be daunting.  Think of trying to find the right needle, in a stack of needles. 

If you notice the signs and symptoms of a stroke in your or someone around you

Balance / Co-ordination / Confusion
Eye and Vision Problems
Facial Droop
Slurred Speech
Stuttering
Inappropriate Word Usage for situation or context
Inability to stand
General Weakness or Weakness to one Body Side
Inability to properly and evenly Smile

Please Immediately place that person in a position of comfort and Dial 911

www.heartandstroke.ca/FAST

#IWillAgain   #UpAgainAfterStroke  #StrokeSurvivor #Strokeunder50 #FightStroke #StrokeAwareness

You can contact me in the following methods

strokeassaulter@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/AssaulterStroke

Here are the articles I used to research this video:

Sensory Defensiveness Or Sensory Overload
 
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/sensory-defensiveness-or-sensory-overload/

Sensory Overload (‘Hypersensitivity’) after Acquired Brain Injury

https://www.acquiredbraininjury-education.scot.nhs.uk/impact-of-abi/sensory-overload-hypersensitivity/

Dealing with overstimulation

https://www.braininjury-explanation.com/life-with-brain-injury/dealing-with-overstimulation-1


National Austic Society:  Shopping

https://www.autism.org.uk/about/family-life/everyday-life/shopping-strategies.aspx

Shopping While Autistic: The sensory experience of a shopping trip

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/aspergers-diary/201503/shopping-while-autistic

How an Arnprior grocery store is making shopping easier for people with autism

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/arnprior-grocery-sensory-sensitivity-1.5004494