Too much noise, too many smells, too much movement, too many people, too many decisions, too much of anything and everything shuts me down quickly. While we are chronically ill, too much stimulus is simply too much. Navigating stimulus helps us be calmer so we can heal faster.
You know, you have been ill for a long time. You know what you can handle and what you can’t. You most likely find yourself in situations that are too stimulating and it shuts you down.
When we can identify what things are too hard to navigate because of over stimulation, we can plan around it somewhat.
- If you already know it is too stimulating, try not to do it
- If you have anyone who is supportive and helpful, enlist their help in navigating those tough spots
Here are some things that are overly stimulating to me that I choose to avoid until I have healed more.
- Too many people
- Too many people who are too loud, wear too much cologne, create too much movement
- Too much conflict as in verbal attacks or manipulation
- An unfamiliar place
- Too many directions to get to someplace new
- Too many doors to walk through
- More than one door in a bathroom so I get lost when I come out
- Too hot (never too cold)
- Too much information at one time
- Too much physical pain
- Too much emotional pain
Noise that is too sudden, sharp or loud- Too many chemicals
The list is endless. It can be anything. But it gets shorter as we heal.
Today my biggest stimulus was having my hair down and it touching my neck (I still have some thyroid issues going on).
It can be anything and it can change from moment to moment.
When we are ill, too much stimulus makes it hard to navigate. To know where to walk next. To know what to do next. To sort out thoughts and decisions.
Don’t feel like you are a short-circuited-robot when you cannot navigate all the stimulus. It is actually typical for this to happen to people who are chronically ill.
Have patience with yourself. Also have
The key is having kindness for yourself and others while you navigate your way back to a safe quiet place. You will have plenty of opportunities to try again.
I noticed that by the fourth time I went to the new ladies group that the stimulus is lessening. I am becoming more familiar with the drive, the building, and the people. As I become more familiar there are fewer surprises that create too much stimulus.
Hope you are finding some success in your days as you navigate your own stimulus issues.
The calmer we can be, the faster we heal. It is worth the effort to reduce as much of the unnecessary stimulation as we can.
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