Sensory Overload?

[mitylene]

I am a female INTJ in her mid 20s living in a huge city.

As much I love socializing and being with people. I just can't stand being out too long.

It gives me sensory overload and causes migraines.

Sometimes even just one afternoon of wandering around exhausts me.

I am pretty private about it. So most people besides my boyfriend just thinks I am antisocial.

It's hard for me to explain that just being outside makes me nervous and sucks up a lot of energy.

Does anyone else experience this or know what to do about it?

[Tenacious B]

It seems to be pretty common to INTJs, we need our quiet, alone time.

I couldn't live in NYC, haven't been there in about 15 years, way too many people.

[geonerd]

I lived in NYC for 3 months and that's about all I could handle.

Dave & Buster's is major sensory overload for me.

What do you do about it? Maybe have some friends over for dinner on a work night? That way, you can be social in a comfortable environment, then kick them out when you're tired of them, using the excuse that you have to get up and go to work in the morning. But really, you just have to have your alone time. And people just have to understand this.

[malefide]

I have this problem very often. Just being in public or outside my house is often taxing for me. Being around other people that aren't interacting with me is one thing, but then interacting with a lot of people...always say that I need four hours of alone time for every two hours being out and about.

[mkay]

Yeah, I'm ENTP and lived in Hong Kong, which is unbelievably crazy. It was draining. I spent a lot of time at home, and my work was very quiet, thankfully. People there don't have the same sense of space as Americans, so I often felt like telling people to get away from me in public. I didn't, of course, because I realized it was my problem, that I shouldn't live in that kind of environment.

[airshiplogic]

I agree with you. It's extremely exhausting. The worst thing is that it is expected at school or they'll write in your portfolio that you're antisocial and all that nonsense.

[bubbles]

I get sensory overload when I am in very social situations (i.e., social gatherings) or in a large, busy place like a large city. I don't know what I would do about it except to socialize in quieter settings in smaller groups.

Kind of irrelevant but interesting...
From Wikipedia:

The term is commonly (but not exclusively) used in the context of autism/autism spectrum disorders. It may also be common in gifted children, which can be one of the factors that explains why they prefer to be alone.

I think the "gifted children" part is pretty interesting since I never thought they would get sensory overload.

[AlphaGlobin]

I'm a giftie, and I used to overstimulate all the time -- I'd close my eyes and withdraw for a bit, or hide in a quiet corner and cool down. That's the thing about giftedness -- you'll have a great ability to focus and take in information, as long as you're controlling the information taken in. The degree of learning doesn't depend on the amount of stimuli present, it's dependent on the quality of processing exerted on the stimuli received. When you focus intently on everything that comes your way, an over-abundance of stimuli just dilutes the system.

[NightHeron8]

Yeah, get you there. Currently work in NYC. Been here 2yrs, finally learned to feed sparingly off the hum. Crazy how many people though. Scary. Bike a lot. Strange the way Manhattanites and converts seem to think your social existence is somehow their living room. It's insulting. Some are like puppies running around pissing on everything, stepping in it and wondering why their feet are wet. Ugh. I miss Appalachia, my cliffs and the hawks.

[kantsuu]

My first thought when reading "sensory overload?" on an INTJ forum was Asperger's - but I'm not sure that you mean it in the same way it's used generally when referring to aspergic people. Is it just people that exhaust you? If so - I would think it would be an introverted thing. If it goes beyond that, though, with real sensory issues (hearing higher pitches than the average person, having a harder time filtering out background noise, having clothing material and tags really bother [even hurt] you, etc...), you may want to look into Asperger's syndrome and see if other things seem to fit you, also. Sensory overload is very common on the autistic spectrum.

My INTJ boyfriend is also aspergic and has described problems comparable to what you are talking about.

[Lucan]

I am a female INTJ in her mid 20s living in a huge city.

As much I love socializing and being with people. I just can't stand being out too long.

It gives me sensory overload and causes migraines.

Sometimes even just one afternoon of wandering around exhausts me.

I am pretty private about it. So most people besides my boyfriend just thinks I am antisocial.

It's hard for me to explain that just being outside makes me nervous and sucks up a lot of energy.

Does anyone else experience this or know what to do about it?

That makes you a normal INTJ in my books. As for being ' anti-social' that is rubbish. I prefer being selective with who I spend time with. You spend time with your boyfriend so you aren't anti- social. I get sensory over load too, then I want to be alone. When I have to go to the shop I also get irritated by the 'cattle' behaviour of people as well.

[bucolic_]

I have problems with this as well, going into crowded places generally doesn't bode well for me. I even try to do my grocery shopping late at night, so that I can avoid the crowds.

I'm not even sure how to describe the feeling I get, except that it's an overwhelming sense of discomfort. I become very serious, and sometimes even angry. As soon as I get into my car, or some other 'safe' place, I just take a deep breath and sit there for a few moments, happy to be alone again.

[Grizzly]

Same problems as you and others have described.

Grew up in Kentucky in the middle of nowhere ---> College in DC ---->now in a city with 29 Million other people.

I experienced this overload at least once every two or three days in DC, where I really would need to lock the door and just sit quietly for an hour or two.
The symptoms werent migraines but irritability and raised blood pressure.

Its tapered off over the last few years, I think Shanghai sort of beat it out of my psyche.

But otherwise I think this "problem" reduces with time spent in large groups of people and interacting regularly with people.


BTW, Cheers Lucan
First time Ive seen the Cattle reference anywhere else than in my own grey matter.

[Lucan]

BTW, Cheers Lucan
First time Ive seen the Cattle reference anywhere else than in my own grey matter.

*raises glass* And here is to you Grizzly. *clink* Cheers. *takes large swig* :thumbsup:

[foroneonly]

I find that after being around people for a long time I need to get by myself and sort of recharge. (I'm an INTJ). I know some people thrive on that but I operate differently I guess. Also if you haven't lived in an urban environment that could contribute as well. I'm not a big fan of loud and croweded either places like concert, clubs ect.