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[ISTP] ISTP "Sensory Overload"

languidlion

New member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Messages
1
MBTI Type
ISTP
Hello Everyone! :bye:

I am new to this forum (and actually it is the first forum I've ever joined, tbh I've never been a big fan of online interaction for some reason :huh:).

I've been lurking for a while, and I have read through many threads that helped me a lot in discovering new things about myself. Now I'm curious about something that I could not find an existing thread about. I am part of a very large student-organisation, and we go on conferences frequently. Depending on the conference they take around 3 to 5 days. Basically, the whole thing is pure stress for me. No chance to get some alone time, being forced to do long-term planning, lots of talking, but no possibility for direct action, etc. As a reaction after a while I get really uncomfortably emotional, which stresses me even more, because I'm not good at dealing with that either. So far pretty "typical" ISTP stuff I would say. Additionally I have also noticed a physical reaction though. On our last conference we were in a small room together talking, when suddenly a group of party people entered. They were really loud, and totally going crazy. I probably should have left the room, but in that moment I experienced something that I am calling "sensory overload" in my head, even though I know it's probably not the right word for it. It was just really weird, I felt like I was still taking in everything through my senses, but there was no focus anymore. I did not consciously see or hear things anymore, it was all just one big bubble of impressions surrounding me. I think the guy standing beside me touched my shoulder kind of supportively, but it took me quite a long time to notice that he had done it. In hindsight, I think I just stood there looking like a deer-in-the-headlights, waiting for them to leave. When they did I was fine pretty quickly. The experience stuck with me, though. Not really in a bad way, more as something that struck me as interesting, and that I would like to know more about.

I have also started noticing it in smaller scale in less "extreme" situations, for example that I don't understand what people are saying to me when I feel drained and I am in a crowd. Same goes for vision, where everything starts being a little blurry, and I don't notice the things anymore that I would usually notice. Have any of you made similar experiences? And if yes, how do you deal with it? I think option one for me would be to leave the room, but if that is not possible it helps having one person around to "ground" me. Someone who is very calm, and who I can stick close to.
 

ChocolateMoose123

New member
Joined
Oct 4, 2008
Messages
5,278
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Hello Everyone! :bye:

I am new to this forum (and actually it is the first forum I've ever joined, tbh I've never been a big fan of online interaction for some reason :huh:).

I've been lurking for a while, and I have read through many threads that helped me a lot in discovering new things about myself. Now I'm curious about something that I could not find an existing thread about. I am part of a very large student-organisation, and we go on conferences frequently. Depending on the conference they take around 3 to 5 days. Basically, the whole thing is pure stress for me. No chance to get some alone time, being forced to do long-term planning, lots of talking, but no possibility for direct action, etc. As a reaction after a while I get really uncomfortably emotional, which stresses me even more, because I'm not good at dealing with that either. So far pretty "typical" ISTP stuff I would say. Additionally I have also noticed a physical reaction though. On our last conference we were in a small room together talking, when suddenly a group of party people entered. They were really loud, and totally going crazy. I probably should have left the room, but in that moment I experienced something that I am calling "sensory overload" in my head, even though I know it's probably not the right word for it. It was just really weird, I felt like I was still taking in everything through my senses, but there was no focus anymore. I did not consciously see or hear things anymore, it was all just one big bubble of impressions surrounding me. I think the guy standing beside me touched my shoulder kind of supportively, but it took me quite a long time to notice that he had done it. In hindsight, I think I just stood there looking like a deer-in-the-headlights, waiting for them to leave. When they did I was fine pretty quickly. The experience stuck with me, though. Not really in a bad way, more as something that struck me as interesting, and that I would like to know more about.

I have also started noticing it in smaller scale in less "extreme" situations, for example that I don't understand what people are saying to me when I feel drained and I am in a crowd. Same goes for vision, where everything starts being a little blurry, and I don't notice the things anymore that I would usually notice. Have any of you made similar experiences? And if yes, how do you deal with it? I think option one for me would be to leave the room, but if that is not possible it helps having one person around to "ground" me. Someone who is very calm, and who I can stick close to.

It sounds like an extreme stress reaction more than anything else.

Maybe if you think it's coming on, excuse yourself and get some distance?

If you can get a room alone, pay extra? It would be worth it.
 
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