environments that cause sensory overload...

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I was wondering what types of environments cause you guys sensory overload,
that is, those of you who do suffer from sensory overload.

I know that sensory overload meltdowns often occur after a days exposure to sensory information,
so sometimes meltdowns do not occur after the sufferer experiences just one of the high sensory environments

just wondering however, what kind of environments you people consider to be a high sensory environment / meltdown triggering environment (whether literally triggers meltdowns on encountering or one of the environments that causes agitation that if built up upon causes meltdowns).

The grocery store. The shopping mall. in general very busy retail stores, I try to go right when they open or late at night so it's not so bad if I need something. And if allowed I bring my dog, he calms me down.

Also bars, loud restaurants. Pretty much anyplace with loud music with a bunch of people talking at once and people moving about. I can't filter, I can hear and see everything all at once and have trouble following conversations of people at my table. Its exhausting. I find usually I'm ok on a patio dining area though.

Also, I don't really get meltdowns but shutdowns instead or a migraine. And I agree that it's usually when pressed to do it to often to close together that causes the shutdown.

Sure. I understand.

For me i also find the shopping malls difficult due to so much information in every direction,
loads of different people moving, making noise. Loads of food isles, loads of colourful, and strong smells.
Loads of lights, noisy checkouts making electronic beeps and noises.

Travelling on the Bus also is a real nightmare.

Even walking on the beach can be a nightmare on a bad day, people to navigate around, dogs barking,
cars passing on the road nearby, the crashing of the waves in the background (which can be loud if the wind is high).

My own living accommodation is often high sensory also due to the neighbours constant relentless tv watching.

Please, if you agree in any of the above or have even more. Please go ahead.

Loud crowds. The noise and possibly the charged emotion in the air is just too much.

Intrusive sounds in a quiet environment are far worse than a blaze of sensory input in the high street or shopping mall.

Places with a lot of background noise (TV, fans, people talking, foot steps, etc.)

Bright environments (very sunny weather, well lit rooms, etc.)

Excess socialization (being with groups of more than two people, classrooms, talking to more than a few people throughout the day, etc.)

"Cluttered" environments (towns and cities with a lot of cars, buildings, signs, etc.; messy rooms with a lot of items; trying to complete more than one task like cooking multiple dishes or working on multiple assignments, etc.)

For me the worst are large stores like grocery stores or box stores like walmart. But also anywhere that has crowds, loud sounds or music, bright lights especially LED lights, movement like cars going by on a busy street. But really any environment can end up being overloading for me depending on the day. Also, the severity of my sensory overload doesn't always have to do with if I have a meltdown or not. I can get really bad brain fog and have trouble thinking, speaking, and moving. Sort of the opposite of a meltdown.

The 4th of (expletive deleted) July, easily my most hated and dreaded holiday, followed very closely by Xmas, where stupidity reigns supreme.

When we first moved here I was out driving on the 5th of July: I saw first one very small kitten flattened in the road followed ten yards later by another one. I know beyond a doubt that the fireworks scared them into the street hoping to get away from the stupid-human-noises

DIVAIR

Children give me sensory overload. I could probably cope better if I were in a busy supermarket if there were no small children. I think I'm just hypersensitive or hyperaware of their noise and energy and unpredictability. I feel all jumpy when people's kids are near me and they touch me. I just want to get away. The only way I can bring myself to deal with the presence of small children is to spend more time around my little nieces and nephews, but thanks to lockdown I can't do that.

Big box stores where customers walk around like space cadets / drones
Any stores with announcements, music (particularly dance music), and bright lights
Stores with a colour theme

Waiting rooms
Waiting rooms where they have a TV going
Waiting rooms where they have a radio going
Waiting rooms where they have a TV and a radio going
Waiting rooms where you hear phones ringing and reception talking on the phone
Waiting rooms where they call people's name and make enthusiastic small talk with everyone
(There's a theme here)

Any shop or street where people aren't aware of personal space
People standing aimlessly in front of displays or blocking aisles

Weddings and large gatherings of enthusiastic noisy people

Very loud music. I have to get out of there as quickly as possible because it gives me so much mental pain inside and feel like crying. It gets so bad so quickly.

Funny enough however, alcohol makes it not even nearly as triggering. Still dislike it though in that case.

Uhmmm. I can tell you what triggers shutdowns. Certain smells, like hospital smells and cleaning product smells or strong smells of soap. One shop I went in decided to put a whole long isle near the entrance full of soap, shampoo and other scented products so by the time I passed through that one way isle ("In" only doors at the entrance) I was in trouble and I could feel myself in a partial shutdown which was threatening to become a full on shutdown.
All I could do was while I was still standing was to go as quickly as I was able (Not easy while ones body feels like one is wearing a heavy suit of armour due to partial shutdown mode) and get out of there pushing past a closed till to do it and get out the shop and sit on the floor somewhere quiet and shady to recover.

I refer to this as "run kitty run", like the way cats will run when they don't like something: just don't back the kitty into a corner, cuz it's gunna get U-L-G-Y!

What makes matter worse is when the little brats are screamin', or worse, little tiny dogs barking, and I flinch or cover my ears, and the parent looks at me like I'm over reacting, and I'm thinking something like, "I bet an alligator could swallow that little dog in one gulp, that would be pretttty cool right about now..."

DIVAIR

YES

I forgot to mention scents. The chemical aisle of any shop, food vendors, florists, perfume-people who chase you for a spritz. It's all unbearable for me. Scented body products should be banned, considering most places are now supposed to be fragrance free.

Yes. Forgot to mention, ERs. I've been in plenty bc of my mom. Usually we only have to wait for a few minutes bc its always serious. But even a few minutes is overwhelming.

And dr offices with the TV etc as stated above. Having my moms service dog helps. She sits between us and calms us both down, but it's still difficult. Especially since I need to be at my best to discuss my moms health with the doc.

Being on hold on the phone, when they play that horrible synthesiser jazz which sounds like bad 1970s porn music.

And you have to listen to it on a loop for hours sometimes.

One time I was on hold with an airline for ten hours.