Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight: What to do with you’re sensory defensive in an overstimulating world, by Sharon Heller, Ph.D is a remarkable book for those of us who, given the choice, would have opted for a quieter world with fewer distractions. Here are my notes and excerpts from the book:

Sensory Defensiveness

Some 15% of the population can’t tune out harmless sensations and instead react to them with irritation, anger, and alarm.

Common symptoms of sensory defensiveness include recoiling from light, being startled by loud or sudden sounds, being unable to shut out constant noise, wanting to remove tags and labels from your close, avoiding tight-fitting clothes or belts, and avoiding jewelry or anything that hangs from your neck.

Also, being upset when someone touches you unexpectedly or from behind, feeling hot or cold easily, seeking to avoid situations where your senses will be stressed, becoming easily frustrated, and feeling anxious much of the time.

Overloaded

Modern life overloads our eyes, ears, and nose, and robs us of touch and movement. Some people, with a low sensory threshold, quickly reach their saturation point and are overstimulated by sensation. To avoid over-stimulation they direct their attention inward appear restrained and inhibited. Defensive reactions to sensations include:

* being irritated standing in line
* being fussy about rough or synthetic textures in clothing
* frequently adjusting one’s clothes
* over dressing to minimize skin exposure
* avoid touching certain textures

* being excessively ticklish
* bothered by creams or lotions
* picky about food
* under reacting to pain, or
* overreacting to pain

* easily cold or easily hot
* annoyed by vibration
* unnerved by loud bass sounds
* easily distracted by ambient noise
* hearing sounds to faint for others to hear

* annoyed by objects too close to your face
* overstimulated by eye contact
* smelling odors before others
* becoming light-headed or nauseous from chemical smells
* disliking certain food smells

Self-Preservation

Each of us acts in accordance with the information our senses receive. If we feel overwhelmed, we seek to defend against over-stimulation and preserve the self. Even when our sensory defensiveness is mild, coping with sensory invasion creates layers of problems that, in unsuspected ways, affect every aspect of life and prevent us from knowing the full range of human experience.

Wired from stress, we might seem fidgety, agitated, short tempered, impulsive, patient, or volatile. Needing to withdraw from stimulation we might appear preoccupied, unfriendly, or reclusive and such behavior compromises relationships.

A sensory diet might include brushing your skin daily at specific intervals, listening to music that help you to better integrate sensor sensory processing, dancing freely to music, doing breathing exercises, and practicing yoga. Also, jumping on trampoline, bouncing on an exercise ball, and swinging in a hammock.

Calmness at Last

After, you might feel a calmness that you never previously knew. And, when you feel grounded, you are less inclined to be irritated by sensory overload.

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