![]() Redirection for 30-60 seconds is enough to provide a sensory break Rings, watch faces, buttons, pens, key rings, keys can all be effective. Do not hesitate to be creative and improvise. Redirection - Redirect your attention to a task, comfort item, or fidget by focusing on it. ![]() This does take practice and guided meditation can help Mentally put a picture frame around the scene and attempt to blank out the rest. Visualization - If you can, practice focusing on a section of the environment. This provides a change of focus and simplification of focus Focus on the color of your sleeve for 30 seconds, or longer if the situation allows. This should partially obscure your vision. Up close singular focus - Casually touch your hand to your forehead. This will provide short, sensory breaks if you are in a meeting, performance, or event and is rarely noticeable to others Slow blinking - Blink slowly or close your eyes (for 3 seconds) every 5-20 seconds. ![]() a corner of the store, a vacant hallway, near a bathroom, etc) If you are going to a store or other community establishment, try to predetermine a safe space you might be able to go to if you start feeling anxious (i.e. Try and plan this in advance and notify a trusted teacher, staff member or lecturer. day habilitation program), go to a safe space such as a breakout room, meeting room, first aid room, or library. Safe Space - If you are at school, work, or other social place (i.e. Taking a drink of water while eating/snacking can be a highly effective strategy to cope with anxiety Hydrate - Hunger and dehydration affect feelings of wellbeing. If you are self-conscious about this, looking at your watch can help normalise how this may look to others and help you blend in If the environment allows, try jumping jacks, waving arms around or jogging on the spot. ![]() Movement - Intense bursts of movement or exercise can increase both adrenalin and serotonin. Positive Self Talk - Try positive self-talk statements such as – “I am safe, I can cope, this will be over/different soon”Ĭhange - If you can, safely move away from the stimuli to a calm, quiet or safe place, with less sensory input. Trace up and down each finger on one hand six times Young children can hold up five fingers and try to blow them out (like candles on a birthday cake)Ĭounting/Tracing - Count silently to thirty. You can check and adapt each strategy to suit your needs.Ĭheck-in - Let someone you trust know that you are feeling overwhelmedīreathing - Breathe in through your nose for (3) counts and out through your mouth for three counts. It is important to practice these strategies, plan them out and evaluate them in a calm, safe space. The strategies under “Anxiety/Feeling Overwhelmed” may also help across a range of sensory triggers. Just as every person is unique, so are the strategies that work best for you. The following are suggested strategies that may help both children and adults cope in situations where they experience sensory overload. Simply put, stimuli (sounds, sights, smells, texture, body awareness, movement, and balance) can cause sensory overload which can result in anxiety, fear, feeling overwhelmed, restlessness, irritability, or anger and may also trigger a fight, flight, or freeze response. Hypersensitivity occurs when any sensory stimuli interfere with environmental stability. Sensory hypersensitivity is common in children and adults with IDD ( especially autism), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
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