Reddit reviews Living Sensationally

For those who mentioned being interested in books in this thread:
[Asperger Syndrome Employment Workbook] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asperger-Syndrome-Employment-Workbook-Professionals/dp/1853027960/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468747819&sr=8-1&keywords=Asperger+Syndrome+Employment+Workbook)

Survival Tips for Women with ADHD - Suitable for more than just women, and more than just ADHD.

[Build Your Own Life: A Self-Help Guide for Individuals with Asperger] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Your-Own-Life-Individuals/dp/1843101149?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc)

A Field Guide to Earthlings

Been There. Done That. Try This!: An Aspie's Guide to Life on Earth

The Guide to Good Mental Health on the Autism Spectrum

Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Understanding Life Experiences from Early Childhood to Old Age

Autism Equality in the Workplace: Removing Barriers and Challenging Discrimination - Some parts are more for employers or those supporting autistic people into work but others are more for autistic people.

Sensory Issues for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Very Late Diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome

Living Sensationally: Understanding Your Senses

Aspies on Mental Health: Speaking for Ourselves

The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment

Asperger's Syndrome Workplace Survival Guide

The Complete Guide to Getting a Job for People with Asperger's Syndrome

Unemployed on the Autism Spectrum

Asperger Syndrome and Employment

I'm going to stop there, though I could add loads more books. No single book has all the answers obviously and some are better than others in their presentation and approach. I've read most of them, but there are a couple that are still on my "to read" list so I won't make a sweeping comment about the usefulness of all of them - but the ones I have finished have contained useful advice.

Occupational therapist here (with SPD myself).

Feeling extra sensitive (and wondering if you're imagining new sensitivities) when you first discover SPD is totally normal. You've just discovered a new lens to view yourself and your experiences in the world! In my personal experience, the intense sensitivity/over-analysis phase lasts a little while and then things settle back to normal. I still have moments fairly often where I notice new sensory issues, which is actually really great because it provides an opportunity to understand myself and my needs better. I'll also add that depression/anxiety and SPD can have a pretty close connection (and a kind of chicken-or-the-egg thing): I'm sensitive to x, which makes me feel anxious/contributes to my depression, which heightens my sensitivity to x, etc. So, you might find that, over time, addressing your sensory needs can help alleviate some of your other issues.

SPD is definitely real, and it's extremely frustrating that it has yet to be recognized by the larger medical community. I think it's actually starting to be taken more seriously now, as more and more research supporting it is published. It almost made it as a diagnosis in the DSM-V--so, here's hoping for the DSM-VI!

I would definitely seek an OT to help you identify your unique sensory profile and potential coping strategies. If that's not possible, I second the suggestion to find a mental health professional with experience working with people on the spectrum (who tend to experience SPD in very high numbers). I'm assuming you're a woman, so I'll add to that last suggestion: if possible, try to find a professional who has experience working with adult female aspies, who will likely have more similar experiences to yours as compared to children or adult men on the spectrum.

As you've discovered, most publicly available information about SPD is focused on kids. Unfortunately, this skewing also occurs in terms of treatment--so it might be difficult to find an OT who works with adults. You'll probably have better luck finding an independently operating OT, rather than an OT sensory clinic (which is usually 100% pediatrics). I know there's one pediatric clinic in Los Angeles that also works with adults, as well as the Star Institute in Denver. The Star Institute has a lot of good information about SPD, including adults.

For more in-depth reading, there are several books written specifically for adults with SPD, such as Living Sensationally and Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight: What to Do If You Are Sensory Defensive in an Overstimulating World.

Finally, if you feel comfortable sharing (here or in a private message), I'd be happy to give you some off-the-cuff tips that might help you in the short-term.