Sensory and Energetic Overload Can Happen When You are Having Fun, Too

I think it’s important for us to talk about protecting our energy in all ways, especially those of us that identify as HSP Empaths we can become energetically and sensory overloaded even during times we are enjoying. HSP Empaths especially have to be aware of protecting their energy and having clear boundaries around it.

I’ll use a personal example because I know many of you have said that you find that helpful. I went to my friend’s farm and spent about three hours there. It’s something I used to do regularly but there was always a feeling of about a two-hour limit before I would feel that I need a break. We have a great time and we talk a lot and I love spending time with all her animals. It’s a very positive experience but I  do experience overload if I stay too long.

On this particular day, I was enjoying myself and stayed longer but then my body told me I had enough because I started feeling nauseous. That happens to be one of the symptoms I experience when I engage in too much conversation and then need downtime or alone time to turn off stimulation from others.

Often my go-to is to take a bath because it gives me my alone time, the water is grounding and soothing, the bathroom is quiet and I can stay as long as I need. So my point in sharing this is that we continually have conversations about how we have to take care of ourselves in particular ways and stay attuned to our needs. Because I’ve learned how to do this I recognize when I’ve reached a limit and need time alone and I know what makes me feel better and I go do it. I used to ignore the cues and push past and then come home irritable because I ignored my need. It’s so much easier just to take care of my needs now.

Have you been able to set those types of healthy boundaries in your life where you can recognize what your body is telling you and go take care of its need?

It might be inspiring to share ideas about this with each other.  I would love to hear from you in the comments below and here are some responses from members of our Sensitive Empowerment Community that might be helpful to you…

• Wow, this community is like a gold mine to me, I never thought that I would relate to so many wonderful people! So much validation and healing. Reading this thread I now have more of an understanding of why I thought that I was an extrovert when I was younger. I would literally buzz off of group energy! Then crash for days afterward. But also realizing that I am not a failure for struggling with my last job - high stress with only a 20 min break in 8 (always) plus hour day. I don’t understand why society encourages this type of attitude to just work until exhaustion and wear continual overtime as a badge of honor. I saw others in the company doing it and used to question why I struggled so much and what was wrong with me. Now understanding my HSP empathic, I was not giving myself any time to process or recharge. Plus taking on everyone’s energy around me. To see this now is very healing. Learning so much about the importance of boundaries, listening to my body, and doing what’s best for me, even if others don’t understand or like it. Like I said this community is a gold mine of shared experiences!

• I love this post, thank you so much for sharing your life with us, this kind of genuine vulnerability is so strengthening and validating to me. I too can get overstimulated by positive events. We were also talking about this in the context of how as HSP’s we can absorb all that energy and appear as extroverts. I see this in myself. When I am in a crowd of say creative people, my energy level goes way up and my engagement with them is amplified. I too for many years had no clue this was happening and why I was so exhausted for several days afterward.  Awareness is such a gift, when I am aware of this energy absorption and what that tingly, buzzing, dizzy feeling is like I know that I am really getting a lot of energy buildup and need to ground it out. Over time, you’re right, we get this sense of how long we can be at different kinds of things, and then when it gets close to that marker we can gracefully bow out. I am loving reading everyone’s responses, this community is truly so special. My heart feels that deep sense of belonging here. ❤️ 

• I think it's knowing when you need this time out and time to yourself, even if you're unable to leave a social setting completely, taking a few moments to yourself can be a great distraction.  I remember at family gatherings that I'd take some time to walk around the garden outside or even another area inside and immerse myself in looking at paintings or artworks in the home.  I found this really calming.  I've also learned to say "No" to things that require too much organizing, late driving, or are simply unmanageable to attend.

• I get this. When there are parties I love to go and dance for hours. I used to dance nonstop till 3 or 4 am but be so wreaked the next day. I would ignore the little voice inside telling me to go home because I was having so much fun. Now when I hear the voice, I stop, say goodbye, and leave ❤️

• I loved your conversation with Dr. Orloff. It's so helpful to know ways to balance these traits. As an HSS HSP Empath, I crave new experiences, but when my stomach gets in knots I know it's been too much for me.  All I have to do is say "I need my me time" and my husband knows exactly what that means. I'll usually take a bath or take time to do my nails, those things always help me recharge.

• Yes, I so relate to this! The last time we went to the beach I found it hard to leave but was glad I listened to my gut, even though I stayed a bit longer than I needed, but not like I used to. I mostly feel mentally frazzled/tired and unsettled when I am overstimulated and I get more sensitive to light and sound. I used to think that once I was overstimulated that was it for the rest of the day but I've noticed that I can actually recover if I have the right kind of break and I haven't let it go too long, which is a huge win.

• I've learned to listen to my body over the past year. My body and I have become friends now:) I got so emotionally drained the past week.. my body couldn't take it.. got brain fog and a high level of fatigue..so I gave myself the permission to fully rest for a couple of days and disconnect from social media, now back to restoring my energy 🙏

• Thank you for this post. I have been noticing now that I cannot watch a lot of TV. Usually, I like it and have been thinking that it is relaxing. However, as I've been learning more about myself, I find this activity is not restoring energy. For a short time, it may give me a break, but for a longer time, I am not feeling restored. I still have a lot to learn, but I am grateful for what I am learning now! 

• I remember times when all my dreams seemed to come true and I was an emotional wreck. Exhausted and depleted so I know what you are talking about. It takes great daily discipline to carve time out of a day, every day to rest and recover. The computer is a great distractor. I feel like I have lived on an adrenaline high, moving fast and thinking that was cool. I now know to slow down but it might take a bit of saying "no" and arranging my schedule to block "me" time.

• Thank you so much for this post❣️ I can absolutely relate to sensory overload even when you're enjoying yourself. It happens to me every time even when I just meet up with a friend I enjoy being with. We can have a lovely time but afterward I usually feel extremely tired, depleted, and overwhelmed - sometimes even depressed and need a lot of alone time to recharge. I'm still learning tools and techniques to better listen to my needs when there's a social outing so that sensory overload doesn't affect me as much.

• I am becoming increasingly aware of when I'm reaching that point of needing to have alone time and recharge. One area where I have recently become aware of this is when I'm feeling more irritable and getting snippy with my partner. I realize it has nothing to do with her and almost all to do w/ me simply needing to be alone. I didn't realize how much alone time I needed. We've spent so much time together this past year plus and most of the time I love her company but sometimes I truly need to be alone - not even around my dogs! And I'm working on not feeling guilty for that or that I'm going to hurt someone's feelings.

• Yes! We are coming to the end of a three-day extravaganza for a big birthday for my partner, with 4 different celebrations with different family members and friend groups. I’m exhausted.... yet I noticed last night that I actually get “high” when I’m in the midst of a party sometimes... like my body and mind are electrified and I’m absolutely on fire. It seems so strange to me that this can also be “me” when I usually am so quiet and need so much alone time. It’s so fascinating starting to observe myself in this way.

• Wow, thank you for speaking about this. I did not know other people experienced this. This used to happen to me often and still does currently from time to time. Especially if I am sharing excitement, joy, laughter with people, or enjoying group sport/adrenaline-inducing scenarios. My body would physically react to the overstimulation by shaking (it would be like I drank ridiculous amounts of caffeine) and it would take me a good while to process and call down from. In extreme cases, it would make me feel sick or just uncomfortable.

• At a certain point of my healing from burnout, I realized the most damage had been done by the really “up” times, the super creative times, classes, collective projects that were so easy to just keep going forward on way past the point of exhaustion, because of all the dopamine, etc. The peak experiences! I didn’t know! I would just keep giving and giving. The boring chores etc seemed draining and horrible at the time but were actually so much easier to stop doing or delegate. This all applies so much now that here where I am we can go out in the world again. I am really having to stay conscious about not doing too much, and about my reactions in certain spaces that seem to be more draining than others.

• I am beginning to see clients and have to not let my energy get drained so deeply. When I am like this, and it is hot, I feel nauseous I am so wiped out. I just realized this is a symptom of emotional depletion.

• I can relate to the feeling of dizziness and nauseous! Helps to know others have experienced the same. I’m getting better about voicing when I’ve had enough, and as politely as I can, say that I need to go.

• Boy, am I going through this too - exhausted by too much conversation.

• I love this conversation! I’m really new at paying attention to my body signals. I have noticed that I have the most balanced days if I can, 1) start my day alone with meditation (sometimes I read something or listen to recorded affirmations before meditation), 2) I eat for nourishment & hydrate my body, 3) I take breaks during the day to step outside and breathe or catch 5 mins of sunshine. Taking a 20 min power nap or meditation when I get home has been helpful but sometimes I feel like “I don’t have time for that” which is counterintuitive because if I don’t make the time, I don’t have the capacity to be successful at any task. I’m so grateful to be a part of this community where I fit right in and everyone completely understands the challenges of high sensitivity. Thank you all for being here!💕

It can be so validating to share these experiences together. Did you relate? Love to hear from you in the comments below! Plus, I warmly invite you to join our daily deep and connecting discussions, join live events and make kind-hearted HSP friends in this supportive, positive, inclusive, conscious HSP community.

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Julie Bjelland is a Psychotherapist specializing in high sensitivity, host of The HSP Podcast, and Founder of the Sensitive Empowerment Community, whose mission is to create a paradigm shift where sensitivity is embraced, valued, and honored. Julie offers multiple essential resources for educating, inspiring, and empowering HSPs. Register for her free Masterclasses and profoundly transform your life in her courses and community. Her HSP Dating Group is a safe space bringing together conscious, kind, caring HSPs (both Hetero and LGBTQ+). Her HSPs in Business Group supports and empowers sensitive people to grow heart-centered businesses, share their voices, and be part of the change the world needs. Explore Julie’s website dedicated to supporting HSPs and download a free letter to give medical and mental health professionals about high sensitivity. ❤️🌈❤️ (she/her)