Demystifying autism and overstimulation | Inside Our Autistic Minds

Chris Packham meets other autistic people from across the UK and helps them create short films to reveal to their family and friends what’s really going on inside their minds.

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[PhoenixFeathers]

I am 43, autistic, and feel completely invisible to society, yet I know I have talents. I am thinking of writing a book called “Invisible Me”. 😂

[cromfrein]

It's always good to see folks help remove the stigma associated with autism!

[TheVOLTAGEVIDEOS]

This is spot on!!! Sensory distress and sensory joy! Nailed it!

[SarahJigglypuff]

Trains are absolute hell for me. People talking loudly on the phone; people walking past who are wearing strong perfumes and aftershave; the lights in the carriages dimming and brightening according to the light outside; people brushing past me when I try to leave the train; and, of course, my favourite: every single carriage smelling of the on-train toilet. The joys of daily commute.

[JustMeImSami]

Being on my own Autism journey and only being diagnosed at 40, i completely understand where Chris is coming from when he finds everything overwhelming when it comes to public spaces. I am also a nature seeker, I am more at home among the trees and sounds of nature than I am anywhere else. To finally see someone explain this in an easy to understand way is simply a breath of fresh air. Suddenly I don't feel so alone. Thank you

[SharpDesign]

Seriously felt when he said about the market being an overstimulation. Somehow harder when you know it's coming. I wanted to walk away and I'm not even there.

[linden]

The sensory joy and comfort are wonderful. I marvel at things like dew drops on moss, the wind in trees, the patterns of waves, and my neurotypical friends and families just don't see it, but autistic friends do. For the bad stuff - I limit exposure, use ear plugs, sunglasses etc. It helps. I wouldn't change how I am, but I would change some social space design. I think it would benefit us all to have more sensory-friendly spaces and that there are things that impact non-autistic people too, it's just less obvious.

[lexruptor]

This is pretty accurate. We are aware of everything all the time.

[amandad]

I truly wish this full program was available outside of the UK. I’ve watched every clip multiple times already and would love to see the entire documentary.

[doodlenoodlex]

I’m an illustrator who’s autistic; I hate sudden noises and certain textures in food and change in routine. I’m only 20 and an afab trans person and accepted I was autistic at 18 years old. My way of managing “everyday life” is by wearing headphones with my favourite music on, wearing my favourite clothes and having a to do list. I sometimes want to draw what everything feels like. And like Chris, going to a market creates mass sensory overload; the noise of lots of people shopping and the occasional yell of someone promoting their goods and the intense gathering of colour and the crowded area. It’s overwhelming but I love going to markets that have a stall with my special interests on; I love music especially collecting CDs so if I know a market has a music stall I will try and go to it :)

[Edangiolino]

yes!! thats why i hate noise, but also i love the sound of the wind and rain and birds and all of nature and why i write poems about it. this is my experience in everyway. I freak out in supermarkets and towns and cities and artificial places. The sounds of nature are balenced. My worst sound is leaf blowers and chain saws. It makes me feel so overwhelmed its untrue. I need low sensory at home and around me.

[LilChuunosuke]

I'm 26 and autistic. I am most sensitive to sound, but I suffer from chronic pain largely in response to my sensitivity to bright lights.
It's so hard spending time with my non-autistic friends. They always want to take me to bright, noisy places that overwhelm my brain. I went to a busy restaurant yesterday for the first time since discovering I was autistic (I've always generally avoided them, so I haven't been to one in years) and I started to disassociate in the middle of my breakfast because I was so overwhelmed with the onslaught of noise.
That being said, even with all my sensory pains, I feel bad for them for not being able to enjoy the world the same way I do. Its worth the pain. Especially when I'm out in nature. I visit my local state park every single weekend as long as it is sunny. I am well known in my area as someone who always wears headphones in public. It helps me drown out sensory pains with more pleasant sounds. But when I visit my local park, putting headphones on is out of the question. I need to hear the waves lapping along the shoreline, the leaves rustling in the trees, the birds cawing, the rabbits racing through the brush, etc. I feel so profoundly at peace when I am out in nature. I could spend hours out there with my sketchbook, drawing whatever catches my eye. When I manage to drag my allistic friends to the park with me, it's hard for me not to feel a twinge of pity. They wouldn't be so bored if they could see and hear all the beautiful things I was experiencing.

[jmfs]

I used to get headaches as a child when my mother walked us through perfume departments even briefly. I go to a small grocery store co-op, instead of a big store. I shop at a tiny hardware store, instead of big box stores. I get sensory joy from playing music, or hearing music in machinery, or listening to wildlife, but humans I tire of very quickly.

[alyaalicekiki]

I got diagnosed Autistic @ 37, , growing up NT ( Neurotypical ) I had to learn to be okay with certain situations like a busy world and I remember my parents getting me my first Walkman that was it, I used / still use loud music to calm me in busy, loud situations. Everything is better and easier, when I am plugged into sound / music in my ears.. I hate shopping or traveling without being plugged in.. I also don’t like being in situations that are too quiet because sudden noises seem so loud, so even at home I use headphones to drown out noise.

[tracylocke]

I hope this explanation will help people understand autistic children having meltdowns in supermarkets. As a parent of 2 autistic children. I remember the shame I felt as people tutted and commented while my youngest particularly, screamed and shouted in the shops. That was before we had a diagnosis of course.

[biohackshq]

Understanding and supporting individuals on the spectrum is a step towards creating a more inclusive and empathetic world. Keep up the great work!

[jasonwoods]

Gee I can totally relate to this ...
Supermarkets are a nightmare for me I can hear everyone and everything in any size room ...
My sense of smell is mind blowing too !
I've had to move to the countryside because road noise where I lived was giving me migraines...
woodlands are havens because the sounds are beautifully calming !.

[paulgrant]

Chris Packham is doing for Autism what Steven Fry has done for Depression and Bipolar disorder what an incredible person!

[OperationDarkside]

Can confirm. I once didn't leave the house for about a month. Not because I wanted, but because I had to due to the sensory input outside. The modern world isn't very friendly to the autistic experience, although I would argue, that it isn't very friendly to neurotypical people either.

[flannerymonaghan-morris]

I still am a mystery to myself.

I was one of those people who got diagnosed with autism young—I was 2 years old when I was diagnosed. I am now 24.

I haven’t had a real meltdown in a time (it used to be worse when I was younger), and honestly, talking about masking and overstimulation is very relatable to me.

When I was younger, I used to become overstimulated during parties and in crowds and rooms with little kids—I’ve learned to handle it a lot better than before. I used to be scared of the blender, hand dryer, or anything sudden—which has gotten better over the years, and I wouldn’t wear clothing that was itchy with a tag in the back. I have sensitivity issues in regards to people putting things in my ear or in my eyes. I didn’t like it when certain songs were on the radio that I did not like (much more of a rock and roll gal than pop). I think I was much more severe when it comes to public places when I was younger compared to now.

I’ve been fine with the market relatively well. Never really have been overstimulated there.

Surprisingly enough, I can handle some loud noises that I prefer just fine (I love rock concerts) and all that…