Avoiding Fireworks Overwhelm this Independence Day: 3 Strategies for Peaceful Celebration
Celebrating the Fourth of July can be a sensory overload for some, with the loud, bright, and smelly fireworks. However, there are ways to make the holiday enjoyable without feeling overwhelmed.
"Understand your priorities and decide what you want from the celebration," advises Alana McVey, an advanced clinical psychology trainee at the University of Washington. If you find fireworks frightening, disturbing, or simply not to your liking, it's essential to advocate for yourself.
McVey recommends using the DEARMAN method, which stands for describing the situation, expressing how you feel, asserting what you need, reinforcing what you need, being mindful, appearing confident, and negotiating. For instance, if a friend invites you to a fireworks display and you'd prefer to stay home, you could say: "Thanks for the invite. I actually find fireworks quite overwhelming. I'd feel more comfortable staying home, but I'd love to catch up next week."
For those who wish to attend a celebration but seek ways to manage their sensory overload, McVey suggests lessening the sensory stimulation by wearing sunglasses, tinted glasses, earplugs, or noise-canceling headphones. Engaging other senses, like having a soft sweatshirt or a smooth worry stone, can also help.
Individuals can also practice deep breathing exercises or mindfulness techniques to calm their nervous systems. Planning an alternative celebration, such as a midday barbecue, picnic, or themed movie night, can help avoid the noise and bustle of fireworks.
If sensory overload is severe, an occupational therapist can help develop a personalized coping plan or "sensory diet." Therapy can also provide strategies for managing anxiety and recovery routines, such as quiet time after events.
By understanding one's needs and utilizing various coping strategies, individuals can enjoy the Fourth of July in a way that suits them best.
- Aging individuals may find fireworks disturbing, and for their well-being, it's crucial to advocates for themselves using the DEARMAN method, ensuring they express their feelings and needs.
- Excessive stimulation during the Fourth of July festivities can affect mental health; thus, it's recommended to use tools like sunglasses, earplugs, or noise-canceling headphones to reduce sensory overload.
- Deep breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques are valuable health-and-wellness practices to help manage anxiety and calm the nervous system when encountering sensory overload during the holiday.
- Severe sensory overload can persist even during aging; in such cases, consulting an occupational therapist for a personalized coping plan or "sensory diet" might be beneficial, as they can also provide strategies for anxiety management and recovery routines.
