With empathy, compassion, and practical tools, a developmental psychologist and sufferer of Sensory Defensive Disorder (SD) sheds light on a little known but common affliction in which sufferers react to harmless stimuli as irritating, distracting, or dangerous.

We all know what it feels like to be irritated by loud music, accosted by lights that are too bright, or overwhelmed by a world that moves too quickly. But for millions of people who struggle with sensory overstimulation, these are not just distracting hindrances, but potentially dangerous threats. Sharon Heller, Ph.D. is not only a trained psychologist, she is sensory defensive herself. Bringing both personal and professional perspectives, Dr. Heller is the ideal person to tell the world about this problem that will only increase as technology and processed environments take over our lives. In addition to heightening public awareness of this prevalent issue, Dr. Heller provides a holistic treatment approach with tools and therapies for alleviating and, in some cases, even eliminating defensiveness altogether.

Until now, the treatment for sensory defensiveness has been successfully implemented in Learning Disabled children in whom defensiveness tends to be extreme. However, the disorder has generally been unidentified in adults who think they are either overstimulated, stressed, weird, or crazy. These sensory defensive sufferers live out their lives stressed and unhappy, never knowing why or what they can do about it. Now, with Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight, they have a compassionate spokesperson and a solution-oriented self-help guide.

What if the anxiety, stress, and irritability you feel aren’t personality flaws, but symptoms of a treatable condition?

Understanding Sensory Defensiveness: Learn why you react with alarm to ordinary sensations that others ignore, and discover that you are not just "weird or crazy."
The Sensory Diet: Explore self-tests and accessible to-do lists for decreasing overwhelming stimuli and creating a daily routine that increases calmness and alertness.
Coping Strategies for Overstimulation: Find practical, real-world advice and sensorimotor activities to minimize sensory overload from touch, sound, light, and motion.
Beyond Anxiety and Stress: See how sensory defensiveness can mimic or result in psychiatric conditions like anxiety, depression, or ADHD, offering a new perspective on your own behavior.