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Signs Your Body Is Overstimulated and How to Cope
Sometimes I don’t notice that I’m overstimulated right away. The signs and signals start out small. A flicker of tension behind my eyes. My shoulders tightening without my realizing. A low buzz of…
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Listening to Your Nervous System for Better Care
Self-care isn’t a one-size-fits-all checklist. It looks different from person to person. Some people enjoy physical activities such as yoga or hiking for their self-care needs. Other people might opt for a quieter…
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Squidy: The Stuffed Animal That Held My World Together
There’s an item from my childhood that I was incredibly attached to. His name was Squidy. He was a stuffed animal, though even now I couldn’t confidently tell you what kind. Maybe a dog. Maybe a…
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Why Do I Overreact? Understanding Emotional Responses
I always feel like I overreact. Especially because my reactions don’t always stay inside. Sometimes they show up in public—in parking lots, grocery store lines, or traffic when I’m already tired and just…
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Understanding AUDHD: Challenges and Strengths
Standing there, anxiously rubbing my hands together, I froze in silence. A million thoughts swirled in my mind, but I couldn’t translate them into words. Intense anxiety and sensory overload led me down…
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Embracing Both Solitude and Social Life
I genuinely crave solitude. I love being alone because it’s the only time I can fully unmask and be myself. I’m still quiet — I’m always quiet — but in solitude, I’m alive in a different way. I’m…
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Understanding Burnout vs. Shutdown: Key Differences
I’ve always prided myself on being resilient, hardworking, and dedicated. I push through long days, even when it’s emotionally exhausting. You know, the days when it feels like everything is on your plate, and you…
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Living with a Sensitive Nervous System
For most of my life, I’ve been told that I’m too emotional, too reactive, too quiet, too sensitive. But the truth is, my nervous system experiences the world differently. I’m affected by sounds,…
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Embracing Sensitivity: A Strength, Not a Flaw
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told that I’m too sensitive. And perhaps I am. I feel things intensely—criticism lands harder than it seems it should, changes in plans can unsettle…
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Understanding Overstimulation: Signs and Solutions
There are days when the world feels like it’s turned the volume all the way up and no one else seems to notice but me. It starts small. Maybe the tab in my shirt…
