top of page

Jackie Schuld Art Therapy Blog

The Hidden Impact of Our Autistic Sensory System

There are some obvious things I don’t like as an autistic:


Fluorescent lights. The minute they are turned on, I immediately squint and their odd hum grates against me.


Exhaust. As soon as it hits my nose, it’s like an immediate headache and I quickly switch my car vents off.


Then there are some things that are not so obvious. Things that are slowly grating away at my sensory system and I don’t even realize it.


So how do I know it’s happening at all?


The minute it stops, I experience a sense of relief. Sometimes I verbally sigh.


For example, the minute the AC switches off in my apartment, I immediately feel better. I was so busy before that I didn’t notice its subtle blowing.


This is how our autistic sensory system can sneak up on us.


Illustration of a large bull driving a small vehicle with an angry expression of their face by artist Jackie Schuld.
Illustration by Jackie Schuld

Another example is riding in the car. It’s a lot of noise. It doesn't instantly bother me, but after about an hour or so, I find myself getting tired. If someone is trying to talk to me while in the car, I get exhausted even faster. I’m working so hard to hear them and focus on the conversation above all of the other noise and visual stimulation.


Another clue is that the minute the car shuts off, I like to just sit in silence and enjoy the peace for a minute.


I know other autistics have these experiences as well. I hear them from my autistic clients all of the time.


It’s one of the reasons I wanted to write this essay. As autistics, moving about in the world and focusing on other things (work, friends, family, whatever is at hand, etc.), we can forget that our sensory systems are still taking in a lot of information and processing it. It can slowly sap our mental and physical energy without us even realizing it.


This is one of the reasons I encourage autistics to take quiet breaks, even when they don’t feel overstimulated. Just because we don’t feel something is grating on us, doesn’t mean our sensory system isn’t processing a lot. When we take time to step away, such as taking a peaceful moment in the bathroom or a brief pause out on the balcony, we give our sensory systems a chance to rest and recharge.


Honoring our sensory system will also increase our energetic capacity throughout the day.

Thank you for reading. If you’d like to read more, sign up for my FUNletter. If you would like to explore your autistic identity with an autistic therapist, you can learn more about my therapy services here.

4 Comments


Zelfs voor nieuwe spelers die experimenteren met online casino's is iDEAL ongelooflijk gebruiksvriendelijk en vereenvoudigd voor Nederlandse spelers. Transacties verlopen moeiteloos dankzij de taalaanpassing en een https://medium.com/@gamblinggamblin/casino-met-ideal-en-een-gebruiksvriendelijke-d3bad80e0f1e herkenbare gebruikersinterface die direct is gekoppeld aan nabijgelegen banken. Spelers van alle niveaus kunnen zonder zorgen of verwarring aan de slag dankzij het gebruiksgemak.

Like

jack owen
jack owen
Jun 21

Looking for a dependable Assignment Helper in Ireland? Visit ie.greatassignmenthelp.com for expert academic assistance across all major subjects and levels. Our qualified writers deliver 100% original, well-researched assignments that align with Irish university standards. Whether it's essays, dissertations, case studies, or reports, we ensure timely delivery, 24/7 support, and student-friendly pricing. Designed to reduce academic stress, our services are trusted by students across Ireland. If you're struggling with tight deadlines or complex topics, our professional assignment helpers are here to help you succeed. Get expert support today and take your academic performance to the next level!

Like

Adam Coyl
Adam Coyl
Jun 16

Not everyone has the time to write a perfect essay, and that’s where pay to write essay options come in handy. PayForEssay has been my go-to for over a year. The team knows what they’re doing, and the papers are always well-researched. Plus, they let you choose the academic level and complexity of your work.

Like

At every stage of the paper writing analysis, students who reach out to Assignment Help US get a great opportunity to express their opinions. They are always available to help you with any element of your online project. The help has earned a good reputation for generating high-quality work in the accounting assignment help market. They promise to produce high-quality work on time. As you will learn when you use the "Pay someone to do my law assignment" service, nothing else can give content like ours.

Like

Want to read more on topics that interest you?  
Subscribe to my FUNletter.

What topics interest you Required

Thanks for submitting!

bottom of page