I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, and I’ve noticed that I sometimes get sensory overload, when my kid (5, also neurodivergent) starts humming, or other loud conversations etc, I get physical pain from the sustain loud (or just high level) noise. I’ve been using my AirPod Pro with no music with just noise cancelling to help. Anyone else in a similar situation? What do you do to help?
I don’t have much to offer in the way of suggestions, but it is genuinely relieving to know I’m not the only one with this kind of issue.
On top of noise reducing earplugs, I’d also suggest that you try to figure out ways you can reset your stress/overwhelm levels. For me, that can be listening to music on headphones (a predictable noise, which helps settle me) or taking a shower. You can work with your partner (or family/friends/neighbors) to support you in avoiding situations that are triggering (preparing dinner, for me). You can have activities ready to entertain your child while you take care of yourself (maybe an audiobook on headphones for them, coloring pages, sensory play, etc).
The game is about managing things and identifying when you start to get overwhelmed. There’s no silver bullet, but lots of little steps can make a huge impact.