ADHD and Overstimulation: What It Feels Like and How to Cope
By the clinical team at Next Step Psychiatry • Lilburn, GA
The world is a noisy place. Traffic on I-85, a packed restaurant on Buford Highway, the chaos of an open-plan office—sensory input is everywhere. Most people can filter it. But if you have ADHD, your brain may struggle to sort signal from noise, leaving you overwhelmed, irritable, or mentally shut down. This experience—sometimes called “ADHD overstimulation” or “sensory overload”—isn't an official diagnostic criterion, but it's very real for many of our patients in the Gwinnett County area.
What Is ADHD Overstimulation?
Overstimulation happens when your senses take in more information than your brain can comfortably process. Everyone has a threshold—think of being blinded by oncoming headlights or needing to step away from a deafening concert speaker. For people with ADHD, that threshold tends to be lower because the ADHD brain already has difficulty with attentional control: deciding what to focus on and what to ignore. Instead of filtering, it tries to process everything at once, and the system gets overloaded.
Common Triggers
- Loud or repetitive sounds: Construction noise, a TV left on in the background, someone tapping a pen
- Visual clutter: Crowded spaces, bright fluorescent lights, messy environments
- Tactile sensations: Scratchy clothing tags, certain food textures, unexpected physical contact
- Emotional intensity: Heated conversations, high-stakes work situations, large social gatherings
- Digital overload: Too many browser tabs, constant notifications, endless scrolling
10 Coping Strategies That Work
- Identify your personal triggers. Keep a brief log of situations that overwhelm you so you can anticipate and prepare.
- Use noise-canceling headphones. A simple investment that creates an instant buffer in noisy environments.
- Build “decompression time” into your schedule. After meetings, errands, or social events, give yourself 10–15 minutes of quiet.
- Reduce visual clutter. A tidy workspace and home environment can lower your baseline stimulation level.
- Practice grounding techniques. The 5-4-3-2-1 method (five things you see, four you feel, etc.) can pull you out of an overwhelm spiral.
- Limit multitasking. Focus on one thing at a time, even though your ADHD brain resists it.
- Set phone boundaries. Turn off non-essential notifications and batch-check messages at set times.
- Get outside. A walk through a quiet Lilburn neighborhood or a nearby park can reset your sensory system.
- Communicate your needs. Let coworkers, friends, and family know what helps and what doesn't.
- Work with a psychiatrist. Medication management can raise your threshold for overstimulation by improving attentional control.
When to Seek Professional Help
Overstimulation can also be a feature of anxiety, PTSD, autism, and other conditions. A proper diagnosis ensures you get the right treatment. At Next Step Psychiatry, Dr. Aneel Ursani and Fathima Chowdhury, PA-C conduct thorough evaluations to determine what's behind your symptoms—and build a plan that actually addresses them.
Call 678-437-1659 to schedule your appointment at our Lilburn, GA office.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.