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Why Sensory Overload in Teens Feels Like Panic

Meagan Burkhart
Published: 01/26/2026 | Updated: 01/26/2026
Authored by: Meagan Burkhart,
Edited by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology
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For some teens, everyday sights, sounds, and textures can feel like too much, too fast. Because brains process sensory and social information differently, the same situation can feel manageable for one teen and overwhelming for another. That overwhelming state is often called sensory overload.1

Being in a state of sensory overload can feel a lot like a panic attack. The body may react quickly and intensely, even when there is no immediate danger. While anxiety disorders are often linked to sensory overload symptoms, other mental health conditions can also cause symptoms, including ADHD and autism. This article will focus on sensory overload in teens and will cover the following topics:

  • How sensory sensitivity relates to mental health
  • Common sensory overwhelm symptoms
  • Sensory processing in anxiety, ADHD, and autism
  • Coping with sensory overload panic for teens
teen girl sitting outside at school against wall with knees pulled to chest and head buried in arms with headphones on wanting help with why sensory overload in teens feels like panic

Sensory Sensitivity and Mental Health

Sensory sensitivity is how strongly a person notices and reacts to sensory input, including changes in sound, light, touch, and internal bodily sensations. When someone is more sensitive to sensory input, their brain may take in more information at once, which can make everyday environments feel overwhelming. Issues with how the brain processes sensory information can be linked to a variety of mental health issues. We refer to the personality trait associated with heightened social, emotional, and physical sensitivity as sensory processing sensitivity. This is thought to be a genetically based personality trait, with sensory processing sensitivity varying in each person depending on how their nervous system functions.2

There are different types of sensory input that the brain needs to process. Some of this information comes from inside the body, while other information comes from external sensory sources, such as sights, sounds, and physical sensations. The processes for managing the different types of information are called interoception (how the brain senses internal body signals) and exteroception (how the brain processes information from the outside world). Some mental health conditions are linked to altered interoceptive or exteroceptive processing, which can contribute to sensory overload.2

In the next section, we will explain in detail how different sensory overwhelm symptoms may present in teens.

Common Sensory Overwhelm Symptoms

Different types and intensities of sensory input can trigger sensory overwhelm symptoms in adolescents. By asking subjects to describe how it feels to be overstimulated, psychologists have been able to better understand how sensory overload is experienced. A recent study that focused on individuals with autism uncovered a few key themes in how they experience sensory overload, which we will discuss below:3

Invasion of the Body

Examples of symptoms in this category include being physically overwhelmed by sensory input, feeling like you can’t escape what is happening, unsettling sensations in the body, and feeling like personal boundaries are being crossed. 

Disruption in Perception of Time and Space

This category encompasses symptoms related to changes in perception, including being unable to filter out irrelevant background information, being easily caught off guard, and feeling like everyday stimuli are too intense or too close.

Blocking Access to Meaning

Being unable to concentrate and make sense of everything going on around you is another sign of sensory overload. Some people also experience dissociation during sensory overload where they seem to shut down momentarily and lose tough with their thoughts and emotions.

Negative Feelings Related to Other People

Feeling that others around you are too close and invading your personal space is common in sensory overload, even if, objectively, people are not too close to you. Another sensory overwhelm symptom in this category is being overstimulated by certain aspects of a person, such as a bold haircut or a high-pitched voice, which can lead to avoiding the person.

Extreme Emotional and Biological Responses

Anger, irritation, anxiety, and anxious anticipation are all common emotional reactions to sensory overload. This can also produce a feeling of mental or physical exhaustion, which may lead to problems with daily functioning.

Many of these symptoms can easily be confused with those of a panic attack, which is why sensory overload feels like panic to many teens. Next, we will explain the differences between sensory overload across different mental health conditions to better understand what could be the underlying cause of your child’s experience.

Sensory Processing in Anxiety, ADHD, and Autism

As explained above, sensory overload can occur in teens with a number of different mental health conditions. In this section, we will focus on how sensory processing issues may affect teens with anxiety, ADHD, or autism.

Sensory Processing Differences in Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition affecting adolescents today. According to the DSM-5, anxiety disorders in adolescents include social anxiety disorder (SAD), specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), separation anxiety, selective mutism, and agoraphobia.4

In general, adolescents with anxiety disorders often have a harder time processing sensory stimuli. One common symptom that crosses over multiple anxiety disorders is heightened sensitivity to the environment. This manifests through increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system, often described as the body’s “fight or flight” response. The result of the increased activity can cause a nervous system overload, panic symptoms, and strong physical reactions. For example, teens with anxiety experiencing sensory overload and panic might have an elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, chest pain, and nausea.4,5

ADHD Sensory Overwhelm

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health condition affecting children and adolescents. Children with ADHD often experience sensory processing difficulties, including reacting faster, longer, or more intensely than what is expected in response to stimuli.6,7 

Tactile processing difficulties and sensory overwhelm are common for children with ADHD. This can lead to issues with completing daily tasks like brushing their hair or getting dressed. In addition, hypersensitivity to sounds can cause children with ADHD to feel overwhelmed in a classroom with many distracting background noises. While a typical child might easily tune out the ticking of a clock or the hum of an air conditioner, a child with ADHD may become overwhelmed by the different noises and fail to concentrate on a given task.6,7

Other senses can also be impacted by hyperarousal in ADHD, including vision, balance, and sense of smell. When several sensory demands build up at once, some children with ADHD will experience panic and anxiety due to overstimulation.

Autism Sensory Overload Panic 

Similar to children with ADHD, those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show differences in sensory processing. Both conditions share features of neurodivergent sensory regulation problems. According to studies focused on adolescents with autism, being exposed to overstimulating situations can trigger strong distress responses or behavioral reactions. These have been demonstrated in indirect reports from parents and caregivers as well as observed directly.8

Some children with autism have under-responsiveness to sensory information, while others are overreactive. Common signs of autism-related sensory overload panic responses include increased heart rate and startle responses to noises. For some teens, these reactions happen quickly and can be difficult to control. This sensory overreactivity is linked to differences in sensory processing and nervous system regulation.8,9 

While children with anxiety, ADHD, and autism may all experience episodes of sensory overload, their specific symptoms differ because of how the brain processes sensory information. Therefore, receiving an accurate diagnosis is an important part of ensuring that your child is directed to the appropriate mental health treatment.

Coping with Sensory Overload Panic for Teens

When sensory overload starts to feel like panic, certain coping strategies can help teens calm their bodies and regain a sense of control. These sensory regulation strategies focus on noticing physical signals early and reducing the body’s stress response. Common exercises to reduce sensory overwhelm anxiety include body scanning, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and grounding techniques. The following list provides clear explanations of these calming strategies for sensory sensitivity:10

  • Body Scan: This is a key mindfulness technique that involves bringing awareness to bodily sensations. Body scan meditation can be helpful for sensory overload because it encourages teens to notice areas of tension, discomfort, or calm without trying to change them straight away. At the end of the scan, teens can reflect on how their body feels, which can help them recognise early signs of fight or flight sensory overload and respond sooner.10,11
  • Deep Breathing: Slow, deep breathing techniques have been shown to influence how our autonomic nervous system functions, helping the body move out of a stress response. When breathing slows down, heart rate and muscle tension often decrease, which can reduce feelings of anxiety and panic during sensory overload.10,12
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Programs implemented in schools and mental health facilities may include progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) to decrease anxiety and sensory overload. Guided meditations will encourage your child to focus on the muscles in their hands, arms, neck, shoulders, feet, and legs to tense the muscles and then relax them. This helps adolescents better understand when their body is relaxed or stressed, so they can regulate their reactions during times of fight or flight sensory overload. 10,13
  • Grounding Techniques: Many children find grounding techniques for sensory overwhelm helpful because they bring attention back to the present moment. Activities like placing your feet firmly on the ground or holding your hand over your chest while breathing are a few examples of calming strategies for sensory sensitivity.10

Trying out a variety of coping strategies to address your child’s sensory overload symptoms can help identify which methods are most effective. However, when sensory overload panic continues to interfere with daily life, professional mental health support may be needed. If you are ready to get your child started with mental health treatment, feel free to contact Mission Prep today to find out more about our programs for teens.

teen boy at school sitting at desk working and smiling after seeking support with why sensory overload in teens feels like panic

Mission Prep: Addressing Sensory Overload and Panic in Teens

Mission Prep offers a range of mental health services for teens, including inpatient mental health care, residential treatment, and outpatient therapy programs. These programs are designed to support teens whose sensory overload has become overwhelming and is affecting their well-being and everyday life. Treatment can help address the panic symptoms that come from sensory overload and improve nervous system regulation in neurodivergent teens. Contact us today to talk to a member of the Mission Prep team and schedule your child’s first appointment.

References

  1. Weyn, S., Greven, C. U., Schmidt, S. J., Homberg, J. R., & van der Wee, N. J. A. (2025). Sensory processing sensitivity and overstimulation in daily life: An experience sampling method study. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 31629. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-31629-3
  2. Harrison, L. A., Kats, A., Williams, M. E., & Aziz-Zadeh, L. (2019). The importance of sensory processing in mental health: A proposed addition to the research domain criteria (RDoC) and suggestions for RDoC 2.0. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 103. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00103
  3. Taels, L., Feyaerts, J., Lizon, M., De Smet, M., & Vanheule, S. (2023). I felt like my senses were under attack: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of experiences of hypersensitivity in autistic individuals. Autism, 27(8), 2269–2280. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231158182
  4. Hammud, G., Avital-Magen, A., Jabareen, H., Adler-Tsafir, R., & Engel-Yeger, B. (2025). The relations between sensory modulation, hyperarousability, and psychopathology in adolescents with anxiety disorders. Children, 12(2), Article 187. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020187
  5. Cervin, M. (2023). Sensory processing difficulties in children and adolescents with obsessive–compulsive and anxiety disorders. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 51(2), 223–232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-022-00962-w
  6. Ghanizadeh, A. (2010). Sensory processing problems in children with ADHD: A systematic review. Psychiatry Investigation, 8(2), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2011.8.2.89
  7. Rani, I., Agarwal, V., Arya, A., & Mahour, P. (2023). Sensory processing in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(2), 145–151. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547221129306
  8. Ashburner, J., Bennett, L., Rodger, S., & Ziviani, J. (2013). Understanding the sensory experiences of young people with autism spectrum disorder: A preliminary investigation. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 60(3), 171–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12025
  9. Liss, M., Saulnier, C., Fein, D., & Kinsbourne, M. (2006). Sensory and attention abnormalities in autistic spectrum disorders. Autism, 10(2), 155–172. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361306062021
  10. Kozlowska, K., Scher, S., & Helgeland, H. (2020). Treatment interventions I: Working with the body. In K. Kozlowska, S. Scher, & H. Helgeland (Eds.), Functional somatic symptoms in children and adolescents (pp. 311–362). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46184-3_14
  11. Price, C. J., & Hooven, C. (2018). Interoceptive awareness skills for emotion regulation: Theory and approach of mindful awareness in body-oriented therapy (MABT). Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 798. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00798
  12. Jerath, R., Crawford, M. W., Barnes, V. A., & Harden, K. (2015). Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 40(2), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8
  13. Tsai, M. L., Cheng, T. H., Yang, Y. K., & Wang, C. J. (2021). A school-based progressive muscle relaxation program for female adolescents: Development and effectiveness on physiological and psychological outcomes. Healthcare, 9(10), Article 1319. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9101319
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