Sensory Needs Quiz- Your Sensory Needs Assessment - Autism and ADHD Sensory Processing Integration
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- čas přidán 23. 05. 2024
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Have you ever found yourself feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or simply drained by your surroundings? It's not uncommon to experience these emotions, especially in a world that's constantly buzzing with activity and stimuli. But what many people don’t realize is that these feelings could be closely tied to our sensory needs. Understanding and acknowledging our unique sensory preferences is like discovering the secret code to feeling more comfortable and at ease in our daily lives. In this video, we’ll explore what your specific sensory needs are in each of 7 sensory areas, and we’ll talk about how you can adapt to them. Because this can help you regulate your emotions and improve your mental health.
So, let’s jump in.
OK, first a disclaimer, this is not an official psychological assessment. You should always work with your individual providers as you explore what your individual needs are. An Occupational Therapist or a Mental Health provider skilled in sensory processing disorders can help you get tailored interventions.
That being said, we all know that you can learn a ton from the internet, and this is one of those cases. We aren’t diagnosing you with anything, we’re just exploring what your sensory needs might be so that you can adjust your actions and environment to help yourself be more relaxed and regulated throughout the day.
We’re going to explore 6 main sensory needs areas. With each item, you can evaluate whether you are a sensory seeker, sensory avoider, or neutral. Then we’ll talk about a few ways that you can adapt to meet your needs. Again- if you’d like to learn more, there’s a bunch of great books out there that go into more detail about how to accommodate these sensory needs. For one- “A buffet of sensory interventions” is great.
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I am someone who is a full on seeker of most sensory experiences, except visual, but I am very easily overwhelmed. So to be happy and secure, I need a lot of stimulation, but when I have what I like I soon become overstimulated and can't focus on what needs to be done. I am most productive when I am sad and inert because I have no sensory input to distract me, but then of course I am miserable. I have been struggling to get through this issue for years.
for those who experience menstrual cycles out there- it's worth considering your different menstrual seasons/phases and how this affects your sensory preferences :) I'm going to fill out the checklist during each season to see how this differs!
I have struggled with misophonia and its really important for me to just take time to be somewhere quiet sometimes. Even small noises can add up to my overall discomfort before it all explodes in my face when I have an overreaction to a seemingly normal noise.
Me too! I feel guilty over my aversion and anger to some sounds. Like I know my boyfriend hates to eat around me because he can see how tense I get
While I appreciate that using the term 'preferences' means that all people are explicitly included and maybe also means other stuff too
I also know that For me, it's not a preference. It's a need. One I've unknowingly ignored for my life time. But aside from that, I need to acknowledge that it's a need due to the intensity and severity of my reaction which usually includes rage and or self injurious behaviour.
Thank you for being inclusive and considerate and for this video 😊
thanks! i dont have adhd or autism, but am really creative, like visual stimulation, and like working with my hands, so this was really fun to visually fill out the chart and have it while you spoke cuz it's harder for me to concentrate on just someone speaking for a long time without the visual aid/stimulation.
i learned i need to prioritize minimizing the noise coming from my roommate's room for me to feel better regulated, and maybe try to find quieter hours to work!
i also learned i need to prioritize saving to buy more comfortable seating in my house, as well as a table that's not my desk for a nice place to sit and eat as well.
have a great day:)
This is interesting, I thought I liked a quiet, simple life, but this quiz has made me realise I seek a lot from the world around me. Love a roller coaster 🤩
Wow. This made me cry. I’m so cogniscent of the little people in my life but when you mentioned food and scent sensitivities it hit home. But at the same time you started to talk about auditory noise and I had been going crazy as I do every eve with the noise and grunts my dog makes. Thank you!!!!
This is great...I seem to know all the sensory input I avoid...but it's fun to discover all the sensory seeking that goes on! Great video, thanks!
This made me realize that my sensory needs are very different to when I was a kid. Things like Propri and social touch are way more avoidant now. I wonder if my accepting boundary just shrunk up over time.
I’m a sensory avoiding but I work with kids that are sensory seeking. How can I make my classroom the best for both of us?
Thanks so much for this! Especially liked the disclaimer to not completely avoid things.
Side note - I hope you're doing ok! You seemed slightly overwhelmed in this video and there were a couple small mistakes (like repeating "offer stability aids" at 18:40ish - probably just a minor editing mistake tho 😊)
In any case, these past two videos have really helped me make sense of what helps me and what doesn't help me, particularly if I'm feeling overwhelmed. If I'm happy or having a good day, often those things won't bother me as much, but it's good to know what I need to seek out and what to avoid temporarily if I'm feeling completely overwhelmed.
Just thinking about #6 gave me tinnitus, I think it’s safe to say I’m avoidant to auditory stimulation. May I add that my fiancé has Tourettes and chronic couch. I try to avoid annoying sounds but I can’t always make myself comfortable. Thank you for your video. ❤
Interesting little questionnaire. I never really thought about my sensitivities before, but maybe I should pay more attention to them. What I'm curious about though, is when I'm in a heavily triggered and panicked state, I become intolerant of like... all of the senses. It's like having a bad migraine. Is this normal? What do you do?
besides grounding and breathing and things you personally might do when you're already in a panicked state.. i think if you dont really pay attention to your senses normally, maybe taking some time /before/ you need it to have quiet, time alone, gentle physical movement, or other low sensory things could help you be more prepared when there is more sensory input. plus, setting time aside to do an activity that's in your seek column might help you learn how to engage with your senses more:)
I get that too. When I'm overstimulated sensorically or emotionally, when I'm ill or generally overwhelmed. But besides getting sensory avoidant I also get easily irritated and tired and achy, so I see it as my nervous system getting overwhelmed and not being able to process more input, be it external stimuli like sounds, internal like pain, other people's emotions or new information.
When I'm in that state I try to cut down the input, especially stressors. I go somewhere quiet and dark, breathe, then (if I remember 😅) I try to connect with my body and see what bothers me the most so I can take care of that, then I repeat. The more I do it the more I know myself, so it gets easier to both prevent and deal with overwhelm.
Oh, I'm also learning to ask for hugs (because hugs help me unless I'm really overstimulated) and inform people close to me what's up
Thank you for this very helpful content. It really makes it clear where my sensory needs are.
I find that everyday life takes me out of my comfort zone often enough (uncomfortable clothes, noisy places etc), so it doesn't seem like there's much chance of getting stuck in avoiding!
Note: Your video/description is missing the promised chapter links so I can't jump to the sections I'm most interested in.
I’ve had a theory for over a decade that people who have lots of tattoos, listen to heavy speed-metal, attend loud concerts/clubs/bars and do drugs are folks that require a lot of stimulus for, say, pleasure (might also explain masochism but I won’t go there).
Then there’s ole me…an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person). Happiest during power outages when the blissful quiet happens as the HVAC doesn’t run, the fridge doesn’t make a noise, the transformer or mains hum has disappeared, the tiny power lights on modern tech are off, the street lights don’t pour their photons through my window, automotive noises lessen….peace at last. All good if the temperature remains comfortable.
Wow got this just when I needed…🙏🙏🙏🦉
Thanks for this video! And thank you for including adults who have sensory needs!
Been watching you for years, so happy that you built a huge audience so that we all can learn from you. thank you so much for doing what you do to help by the masses.
Yes i have, Thank you again Emma and a thousand blessings.
My very next test / exercise to do this weekend..🙏🙏🙏🙏
This is so much fun to follow thank you so much
Thanks! :) I've just finished the quiz - very helpful :)
Super helpful. Thank you 🌸💐🌷🌼🌻🌺
thanks for this topic. it will help a lot of people
Does avoiding wind fall into any of the catagories? I'm not sure if it's the feeling in my ears but it is completely overwhelming to me, thought it was pretty odd til I mentioned it to my Nana and she also has the same thing!
Great video, loved the ideas to expand on things I am seeking more of too, not just avoid things. I feel like some things have also changed as I've gotten older eg I used to love rollercoasters but don't anymore. Or I used to strongly dislike hair in my face, but have found it's not so irritating anymore.
Thank you ! This is so beneficial. I will share with others 🙏🏻 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you! I have been wondering about this!
I did this for myself- but also with what i know of my family and think it'll help us as family
Like two of us differently need vestibular things (rocking chairs or swing), and one needs headphones (auditory seeker )to help out the other two auditory avoiders.
thank you for everything
Thank you for this very informative, interesting and very helpful video!
Extremely useful, thanks a lot ❤
I usually carry earplugs with me.
This was so good! I liok forward to more videos ❤
Thanks to this video, I got a ball to roll under my feet while working at my desk
I hate noise, but my homeschooled child LOVES noise. He wears headphones to listen to music so he can have auditory stimulation and I only have to hear the environment.
So what if you put yourself as neutral or mixed for every example given? Like for me, it’s really dependent on the context, my mood that day and the needs of my child
I would like to point out that the advice to not "overdo" sensory avoidance and try gradual exposure doesn't apply to everyone.
Studies with autistic individuals have found that some sensory sensitivities will actually increase with repeated exposure, not decrease.
The properioception one is hard for me, I feel I was a seeker as a child but because of SA and the body issues that come from that I no longer feel safe to move, take in space and be touched by people, definitely more on the avoiding side now.
Hi..just wondering if you can make video on trauma from substance abuse; its really affecting my mental health, in negative way
What are some books you recommend relating to this topic ??
A number of these things actually cause me to get sick from the over stimulation
what can I do if I have several areas equality seeking and avoiding?
What about the feeling of being full or your blood pumping theough your veins?
The visual one is interesting as I knew it would be… I’m a seeker overall but I cannot stand action movies and super high def stuff, i think it’s more almost proprioception for me or distracting to the main story of the movie. There’s just too much going on. Other than that and eye contact I’m a yes for the rest of that list!!
I get touch and sound overload and it feels like my head is going to explode if someone talks or touches me
well I was praying in my head so I think she is a witch
I have wanted to get some therapy for quite a while. Most therapists are very liberal or progressive women. (I am a woman.) My politics are conservative with strong libertarian leanings. I know that progressives think consevatives are stupid/evil and guilty of all the -isms. For that reason, I haven't persued therapy. Imagine my dissapointment to see you've intentionally placed a keffiyeh so it can be seen in your videos lately. I have no dog in that particular fight. Why bring politics to your channel? So unnecessary and unprofessional.
This is 100% what I needed after your last video but was too afraid to ask for… 🫤 lol that statement speaks for itself…
I am shocked to find out just how sensitive I am in every single category. I know I am an H.S.P., but I didn't realize how far reaching my need for calm and quiet and smooth was.
but I do instinctively know I need to put myself in uncomfortable situations sometimes and I do.