What can excessive sensory input lead to in individuals?

Excessive sensory input can lead to sensory overload, which occurs when the amount of stimuli received exceeds an individual’s capacity to process or cope with that information. This can result in feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed, as the brain struggles to filter and make sense of the barrage of sensory information. Symptoms of sensory overload may include irritability, difficulty concentrating or focusing, and physical reactions such as headaches or increased heart rate.

In contrast, heightened sensory integration and increased focus on tasks would imply a positive outcome from sensory input, which differs from what occurs during sensory overload. Decreased sensitivity, on the other hand, suggests a dulled response to sensory information, which is not consistent with the concept of being overwhelmed. Sensory overload specifically illustrates the negative effect of excessive stimuli, highlighting the importance of understanding individual sensory thresholds in a therapeutic or caregiving context.